I've learned over the past few years that the 5 point difference is a mirage. It will start this weekend, Munster will probably head up to Ravenhill with a side weaker than the one they put out against Connacht and ship a 5 pointer to them. While Connacht will lose a tight one to Leinster perhaps even missing out on a bonus point very late. I'd loved to be proven wrong, but Ulster always manages to do whats necessary and nothing about Connacht's recent forms says they will put any pressure on them.

swift4prez wrote:

salmson wrote:

connachtexile wrote:
Yup at this stage season's over need to build toward next year. Couldn't believe NOC's kicking last night, 4 missed from 7 including 2 gimmes. Don't forget he threw an intercept pass for the first try too.

SEASON IS NOT OVER. STILL ONLY 5POINTS BEHIND ULSTER FOR A HEINEKEN CUP PLACE

+1. We all want that to be the goal, and while things have been going abysmally lately, we have to focus on this point. It would take an improvement, but not one beyond the realms of possibility, to have Connacht in a position where we take on Ulster in April at the SG with a Heineken spot effectively up for grabs.

salmson wrote:

connachtexile wrote:
Yup at this stage season's over need to build toward next year. Couldn't believe NOC's kicking last night, 4 missed from 7 including 2 gimmes. Don't forget he threw an intercept pass for the first try too.

SEASON IS NOT OVER. STILL ONLY 5POINTS BEHIND ULSTER FOR A HEINEKEN CUP PLACE

I agree we have a huge amount of burgeoning talent coming through so lets use it. It hasn't hurt Ulster or Leinster so lets give our young guys a chance instead of taking punts on journeymen who usually let us down.

connachtexile wrote: IF Eric is smart (debatable) he'd go 'You know what? I'm going to blood the youngsters that I have coming up and when next year comes I should have the bones of a dam good team'. I think we're nearly there in fact although I know it sounds crazy. But giving Mick Kearney, Eoin McKeown, Jarvis, Moore, Bolland, Connelly (both) Layden and Maguire some serious game time we could off-load some expensive failures i.e. Henry F and Vainikolo and with the money saved we could sign a decent TH and maybe another 10 to replace NOC who is complete Sh*te.

P.S. I'd also like him to give Carty a shot and see what he can do at 10.

Yes, unfortunately it is already time to start building towards next season. Ulster ran out a number of their youngsters at the RDS yesterday afternoon and they were quite respectable. Kearney, McKeown and Jarvis came on and have proven they are up to this level and deserve increased playing time. Of course I'm not for throwing them all on at once. A series of heavy defeats would probably leave them shell shocked and be counter productive, but there are enough games left to give a lot of them a run of 3-4 games at a time to get them experience and show what they have to offer.

seanin4711 wrote: I am sick of making excuses as should eric about great performances but a loss is a loss.
it is obvious that noc is shocking and a blind man can see that Jarvis is our only option at 10.
sick of it all at this stage and these type of amateur performances will do nothing to get bums on seats in the sportsground

Look Eric seems to think that losing games is good for the squad and bonds them together and makes them stronger as per his comments after last weeks game so by the end of the year we will be awesome.

simpleton wrote: We will be lucky to sell 500 season tickets next year

if Leinster win the Heineken Cup again, we wont be far off 3000!!

IF Eric is smart (debatable) he'd go 'You know what? I'm going to blood the youngsters that I have coming up and when next year comes I should have the bones of a dam good team'. I think we're nearly there in fact although I know it sounds crazy. But giving Mick Kearney, Eoin McKeown, Jarvis, Moore, Bolland, Connelly (both) Layden and Maguire some serious game time we could off-load some expensive failures i.e. Henry F and Vainikolo and with the money saved we could sign a decent TH and maybe another 10 to replace NOC who is complete Sh*te.

P.S. I'd also like him to give Carty a shot and see what he can do at 10.

simpleton wrote: We will be lucky to sell 500 season tickets next year

Hope you're wrong about that, but we all know it won't be anywhere close to what they sold this season.

We will be lucky to sell 500 season tickets next year

salmson wrote:
Yup at this stage season's over need to build toward next year.

I think you're right, I'm sad to say.

At this rate, I'll be surprised if we can hold off the two Italian sides in the standings. :sick:

connachtexile wrote: We do have other problems but the number 10 one is at least fixable. NOC should be exiled to the AIL and Jarvis given the shot that NOC was i.e. a run of games where he can learn his trade and become our no. 10 from this season on.

Yup at this stage season's over need to build toward next year. Couldn't believe NOC's kicking last night, 4 missed from 7 including 2 gimmes. Don't forget he threw an intercept pass for the first try too.

We do have other problems but the number 10 one is at least fixable. NOC should be exiled to the AIL and Jarvis given the shot that NOC was i.e. a run of games where he can learn his trade and become our no. 10 from this season on.

I agree completely...although we have plenty of problems besides just the #10 slot.

I am sick of making excuses as should eric about great performances but a loss is a loss.
it is obvious that noc is shocking and a blind man can see that Jarvis is our only option at 10.
sick of it all at this stage and these type of amateur performances will do nothing to get bums on seats in the sportsground