Champions Cup Pool 1: Saracens v Ulster, 16 January

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Saracens v Ulster Rugby
Saturday 16 January 2016
KO 15:15
Allianz Park, Barnet

Live on Sky Sports

Referee Jerome Garces (France)
Touch Judge 1: [tbc]
Touch Judge 2: [tbc]
Fourth Official: [tbc]
TMO: [tbc]
Assessor: [tbc]
Citing Commissioner: [tbc]

A. Head to Head

7 Played 7
6 Wins 1
1 Losses 6
0 Draws 0
175 Points 107

B. Tournament Form

Saracens
19/12/15 - Saracens 55 - 13 Oyonnax
13/12/15 - Oyonnax 10 - 45 Saracens
20/11/15 - Ulster 9 - 27 Saracens

Ulster Rugby
10/1/16 - Oyonnax 23 - 24 Ulster
20/12/15 - Toulouse 23 - 25 Ulster
11/12/15 - Ulster 38 - 0 Toulouse

C. Teams

Saracens

[tbc]

Ulster

[tbc]

That should of gone the other way, sarries 7 tackled off the ball

Need a bollocking from McCall at half time. Seem uncharacteristically jittery.

Can't see this on Sky?

EDIT: Nevermind, got it.

Scottrf wrote:Can't see this on Sky?

BT

Scottrf wrote:Can't see this on Sky?

BT sport europe

Cheers guys.

Saracens go 15m backwards in that first maul and even then Garces was reluctant to say once. They should have had to use it

toml wrote:Saracens go 15m backwards in that first maul and even then Garces was reluctant to say once. They should have had to use it

Totally agree, I thought that he was very slow in asking Sarries to use it.

Bit of a mountain to climb in the second half for us. Bar one superb attack we're second best across the pitch.

Notch wrote:Bit of a mountain to climb in the second half for us. Bar one superb attack we're second best across the pitch.

Not much in it TBH bar the set piece

Notch wrote:Bit of a mountain to climb in the second half for us. Bar one superb attack we're second best across the pitch.

Ulster holding there own I think, can make a good fist of it in the second half. Just very tough to build momentum with how quick the Sarries defence comes up.

Notch I disagree. I thought your attack has been good and strong defence. Really nice try.

It's the set piece which has really been the difference so far IMO.

Hard for your backs with the lack of territory and possession.

Sarries need to show something extra when teams can match them up front.

Ulster can still do this. I must say (I never like criticising ref's) that Garces got the call, when Ashton rolled Marshall away by a neck roll, completely wrong. To me that's a yellow card every day of the week.

Ulster must up the intensity, get in the face of Farrell and improve discipline if they are to pull this off. Sarries are a very good side but Ulster are giving them a small helping hand with some basic errors.

Marshes wrote:

Notch wrote:Bit of a mountain to climb in the second half for us. Bar one superb attack we're second best across the pitch.

Ulster holding there own I think, can make a good fist of it in the second half. Just very tough to build momentum with how quick the Sarries defence comes up.

Their rush defence is very good but there have been a few offsides missed. Ashton especially has been offside an awful lot which is frustrating.

beshocked wrote:Notch I disagree. I thought your attack has been good and strong defence. Really nice try.

It's the set piece which has really been the difference so far IMO.

Hard for your backs with the lack of territory and possession.

Sarries need to show something extra when teams can match them up front.

Thats what I mean- how do we change that territory and possession around in our favour? Scrum and lineout we're under big pressure, we're not finding too much grass with our kicking and Saracens are very happy to defend us running from deep, It's going to be tough. We had chances to build on our start and we didn't take them, but yeah we're still in it- we just can't make the number of errors that we are making and get what we need here.

We need to win or draw the second half to get that LBP and Sarries do tend to pull away in the last quarter, so we need another huge 40 minutes in the vein of last week! Unless our pack can sort out the set piece and start dominating the collisions it has a bit of a sense of inevitability about it.

