Former Ireland and British & Irish Lions flanker Stephen Ferris has said that Ulster’s 44-16 loss to Connacht on Saturday was ‘unacceptable’ and that a couple of the Ulster players will have to look at themselves in the mirror following a dismal in Galway.
Connacht ran in six tries to two as they smashed a depleted Ulster side without Ireland captain Rory Best (foot) and All Black Charles Piutau (leg bruising).
The loss leaves Ulster five points behind conference B leaders the Scarlets, who will play the Ospreys on St. Stephens’ Day, and Ferris claims that Les Kiss’ side will be in line for a similar drubbing against Munster on New Year’s day if they fail to address their issues from Saturday.
“Defensively, they looked all over the place and they could not get a foothold in the game at all,” Ferris said on the BBC’s post-match show.
“Even when Connacht took their foot off the gas at times Ulster still didn’t look like they were going to create much. We talked about them being good with ball in hand but we never saw any of that tonight.
“Even scoring 50 odd points last week against Harlequins, I think they were lucky to score a couple of tries tonight in Galway.
“Connacht thoroughly deserved the win, they out-muscled them, they made them look very average at times, especially up front.
“That’s really got to be addressed against a Munster team that is coming to the Kingspan, who took a Leicester team, who is renowned for being good up front, and took them apart these last couple of weeks, so it’s a tough hill to climb.”
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll said that Ulster looked like men against boys in the defeat to Connacht, and that they were ‘pushed around’ at the Sportsgrounds.
Looks like men against boys in this #CONvULS game. Ulster getting pushed around the Sportsground.
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) December 23, 2017
A lot of honesty from Les Kiss on the “rubbish” @UlsterRugby performance tonight in Galway. Give it a listen Ulster fans. https://t.co/GoAy81ZOBt
— Stephen Ferris (@StephenFerris6) December 23, 2017
Ferris agreed and added that the warning signs for that type of landslide defeat have been there all season.
“They were pushed around all over the park. They were beaten up up front. I’m sure there’ll be a bit of talk in the changing room about boys looking in the mirror during the week, and making sure they front up next week against Munster, because it’s unacceptable.
“From the outset, from minute one, it just wasn’t good enough. The physicality wasn’t there, and you could see heads drop.
“As soon as the second try went in they kind of let their heads drop and they didn’t seem to have that belief.
“You talk about the warning signs being there these last couple of weeks with Ulster’s defence… the warning signs have been there for me all season.
“They’re conceding 27 or 28 points (24.7 points against is their average in the league) on average all season in the league. You won’t win any trophies with that stat.”
