Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby The Chiel on Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:22 pm

Really good effort - let down by conceding some good, but too easy, tries in the first half. And blowing at least one score.

As all have said much improved second half, and to carry on taking the game to Ulster with players dropping like flies was very praiseworthy. Got close enough for ifs / buts / maybes and shouting at O'wens, particularly on the last play when surely advantage was over.

Only fully consistent facet of play was the awful kicking game throughout.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby New Gunner on Sat Feb 11, 2017 1:01 am

The Chiel wrote:Really good effort - let down by conceding some good, but too easy, tries in the first half. And blowing at least one score.

As all have said much improved second half, and to carry on taking the game to Ulster with players dropping like flies was very praiseworthy. Got close enough for ifs / buts / maybes and shouting at O'wens, particularly on the last play when surely advantage was over.

Only fully consistent facet of play was the awful kicking game throughout.


I thought that too. They had advantage, there was no pressure on him and he clearly took the decision to kick it out the park. The fact he failed and handed it on a plate to Brown is tough luck - wrong call from Owens. I'm sure in one of the 6N games last weekend the ref made exactly the point that a team had knock-on advantage but lost it because it was their choice to kick it away, and the fact they made a hash of it is tough.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby doedin on Sat Feb 11, 2017 1:47 am

Defence improved dramatically in the 2nd half when we decided not to put so many guys into the breakdown, to cover wider out and our line speed improved. Also thought the big Ulster carriers wilted badly in 2nd half whereas our guys had the superior fitness. Shame we started giving so many penalties away at the breakdown with new prop particularly guilty. If only we could play 80 mins in a controlled way! Turner once again comes on and turns in a great show, he needs to start more often. We need more control on the game, particularly at 9 and 10. Kicking was awful and we just end up putting pressure on ourselves, noticeable when Weir doesn’t start.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby macdone on Sat Feb 11, 2017 4:03 am

What has happened to Phil Burleigh? Seems to have lost his mojo big time. Rasolea and Tofilau can't be so bad they deserve 0 minutes. Tofilau seems to be sitting on the bench for Gala - when I briefly saw him he immediately made an impact with a 60 yard break. I'm guessing he is on his way out though. Likewise Northam - he played 1 match and was MOTM and that was it.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby Oldsalt on Sat Feb 11, 2017 6:49 am

I thought Solomons was still in charge with the amount of possession we kicked away. 9,10.12 and 13 are just not good enough. In the first half Ulster just had to keep the ball, Edinburgh would fall off and they run straight at us.
I wish I had Martin's faith about being nearly there but if you don't put in a full 80 you will never get there.
Thought the pack put their end in and the back three contributed.
On the past couple of performances the current coaches are not up to the job, it's a "settled" side that loses.
Winston Churchill said that going to sea was like going to prison but with a chance of drowning!
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby Crichton Gunner on Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:16 am

Strange how we can see the same game so differently. I thought we ran the ball far more than we kicked it, even from around our own 22. When we did kick it was very poor, just handing the ball back to them, so it made sense to run it.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby Weegie on Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:56 am

Crichton Gunner wrote:Strange how we can see the same game so differently. I thought we ran the ball far more than we kicked it, even from around our own 22. When we did kick it was very poor, just handing the ball back to them, so it made sense to run it.


I agree there was not much kicking, but because it was quite poor, it tends to stick in the mind.

I am rarely the ray of sunshine, but to me it looks like Edinburgh are nearly there. It is frustrating that they do not put it together for 80 mins and that too many mistakes are still being made at critical times. But there is a lot that is good and entertaining that has come into the play. That gives the foundation that can be built on to make Edinburgh truly competitive. There is some dead wood in the squad and Edinburgh need another key player or two. There is still work to be done, but the direction of travel looks good to me if it can be maintained, and what we see in flashes is periods like most of the second half yesterday is produced for 80 mins.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby sammy on Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:06 am

I haven't commented much recently as have been too disheartened, but I am seeing an improvement since Solomons left, even if not translating into results yet. The first half was awful, the second half, while not a skills fest, showed a lot of grit and determination, and our fitness levels were pleasing. Our loss did not seem to be a result of a lack of effort and so don't think bringing in someone to beast the players is the right approach. Disappointing to lose, but an entertaining 2nd half game.
Last edited by sammy on Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Sat Feb 11, 2017 11:19 am

Oldsalt wrote:I thought Solomons was still in charge with the amount of possession we kicked away. 9,10.12 and 13 are just not good enough. In the first half Ulster just had to keep the ball, Edinburgh would fall off and they run straight at us.
I wish I had Martin's faith about being nearly there but if you don't put in a full 80 you will never get there.
Thought the pack put their end in and the back three contributed.
On the past couple of performances the current coaches are not up to the job, it's a "settled" side that loses.


I thought Tovey made some breaks and Dean had some good carriers, he threw a great pass for one of our tries whilst running which is promising for his move to 12 if Bennett joins.

