Official United Rugby Championship thread

[fishfoodie]

Bulls lacking composure in the red zone has cost them a lot of points

[fishfoodie]

The Saffers might not have quite known what to expect this week, but traditionally this would have been a big Irish Inter-provincial, with Leinster Munster, & Ulster all getting their Internationals back, & needing a high tempo game to prepare for next weeks European fixtures.

This was always going at least an 80% full Leinster side, & Bulls have looked a little bit off the pace.

[OomStruisbaai]

Willie defense exposed.

[fishfoodie]

Arendse gets his 2nd opportunist try, but he looks like Mo Sala playing for a Vaxhall Confrence side

[Edit] Irish comms think that's harsh on Arendse , & I have to agree, it's millseconds, but try scratched off

[fishfoodie]

Willie defense exposed.

Well if Bulls getting a decent draw comes down to points, he should never get another game after tonight

[fishfoodie]

Filthy Saffers fouling the ref .... for shame

[fishfoodie]

47 - 14 FT

But it didn't feel like anything like that.

Arendse needs to find a team that's worthy of his talents, or the Bulls need to adopt a tactic called; "Get the ball to Arendse !", which probably involves dumping Jake.

[OomStruisbaai]

Credit to Leinster. They were the hungry team. Bulls will regroup.

[fishfoodie]

Credit to Leinster. They were the hungry team. Bulls will regroup.

They're still in a good position, but boy did their attack look limited tonight.

[Uncle fester]

Typical Arendse try, but I don't know what McGrath thought he was doing .... and now he's going to pick up a card

He looked like he was trying to hit Arendse out the field. Great courage. Poor execution

It's a straight red.

[Biffer]

Yeah, how that’s not a red is beyond me. I assume the mitigation was he’s a Leinster player, playing at home.

[fishfoodie]

Yeah, how that’s not a red is beyond me. I assume the mitigation was he’s a Leinster player, playing at home.

Meh

It's clumsy, but ultimately just chest to chest, & the Bulls attack was toothless, so they didn't have enough to win on the road, even if their oppo was down to 14

[Biffer]

Yeah, how that’s not a red is beyond me. I assume the mitigation was he’s a Leinster player, playing at home.

Meh

It's clumsy, but ultimately just chest to chest, & the Bulls attack was toothless, so they didn't have enough to win on the road, even if their oppo was down to 14

Clear head on head contact at speed, no mitigation.

[TheNatalShark]

Yeah, how that’s not a red is beyond me. I assume the mitigation was he’s a Leinster player, playing at home.

Meh

It's clumsy, but ultimately just chest to chest, & the Bulls attack was toothless, so they didn't have enough to win on the road, even if their oppo was down to 14

After a tough week, this has brightened my mood substantially

[Sards]

Yoh. Fassi is just too good

[OomStruisbaai]

Embra handling the pressure, Sharks should have been away by now.

[Sards]

Fassi is special.

[robmatic]

Embra doing well to hang on.

[Blake]

Fassi is special.

I’d be very surprised if he ever wears a Bok jersey again under Rassie.

[Sandstorm]

Stormers kick everything away, so Ulster just run it back and score.

[Sandstorm]

Libbock playing shit again. Ulster by 15

[Sandstorm]

Have Roos and DeWet ever met?? Their “work” at the base of the scrum is schoolboy level crap.

[Sandstorm]

0-7 HT

[Sards]

Fassi is special.

I’d be very surprised if he ever wears a Bok jersey again under Rassie.

Oh we know Rassie has his favorites. But you cannot deny that was a class performance

[Sandstorm]

Scrappy Stormers best Brave Ulster 13-6.

[OomStruisbaai]

JJ Kotze have been fantastic. Dweba IA a kant. Sharks should buy him

[Sards]

What a relief. Thought Stormers would blow that

[Biffer]

https://x.com/urcofficial/status/177418 ... nnPXVLAY7w

Can’t believe the obstruction wasn’t given here. I’ll believe it wasn’t deliberate, just about, but regardless of intent, seven red steps directly into the path of a potential tackler and then backs into him.

[handyman]

Not sure how the Stormers won that...

[OomStruisbaai]

Winning with 1 point is good enough..

[Jim Lahey]

Not sure how the Stormers won that...

Ulster are the Scotland of URC. They will always find a way to lose a win-able match.

Having said that, delighted with how Ulster fronted up. I thought it wouldve been a massacre given our recent form. Well earned LBP, although still a lot of work to be done for it to be of any use come the business end of the season.

[Sandstorm]

Not sure how the Stormers won that...

Bench. Hook show-boaters like Dyamani and Dwebe, stop Galant and Dan Doop kicking everything away.

Theunissen, Dixon, Kotze and Loader all came on and were superb.

