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

[big ginger 8]

Too little too late Edinburgh will be kicking themselves for losing this.

Well done Ulster for getting to the final here's hoping for an all Irish final.

 

[dullonien]

You can't win the HC with a scrum like Edinburgh's though. They've been destroyed today by a scrum containing Tom Court, that's simply not good enough imo (not saying Court is a poor player, just that he's not a top scrummaging prop).

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Nice consolation try at the end, but Ulster were deserved winners.
Shaping up to be a great final - Hopefully Clermont meet them there (nothing against Leinster, I just think same-country finals are boring, as you see those matches twice a year as it is)

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Edinburgh lost this game by not being clinical enough and making silly mistakes. Congratulations to Ulster, great win.

 

[big ginger 8]

You can't win the HC with a scrum like Edinburgh's though. They've been destroyed today by a scrum containing Tom Court, that's simply not good enough imo (not saying Court is a poor player, just that he's not a top scrummaging prop).

Sorry but that's wrong Court is a very bad tighthead but a strong loosehead doing well there all season and in the past has done well against highly rated scrums such as the French and South African's.

 

[Feicarsinn]

How good was Ruan Pienaar today? Immaculate from the tee and his two grubbers into the Edinburgh 22, one of which resulted in an Ulster line out and the other in bottling Edinburgh up right after an Ulster score, were probably the winning of the game. What a fantastic player he's been for them.

Looks like the Paddy Jackson call was justified in the end. The young lad, while not doing anything spectacular, didn't put a foot wrong. Also nice to see Adam Macklin get a significant amount of game time, although I doubt playing against a scrum of that standard will stand to him. A bit disappointed with Cave today, thought his passing left a bit to be desired. Some hit in the second half though, eh?

All in all, well done Ulster. Hopefully we'll be seeing you in Twickers.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Feic I thought you said on the Podcast that Ulster would smash Edinburgh :lol:

 

[Feicarsinn]

Feic I thought you said on the Podcast that Ulster would smash Edinburgh :lol:

Hey, what happens in the podcast stays in the podcast! Lots of things were said.

Anyway, I'm happy to see Ulster win, but I'm happier to see Edinburgh out. Their blatant disregard for the Rabo in favour of the Heineken Cup is everything that's wrong with the way European qualification is structured. They're second bottom in the table and have shown little or no interest in setting that right in recent weeks. This from a team that was second only a few years ago. Had they won, it would have given more ammunition to those who say the Rabo Pro 12 isn't worth a sh*te.

 

[dullonien]

Sorry but that's wrong Court is a very bad tighthead but a strong loosehead doing well there all season and in the past has done well against highly rated scrums such as the French and South African's.

Didn't say otherwise really. Most scrums would hold their own against that Ulster unit, especially the ones competing for a HC final spot, and some would get on top themselves. I'd expect the stronger European scrums (Northampton, Ospreys, a few of the French teams) to get on top against Ulster, but Edinburgh were very weak today in that department, and it ultimately cost them the game.

Please don't take this as a dig at Court, he's a decent enough looshead, who's on par, scrummaging wise, with a lot of other props going. What he isn't is a destructive scrummager who week in week out dominates opposition props, and that just shows how weak Edinburgh were in this department today.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Didn't say otherwise really. Most scrums would hold their own against that Ulster unit, especially the ones competing for a HC final spot, and some would get on top themselves. I'd expect the stronger European scrums (Northampton, Ospreys, a few of the French teams) to get on top against Ulster, but Edinburgh were very weak today in that department, and it ultimately cost them the game.

Please don't take this as a dig at Court, he's a decent enough looshead, who's an par scrummaging wise with a lot of other props going.

Agreed. The Ulster unit is by no means outstanding, and did very little in the loose. Any over the quarter finalists would have dismantled Edinburgh up front today. Sean Cox had a good game today.

He's not Scottish qualified by any chance?