Pity Garces didn't see the penalty on Diack during the lineout we had in their 22. Could have been a crucial time to take points. Clearly interference in the air but seen as a dropped ball. And we lost possession.

clivemcl wrote:Pity Garces didn't see the penalty on Diack during the lineout we had in their 22. Could have been a crucial time to take points. Clearly interference in the air but seen as a dropped ball. And we lost possession.

Thought the same, he took the arm not the ball.

clivemcl wrote:Pity Garces didn't see the penalty on Diack during the lineout we had in their 22. Could have been a crucial time to take points. Clearly interference in the air but seen as a dropped ball. And we lost possession.

I don't think it was in the air, looked like disco was bending forward and then it was ripped.


 (That sounds a bit dodgy)

eirebilly wrote:Ulster can still do this. I must say (I never like criticising ref's) that Garces got the call, when Ashton rolled Marshall away by a neck roll, completely wrong. To me that's a yellow card every day of the week.

Ulster must up the intensity, get in the face of Farrell and improve discipline if they are to pull this off. Sarries are a very good side but Ulster are giving them a small helping hand with some basic errors.

The only reason I think is that he wasn't the main tackler, but I'm still undecided on it.

nathan wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Pity Garces didn't see the penalty on Diack during the lineout we had in their 22. Could have been a crucial time to take points. Clearly interference in the air but seen as a dropped ball. And we lost possession.

I don't think it was in the air, looked like disco was bending forward and then it was ripped.


 (That sounds a bit dodgy)

Na, it was clear as day in replay. Diack had his right arm hooked as he was catching it. Commentators even mentioned it.

If McCloskey and Marshall stay fit, they must be certain starters in the Irish team (unless Schmidt see's Henshaw as a 13). Payne is having a great game at 15 and will be ahead of Kearney for the Irish 15. Hard to believe that a player that has been out of the game can look so match fit on his return, quality.

If I was Ulster I would kick more to Ransom whose been shaky. Goode's absence is clear.

Also Ashton is better chasing than catching so I would kick to him more too.

Do Ulster let loose or try to be controlled and cling onto the LBP?

With Goode not there saracens certainly look weaker against the kicks.

beshocked wrote:If I was Ulster I would kick more to Ransom whose been shaky. Goode's absence is clear.

Also Ashton is better chasing than catching so I would kick to him more too.

Yeah he's a bit of wimp when catching and worries more about the tackle about to come than catching the ball.

Ulster stating their intent turning down the three

beshocked wrote:If I was Ulster I would kick more to Ransom whose been shaky. Goode's absence is clear.

Also Ashton is better chasing than catching so I would kick to him more too.

'And a brilliant take from Ransom'.

Ulster have a maul and within a few seconds graces says once - total inconsistency

toml wrote:Ulster have a maul and within a few seconds graces says once - total inconsistency

It happens, move on!

I still get peed that each ref have their own interpretation of the laws - it shouldn't be allowed to happen, causes confusion for players and fans.

He's missed the fact that Saracens are offside 90% of the time too

toml wrote:He's missed the fact that Saracens are offside 90% of the time too

Thanks BOD

Ulster trying to rip the ball whilst on the fall, got away with 1 in the first half but been pinged twice now

Good stuff from Farrell.

Lovely by Farrell. Great score after loads of pressure!

Very nice try there. Well done Farrell

Lol, think I'm on a bit of a delay

George and Itoje show why they are in the England squad by making good carries.

Farrell and Taylor get the glory but the hard yards made by the forwards.

Much improved player this season.

Ulster now forcing things badly and handing the initiative to Sarries

Trimble!

I do sometimes think daglo is drunk

Itoje!

Ulster looks knackered.

Some good performances coming in from England players. Good signs for Eddie.

Cyril wrote:Itoje!

Ulster looks knackered.

Not surprising. Injuries have seen us flog some of these players this season.

Exactly what I was afraid of at half-time.

Gilroy. That was just idiotic.

There's the bonus point.

Could get very messy for Ulster now.

Ulster dead and buried with Saracens getting the bonus point on 62 mins.

Who went off for sarries injured?

Right Ulster. Probably not the right attitude. But maybe field the B team against Oyannax and shift our focus to qualification for next year. No point competing in Europe unless you can be consistent.