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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.
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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
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) 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.
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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.
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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.
WATCH: Part five of The Academy, the RugbyPass documentary series on the Leicester Tigers
Comments on RugbyPass
Rodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
1 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
7 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
7 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
8 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
7 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
7 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
8 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
8 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
7 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
8 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
7 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
7 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
46 Go to comments