 

[dullonien]

Agreed. The Ulster unit is by no means outstanding, and did very little in the loose. Any over the quarter finalists would have dismantled Edinburgh up front today. Sean Cox had a good game today.

He's not Scottish qualified by any chance?

The same thing was true in the qf with the Blues. No team can expect to win the HC without a complete all round game. A serious chink in the armour, such as a weak scrum (Edinburgh and Cardiff Blues), and you've got little chance against the better teams. Ulster didn't have to do much other than target one area and reap the rewards.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Agreed. The Ulster unit is by no means outstanding, and did very little in the loose. Any over the quarter finalists would have dismantled Edinburgh up front today. Sean Cox had a good game today.

He's not Scottish qualified by any chance?

God know's why we let him go
I think he might be, or at least plans of qualifying for them (though that might've been Chris Leck that said that?)
Fraser McKenzie is incredibly similar to Cox though, so Scotland are set with him (I think he would've been starting alongside Gray by the end of the Six Nations if he hadn't have dislocated his shoulder before the tournament)

those who say the Rabo Pro 12 isn't worth a sh*te.

Skip to six seconds (embedding gets rid of it starting there ):

 

[redcloak]

Cannot agree entirely with the comments on Edinburgh's disregard for the Rabo Direct league. We have had to blood our back up players - to see what they are made of. It hasn't worked and we are building now for next season, with some good signings.
Keep the faith.....

 

[osullie6]

Thought Ulster missed Henry badly today around the breakdown. Rennie and Denton were excellent and Ulster really struggled to hold onto the ball in the rucks. Ferris playing one-legged didn't help either.

 

[Tony Manx]

An average game with many too errors but loads of enthusiasm and some huge hits......still think the Final is to be held tomorrow and that Ulster will not pose that much of a problem to either Clermont or Leinster at Twickenham! Ulster only won today by virtue of Pineaar, who is Yach's only challenger for ***le of world best 9, against an Edinburgh side who could not hold the crucial ball, gave away far too many penalties and had a scrum which was underwhelming....and I am half Scottish!!

PS would take Poite any day over Rolland, Clancy (who had a good game today by the way) Pearson et al any time!

 

[Sker]

wow you guys heaping a lot of praise on Pienaar, I wonder...

Hmm... Any saffers been following/watching him this season? Is he a contender? I mean it's him or Hougaard...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Brilliant match. So much louder than any Leinster match, as it's been said Pienaar was immense, Paddy Jackson was better than iHumph would have been the only disappointment was that Paul Marshall never got on.

Also had great half time entertainment of a load of ****** Edinburgh fans harassing by declaring him the sexiest man in the Aviva and trying to set him up with the old ones in front of us and then at the end of the match they tried to throw him onto the pitch.

 

[Groundhog]

I wasnt paying a huge ammount of attention to the match because the Edinburgh fans beside me who were very drunk were quite entertaining. They kept grabbing my friend and throwing him around and I may have joined in. They also got a kiss blown at them by an Edinburgh player when they lifted their kilts There antics even got me on tv for a brief second. All in all it was a really enjoyable match, even if the quality wasnt great

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I wasnt paying a huge ammount of attention to the match because the Edinburgh fans beside me who were very drunk were quite entertaining. They kept grabbing my friend and throwing him around and I may have joined in. They also got a kiss blown at them by an Edinburgh player when they lifted their kilts There antics even got me on tv for a brief second. All in all it was a really enjoyable match, even if the quality wasnt great

Beat you.

 

[big ginger 8]

I wasnt paying a huge ammount of attention to the match because the Edinburgh fans beside me who were very drunk were quite entertaining. They kept grabbing my friend and throwing him around and I may have joined in. They also got a kiss blown at them by an Edinburgh player when they lifted their kilts There antics even got me on tv for a brief second. All in all it was a really enjoyable match, even if the quality wasnt great

Why try to hide the fact it was cmac.