Yikes!!!

Clarkes substitution was planned. JHW has a biceps tear - same as he had last year - 4-6weeks. Willie has a ? metatarsal injury.

Game plan is all wrong for this group of players. The pack just don't have the mobility or rugby intelligence to support the ball carrier consistently at the breakdown. The game plan has to be more forward based. Not exclusively but we need to addpick and go aand more mauling to our game plan. We are good at it so why ignore it! Connacht are easy to defend against as we rarely go at the tackle area with the ball so teams fan out.
In addition parks who was brought here to convert pens isn't doing the business ATM. For me the game plan isn't the way he wants to play and I'd affecting his confidence. The first 10 of 2nd half were crying out for his kicking game but we didn't see it!

Porterbelly wrote: JHW could be long term

Remember that was my main concern.. hope young Rael can fit in... :dry:

ummm, wrote: Was Clarke's substitution injury enforced? Any word on JHW and Willie?

Clarke is fine

Willie and JHW could be long term

Was Clarke's substitution injury enforced? Any word on JHW and Willie?

Hugely disappointing and very worried by the nature of the defeat. What most worried me is that imo Connacht don't look fit enough. I know people will say we were going at the end but at 7-8 we were a spent force. Similarly last week we looked a beaten team even when just two points down. Ok when you are doing a lot of defending it will take it out of you but we looked dead on our feet early in the 2nd half and really at this early stage of the season that's a worry.

Decision making at key stages was terrible. The two tries were far too simple at this level especially the 2nd try, it was a run of the mill move from Ulster yet while he ran a good line there is no excuse for how easily Marshall cut through the centre.

Ulster were professional in the 2nd half but Connacht were flat and clueless. How many times during the game did we run down blind alleyways or throw the ball into touch.

I really thought as a former back rower Pat Lam would improve us majorly at the breakdown but its the same old failings coming back to haunt us there. Lineout was poor. Henry looks an AIL player at best from what I've seen of him over the past couple of years. Craig Clarke looked off the pace which was disappointing. Can't fault him but Swifty going the full 80 minutes again this evening is questionable. Dan Parks looks on the way down, the penalty miss at 7-5 was soul destroying. Ronaldson may make a player but looks to have a lot of rough edges at the moment.

Ospreys put 44 points on Edinburgh this evening. The prospects of getting another win before the start of the Heineken Cup are looking slim if this is the best we can produce. If people expect us to compete against the likes of Saracens or Toulouse when a weakened Ulster team wins at their leisure in Galway they are living in dreamland.

From what I've seen from all teams in the opening weeks I'd say about 10th will be the height of our ambition this season.

Two games in a row now where Connacht don't score for 70 minutes of rugby. Poor .
Lots of effort but nothing coming from it.

1st half they showed up and it was an entertaining contest but they were headless in the second half and the penalty count against was poor.

Discipline , discipline , discipline............

That 2nd half was a bit dispiriting after the first half

Intensity dropped massively

Game plan? Breakdown? Work to do

Gutted at that second half display, we rolled over and shot ourselves in the foot over and over again with consistent suicidal decisions and one off runners going up blind alleys with zero support and getting turned over. Ulster will be laughing all the way home AGAIN!. That team needs a big forward leader with a bit of tactical nous, teach the team how to be clinical, hopefully that is Clarke (its not swift, muldoon or duffy) and Parks is needed for the backs without him they are close to headless chickens. JHW is essential for the lineout henry had a bit of a mare. Marmion needs to get the ball away from the scrum far quicker. Backrow was bullied all night long. Heenan is a good player deserves his spot, would like to see Mata at 8. Very disappointed we could have had them

also on a trivial point, some extra decent chants please to combat that SUFTUM etc tripe... COYBIG is a handy one everyone knows plus it annoys the hell out of leinster fans

Feel true leadership was an issue. Looked like a team with no game plan?

Most players were average -5 with the exception of

Swift -6
Muldoon - 8
Heenan - 7
Griffin -7

Healy looked good with ball -6

Thought front row very weak. Lineout was poor enough. That was 2nd/3rd spec ulster front row.
Clarke didn't want to know about it (sure that will change)
Parks thinks he's the playboy of the western world.
Duffy couldn't dummy Stevie wonder, so why try.

Bench weak in key areas. Doesn't offer a plan B.

Am concerned.

1. What is the game plan?
2. Where are the go to men? Seems it is becoming Heenan, Healy, etc. Others not performing.
3. What is the bench strategy?


3 and 1 with the signings we have is a poor return.

Thought Marmion, Hennan and Griffin had a great game. As for Ah You I slaughtered him last week but he did well this week. Swift again giving away silly penalties. We played well but Ulster were the deserving winners.

Lots of enthusiasm but no clue.

Very disappointing to come away with nothing. Really they did little after scoring their try and were totally outplayed in the second half until all the changes were made and the game was already decided. Heenan the obvious stand out and a few others had decent games but really the standard needs to be raised by a mile otherwise they could well be in a battle for the basement especially in light of the Zebre result over Cardiff.

PS : Heenan is MOTM undoubtably, all he touched was pure gold

Ok some of you will disagree, but that's what I call a good defeat, great individualities, still missed the little added cohesion to step up to the level...