Far from Friday being a shot to nothing, Ulster's trip to Glasgow is a match they must win
His resolve is not to seem the bravest, but to be.
I’ve recently heard Ulster’s away PRO14 semi-final against Glasgow described as a “free hit” for the Belfast side, meaning they have already reached their season targets and anything else is a bonus.
I couldn’t disagree more. Some teams go for years without a sniff of a trophy and this Friday presents Ulster with the chance to reach their first competition final since 2013 – far from being a shot to nothing, it’s a match they must win.
When I played at Ulster we pretty much took wins against Scottish sides for granted, but times have changed somewhat. Only a matter of weeks ago a near first-choice Ulster line-up were comprehensively beaten by Glasgow despite scoring first.
Ulster struggled to get go-forward, struggled at the set-piece, conceded too many penalties and offered too many soft shoulders in defence. For a team that has made fighting for every inch their mantra, they seemed to lack resolve.
Semi Final weekend is just around the corner and first up its @GlasgowWarriors v @UlsterRugby
The youthful engine room of each team could be key!
Read their profiles on our @EnergiaEnergy Next-Gen article here https://t.co/yPP03QhZLo pic.twitter.com/b6EokZmp1b
— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) May 16, 2019
Despite that loss there are sound reasons for Ulster fans to be optimistic. Jacob Stockdale is back alongside fellow Ireland duo Rory Best and Iain Henderson who didn’t feature in Glasgow in April. Having those names alone on the teamsheet will lift the confidence of the players around them.
Ulster have won three on the bounce since the Glasgow defeat, with the Connacht quarter-final win showing they are capable of reversing results that have gone against them earlier in the season.
The Connacht reversal was off the back of a much improved set-piece, something we know was a weak point against Glasgow last month. Most importantly of all, last month’s Glasgow game came only days after a heroic but physically and emotionally-draining European encounter with Leinster. This time the team should be confident, recovered and ready for the Warriors.
Add to that the Luke Marshall factor. Injured for most of the season he only started his first game at Scotstoun in April. Marshall has got sharper in every game since and was instrumental in Ulster closing out the win over Connacht.
Will Addison may have been the early-season star for Ulster, but there is something rather comforting about seeing Stuart McCloskey and Marshall line up alongside in midfield. Tried and trusted, they are as intelligent in their play as they are physical and abrasive.
Ulster’s last two finals have been losses to Leinster in Europe in 2012 and in the PRO12 in 2013, but Leinster are not the Leinster of old and the gap has closed. If Ulster can navigate the tricky Scots to set up a likely final against the Dubliners, the outcome will be far from a forgone conclusion.
After a lengthy injury layoff, @lukemarshall121 has been delighted to get back playing for the business end of the season and be involved in knockout rugby in both the Champions Cup and PRO14… pic.twitter.com/cSBRtv4Kcb
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) May 17, 2019
With my old man in Singapore town this week it’s the first time in a while we will have three generations of Bests nestling down alongside each other to cheer on Ulster. This is a great chance for this team and squad to make a name for themselves, to make bit of history. With a few of them not going to be around next season, they need to step up, believe in themselves and really grab this opportunity.
Nurture your minds with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
27 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments