Heineken Cup Semi Final: Ulster vs Edinburgh - 28/04/12

[robrfc]

(15-9): S Terblanche; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, W Faloon, P Wannenburg;
Replacements (16-23): N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, I Humphreys, A D'Arcy

 

[Conal]

looking good bring on the game!

 

[big ginger 8]

Marsahall's fit, cmac's gonna be delirah.

Be very interesting to see how Jackson gets on.

 

[lucky number 7]

I have my own computer...
Printers are a waste of money when you look at how expensive ink is, compared to how little it costs to print something out at uni.
I'd probably use an entire ink cartridge and pack of paper printing out two copies of my dissertation, whereas it cost a couple of quid to do at uni.

The ****?

 

[Peat]

No Henry is a shame, but otherwise, as strong as can be. Excited for Jackson.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Marsahall's fit, cmac's gonna be delirah.

Be very interesting to see how Jackson gets on.

So I wasted a day of my life crying for no reason. Cheers Feic.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Eddie O'Sullivan has shown once again why he's not rated as a top line coach. Just as he stated a few months ago that he'd have gone for Ronan O'Gara instead of Jonny Sexton in the 6 Nations because the gambler was a safer pick, he'd have picked flaky Ian Humphreys ahead of Paddy Jackson because he knows what Humphreys can do. The guy is frighteningly conservative.

Ulster should win but their pack worries me. Declan Fitzpatrick and Willie Falloon aren't up to much while Tom Court and Pedrie Wannenburg are decidedly average. They'll rely on the always excellent Stephen Ferris, Rory Best and Johann Muller hugely in this game.

 

[Groundhog]

Im going to this match and Im really looking forward to this. I shall be, as you northerners put it "standing up for the Ulstermen". Im really interested to see how Paddy Jackson does although cmacs girlish squeels will probably distract me

 

[Amiga500]

Ulster should win but their pack worries me. Declan Fitzpatrick and Willie Falloon aren't up to much while Tom Court and Pedrie Wannenburg are decidedly average. They'll rely on the always excellent Stephen Ferris, Rory Best and Johann Muller hugely in this game.

Declan Fitz was dead on against the goiys last week in the scrum. OK, not exactly Afoa in the loose, but not many are.


I share your concern about Willie Faloon vs. Ross Rennie.


Tom Court is a good (ok, not excellent) loosehead and Wannenburg is underrated by many. While he might not be your typical boshing no.8 he is far more subtle, sucking in defenders and often getting a very good off-load away. I'd reckon his assist stats are through the roof this year.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I hear Wannenburg is highly rated by Ulster fans but I've never seen it. Perhaps it goes back to last year when he was part of a backrow unit dominated by Leinster rookies Dominic Ryan, Rhys Ruddock and an out of position Sean O'Brien. Wannenburg can be very effective when his pack give him a platform but to me he seems to go missing when games are tight.

Fitzpatrick was decent at scrum time last week but no more than that. He's lucky that Edinburgh's frontrow isn't exactly to be feared. In a high stakes Heineken Cup game against either of the other two semi finalists, I think he'd be in big trouble. Last week Leinster had nothing to play for.

 

[Amiga500]

I hear Wannenburg is highly rated by Ulster fans but I've never seen it. Perhaps it goes back to last year when he was part of a backrow unit dominated by Leinster rookies Dominic Ryan, Rhys Ruddock and an out of position Sean O'Brien. Wannenburg can be very effective when his pack give him a platform but to me he seems to go missing when games are tight.

Yeah, I know where your coming from. He's a bit like Heaslip in that he might be a touch too light when up against a very physical pack. I'd also rate Heaslip as the better defensive player.

Fitzpatrick was decent at scrum time last week but no more than that. He's lucky that Edinburgh's frontrow isn't exactly to be feared. In a high stakes Heineken Cup game against either of the other two semi finalists, I think he'd be in big trouble. Last week Leinster had nothing to play for.

If all he has to be is decent this week against Edinburgh to get the job done, I'll take it.

I don't know if there is such a thing as an easy-going scrum!

 

[munstermuffin]

I think Edinburgh migh shock alot of people and this game could be in the balance until the 80th minute.

 

[Peat]

Snoopy, if you think being merely 'decent' against a nearly all international front row on his first game back at this level after a long time out is cause for criticism, then I think you need to lower your standards a little.

Right. Nerves settled. Embra are a team to be respected, but not to be feared. Let's go see where Ulster are.

It's now time for me to go eat a lot of Chinese and get ******.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Snoopy, if you think being merely 'decent' against a nearly all international front row on his first game back at this level after a long time out is cause for criticism, then I think you need to lower your standards a little.

Was I criticising him? It was a solid first outing back for him. He managed okay in the scrum and did nothing around the park (it's usually more than enough for an Irish tighthead!) against a team who didn't need to win the game as they had already finished top of the table and had a bigger game next up. I hope he plays a blinder and becomes an international option but nothing I've seen in his career thus far indicates he's close to that level. Once he locks the scrum this week, he'll have done his job. Forgive me if I won't annoint him as the saviour of Irish rugby for doing so though. Having said that, if he scrummages well in John Afoa's absence, he'll probably go to New Zealand in the summer such are the national team's lack of options at 3.

 

[retardedgenius]

going to put it out there COME ON EDINBURGH

 

[big ginger 8]

Brilliant kick by Pienaar.

EDIT: Great scrum for that try While he is against Jacobson Fitzpatrick is doing excellent.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Wow, Ulster lucky there. Good try but ball was out.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

10-6 to Ulster. Scrum is going well. Kudos to Declan Fitzpatrick!

Edit- Ulster are playing with 4 front rows judging by Stephen Ferris' position on that scrum.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This Fitzpatrick fella needs to be in the Ireland squad.

Ferris was lucky not see yellow early on for taking out Visser, though. Fair enough if he just ran across him as he was unable to stop but he threw his arm across him and then stuck his leg out after as well (though that missed).



Edit:
Awkward for the Ulster #5 then, getting smashed out of the ruck by all 3ft2", 6stone of Laidlaw

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Ulster's defence is very passive. Edinburgh are making big yardage without having to do all that much.