[weegie01]

https://x.com/urcofficial/status/177418 ... nnPXVLAY7w

Can’t believe the obstruction wasn’t given here. I’ll believe it wasn’t deliberate, just about, but regardless of intent, seven red steps directly into the path of a potential tackler and then backs into him.

Well he did put his arms up to show innocence.

[Sandstorm]

https://x.com/urcofficial/status/177418 ... nnPXVLAY7w

Can’t believe the obstruction wasn’t given here. I’ll believe it wasn’t deliberate, just about, but regardless of intent, seven red steps directly into the path of a potential tackler and then backs into him.

Well he did put his arms up to show innocence.

Welshman didn’t moan at the ref.

[OomStruisbaai]

Not sure how the Stormers won that...

Bench. Hook show-boaters like Dyamani and Dwebe, stop Galant and Dan Doop kicking everything away.

Theunissen, Dixon, Kotze and Loader all came on and were superb.

BJD and JJ Kotze deserve to start. Fourie must come back as captain. Moerat and Dwebas bitching with the ref is tiresome. Fourie stare at the ref is a much better option.

[Sandstorm]

Not sure how the Stormers won that...

Bench. Hook show-boaters like Dyamani and Dwebe, stop Galant and Dan Doop kicking everything away.

Theunissen, Dixon, Kotze and Loader all came on and were superb.

BJD and JJ Kotze deserve to start. Fourie must come back as captain. Moerat and Dwebas bitching with the ref is tiresome. Fourie stare at the ref is a much better option.

Agreed. That moaning sets the tone and players like Roos feed off that and play badly. Once the bench came on, he started enjoying himself and finished very well.

[OomStruisbaai]

Bench. Hook show-boaters like Dyamani and Dwebe, stop Galant and Dan Doop kicking everything away.

Theunissen, Dixon, Kotze and Loader all came on and were superb.

BJD and JJ Kotze deserve to start. Fourie must come back as captain. Moerat and Dwebas bitching with the ref is tiresome. Fourie stare at the ref is a much better option.

Agreed. That moaning sets the tone and players like Roos feed off that and play badly. Once the bench came on, he started enjoying himself and finished very well.

Ja and Libbok start playing like shite. The Stormers have two outstanding youngsters in 2. Surely Dweba and Scarra can vokof.

[OomStruisbaai]

Leinster: Lions (A), Stormers (A), Ospreys (H), Ulster (A), Connacht (H)
Bulls: Munster (H), Ospreys (H), Glasgow (H), Benetton (H), Sharks (A)
Glasgow: Sharks (H), Zebre (A), Bulls (A), Lions (A), Zebre (H)
Munster: Bulls (A), Lions (A), Connacht (H), Edinburgh (H), Ulster (A)
Stormers: Ospreys (H), Leinster (H), Dragons (A), Connacht (A), Lions (H)
Edinburgh: Scarlets (H), Cardiff (A), Zebre (H), Munster (H), Benetton (A)
Ulster: Cardiff (H), Benetton (H), Scarlets (A), Leinster (H), Munster (A)
Lions: Leinster (H), Munster (H), Cardiff (H), Glasgow (H), Stormers (A)
Connacht: Zebre (H), Dragons (A), Munster (A), Stormers (H), Leinster (A)
Benetton: Dragons (H), Ulster (A), Sharks (A), Bulls (A), Edinburgh (H)
Ospreys: Stormers (A), Bulls (A), Leinster (A), Dragons (H), Cardiff (A)
Cardiff: Ulster (A), Edinburgh (H), Lions (A), Sharks (A), Ospreys (H)
Scarlets: Edinburgh (A), Sharks (H), Ulster (H), Zebre (A), Dragons (H)
Sharks:Glasgow (A), Scarlets (A), Benetton (H), Cardiff (H), Bulls (H)
Zebre: Connacht (A), Glasgow (H), Edinburgh (A), Scarlets (H), Glasgow (A)
Dragons: Benetton (A), Connacht (H), Stormers (H), Ospreys (A), Scarlets (A)

[assfly]

I’d be very surprised if he ever wears a Bok jersey again under Rassie.

Sad but true. There are certain types of players Rassie likes, and Fassi is not one of them. I think if he got his head down, improved his attitude and put in more consistent performances then he'd be in with a chance.

[assfly]

Far from a perfect performance from the $harks, but at least we're getting on the right side of the scoreboard.

Finally we're starting to see Vincent Tshituka find form, but still losing the ball in contact too often.
It's so strange to see a $harks 10 take the ball up to the line aggressively. Masuku is such a different player to Bosch. I'd like to see some more support runners if this is how he intends to play. Am is finally finding some form too.
The wait to see Koch start a match continues, and now Eben is injured too.
But our tight 5 is finally looking good. I love Ox as a player, but he's definitely not a tighthead!
And the best game I've seen from Fassi in years. Long may it continue.

Let's hope we can keep up the momentum into the illustrious Challenge Cup on the weekend.