THE IMPRESSIVE SHOWING of versatile Ulster back Stewart Moore against Munster on Friday was one of the many topics up for discussion on today’s Rugby Weekly Extra, the podcast for subscribers to The 42.
Murray Kinsella, rugby journalist with the The 42, said Moore has the attributes which can make him an attractive option to Ireland’s management team, but nailing down his starting spot for Ulster ahead of other potentially excellent players is the priority.
“He was really classy again,” said Kinsella. “That left-footed grubber in the lead up to Stockdale’s try in the first half was a sublime moment, where he gets the ball out the back and Nash absolutely fires up on him . . . and that slightest little subtle shift and he just slips off him.
This was a sublime touch from Stewart Moore for Ulster last night. pic.twitter.com/MhDthGiysY
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) November 11, 2023
“And then instinctively, within less than a second, he drops the ball onto his left foot and rolls it almost laterally in between two Munster defenders who probably actually could get a foot on it but they’re so surprised by this moment, they don’t see it coming, they don’t even stick out a foot to stop it, and Stockdale gets that progress up the left side that was really key. They swung over to the right then they kick back through Billy Burns for the score.”
Kinsella added: “Moore obviously started in midfield, he moved to full-back, that kind of fluidity is definitely something we’ve seen from Ireland backs in terms of being multi-purpose in where they can slot into phase play. He definitely has all those traits, he has a nice passing game.
“He does have a bit of aggression to his game as well. It’s not just all about the attacking side of it.
“As ever with Ulster, the challenge for him will be just getting enough chances to stake a claim for even Champions Cup starts. Jude Postlethwaite came on again and looked really good. He’s obviously got this big frame as well which excites you if you’re an international coach because you want as many big men as possible and he looks like he’s going to be a big powerful man and he’s got plenty of class as well. Yeah, they’re really stacked in that back line, Ulster.”
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Moore may well be the long term ball playing 15 UR have missed since Payne and Olding. Addison despite his obvious class just cannot string a group of games together, and the emergence of Postlewaite in the centres now frees up Moores ball playing into a far dangerous role at 15. Hopefully his skill set can help release Stockdale and Balacoune. That backline could be absolutely lethal with a decent platform, and a licence to play. Great to see Flannery being given gametime.
@Dean Harper: Munster were that poor for 50-55 minutes last Friday that it’s hard to judge how good Ulster were.
@TL55: Nah, watched it again and Munster dominated for much of the first half, with a few slips and calls here or there and the halftime scoreboard could have had 20 points on it. Poor is Dragons.
@Thesaltyurchin: watched it backand with some better handling few better passes and Ulster could have won by even more.
@Kingshu: true, but like I said poor is dragons.
@Dean Harper: Lowry is a great fullback for Ulster
No there not. Been hearing this chat for years now. All totally overrated.
@Ray Ridge: You’re not wrong. “Best back-line in Europe” is regularly mentioned here even though none are Irish regulars.
@Ray Ridge: don’t have the pack nor the 10 to get them enough quality ball
I worry that the talent coming through in the backs will be wasted by McFarland’s conservative tactics. We’re told this season that they’ll be more expansive but I haven’t seen it yet. They are passing more to the back line but the incision required to really put teams to the sword. Munster have a great defence but Ulster wasted a lot of chances. Hopefully we’ll see them sharpen up over time but I think we miss top class attacking and skills coaches.
Some great backs but need a world class out half, another international second row and back row to be competitive with Leinster / Munster
@Owen ODonoghue: That’d be the Munster that Ulster have beaten three times out of the last four and finished thirteen points ahead of in the league, right?
Like most people, I ahven’t seen much of Ppstlethwaite, but what I have seen I like
@lesidees: yeah he’s the one I thought they would be writting up in the backs. Moore has been doing this for a while, its nothing new whereas Postlethwaite is.
Moore covers evey back positionvery well and even stood in at scrumhalf and did a good job.