I agree, I think it's frustrating because the players have shown they are capable but it's pro rugby - you can't spot the opposition 24 points before you start to play. Hodge needs to show he can mastermind an 80 minute performance in the coming weeks. An entertaining second half doesn't override an awful first half.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby gowrie on Sat Feb 11, 2017 1:31 pm

To me this was proof that Hodge isn't right for the HC role. Sure there were bits here and there of good attack, but that's the work for an assistant coach, the total inability to sort out the mental game for the players is an enormous part of the flaws in this side, and if anything it's getting worse.

On the game itself, the first half was appalling, McKenzie the only player who can really hold their head up after that 40, he had an immense game. Hoyland in particular had an absolute nightmare, and Mata looked totally out of his depth all game.
Second half had some improvement, Turner put in a very good shift off the bench, Brown was giving it his all as ever, H-C gave some spark and energy off the bench even if he put in some terrible kicks. Scholes and Appiah were terrible of the bench though, I just don't understand Scholes, he gets very little time and when he does finally get a chance to stake a claim, he looks totally disinterested.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby doedin on Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:49 pm

I think the game shows the limitations of the squad - Scholes for example was an awful signing and looked completely disinterested and very, very poor. Once you strip out, our very few, international class players like Ford, Nel, Watson, Del, Sutherland and Weir we are left with a mix of a few decent players and a large number of players who do not and never will be good enough at this level! TBH The lack of quality in our backs in shocking. I doubt any coach would be able to make a decent team performance out of what Hodge has to choose from last night.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby Friday Knight Lights on Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:58 pm

doedin wrote:I think the game shows the limitations of the squad - Scholes for example was an awful signing and looked completely disinterested and very, very poor. Once you strip out, our very few, international class players like Ford, Nel, Watson, Del, Sutherland and Weir we are left with a mix of a few decent players and a large number of players who do not and never will be good enough at this level! TBH The lack of quality in our backs in shocking. I doubt any coach would be able to make a decent team performance out of what Hodge has to choose from last night.


Did it show the limitations of the squad? Because we were terrible one half and excellent the next. I don't understand how that shows the limitations of the squad? They showed they were capable but only for 40 minutes, that's on the coaches. For all the beatings the backs take on here they were quite good and the tries were all well taken.
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby oldballs on Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:19 am

doedin wrote:I think the game shows the limitations of the squad - Scholes for example was an awful signing and looked completely disinterested and very, very poor.

As a pretty useful ex Ulster player who has been pretty poorly treated by Edinburgh and playing his old club at Kingspan you may think about reviewing your level of expectation. If there was one game NOT to play him it was this one. ( note the absence of Visser from the Harlequin's games.. smarter coaching possibly )
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby joe soap on Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:18 am

oldballs wrote:
doedin wrote:I think the game shows the limitations of the squad - Scholes for example was an awful signing and looked completely disinterested and very, very poor.

As a pretty useful ex Ulster player who has been pretty poorly treated by Edinburgh and playing his old club at Kingspan you may think about reviewing your level of expectation. If there was one game NOT to play him it was this one. ( note the absence of Visser from the Harlequin's games.. smarter coaching possibly )


if what you say is true then this was, like any opportunity Scholes gets, a perfect opportunity to show Edin and Ulster how they got it wrong and put himself in the shop window. Your post seems to confirm that he was disinterested; a disinterested player quickly goes out of professional sport - this isn't a hobby, its his job, disinterest is the road to the exit door
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Re: Ulster - Edinburgh 10/02/2017

Postby doedin on Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:57 pm

Friday Knight Lights wrote:
doedin wrote:I think the game shows the limitations of the squad - Scholes for example was an awful signing and looked completely disinterested and very, very poor. Once you strip out, our very few, international class players like Ford, Nel, Watson, Del, Sutherland and Weir we are left with a mix of a few decent players and a large number of players who do not and never will be good enough at this level! TBH The lack of quality in our backs in shocking. I doubt any coach would be able to make a decent team performance out of what Hodge has to choose from last night.


Did it show the limitations of the squad? Because we were terrible one half and excellent the next. I don't understand how that shows the limitations of the squad? They showed they were capable but only for 40 minutes, that's on the coaches. For all the beatings the backs take on here they were quite good and the tries were all well taken.


I admire your optimism but lets face facts! Our backline started playing once we were down 24-10, once Ulster had got their bonus point and they were playing an Ulster backline missing most of their 1st choices. Apart from Weir that was probably as good as we have in the backs and we still looked poor when it mattered. Scholes was just awful when he came on, I agree with others that this is exactly the game he should have been fired up about and he clearly wasn’t. Ulster tired badly but also thought they had done enough. Yes we gave them a bit of a PaulHoniss and started trying to run it from everywhere but too late. We have some good players and some commitment but many badly lack skill set required. Worst of all is the lack of shape and defensive capabilities. If Scholes is our next best FB then we are in trouble!
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