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Video - 'You must defend in twos' - Cheslin Kolbe shreds Ulster with more scintillating footwork
Cheslin Kolbe gave the credit to his team-mates after his starring role in Toulouse’s Heineken Champions Cup win over Ulster. The South Africa wing’s two tries in a 36-8 rout helped ensure that for only the fourth time this century there will be no Irish team in the semi-finals as Ulster followed Leinster through the exit door.
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“Scoring tries is always great, it is the cherry on top of the cake, but I must give credit to my team-mates. Without them, wingers are nothing,” said Kolbe.
Cheslin Kolbe really was on another level today 😍@RoryBest2 and @BrianODriscoll look at what sets the Toulouse star apart…
Just look at those feet!#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/LzVRgDiAPY
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 20, 2020
“They give us the go-forward on which to capitalise. We stuck to what was expected and the forwards got the gain line for us to create the opportunities.
“Quarter-final games are about opportunities and discipline and they were outstanding. But there are still a lot of things we can improve on going into next week.
“We just have to make sure we don’t get ahead of ourselves and keep working as hard as we can. There are two more games left and hopefully we can make history again and make our supporters, the jersey and ourselves proud.”
Kolbe’s early first try came with Ulster centre James Hulme down injured and then outside half Billy Burns went off after only 16 minutes. That disrupted Ulster and the visitors played with John Cooney on the wing and full back Michael Lowry at 10.
Kolbe scored again just before half-time and Antoine Dupont, Pita Ahki and Thomas Ramos crossed after the interval.
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Behave, Cheslin… 🤯#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/V0MZSLk4fZ
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 20, 2020
Ulster’s only points came from Cooney’s try and penalty and they were left to lick their wounds after coming up short for a second weekend in a row in a major cup tie. Last weekend they were beaten in the PRO14 final by Leinster.
“Toulouse are a good team and when you make mistakes they are going to punish you. The slightest error and they are through to score,” said Ulster head coach Dan McFarland.
“They showed that and they are a great team. On the reverse side of things, we know we didn’t look like a quarter-final team today.
"We have to make sure we don't get ahead of ourselves"
"Hopefully we can make history again."
Star of the match, man of the hour, Cheslin Kolbe reflects as Toulouse book their spot in the semis.#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/OZX0HKAQdD
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) September 20, 2020
“For whatever reason we haven’t been playing very well after the break and it looked like that today. We got punished and we deserved it.
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“We just aren’t playing very well at the moment – that’s the bottom line.
“I was really pleased with the way the forwards went up front. We talked about their pack and for 60 minutes our scrum was excellent and our set-piece worked well – hats off to the forwards but in other areas of the game we weren’t at the races.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to comments