After putting on yet another subpar display in the second half against Connacht, Ulster hobbled over the line.
Stephen Ferris bluntly declared, “Not good enough,” following Ulster’s clumsy overthrow of Connacht on Friday night.
After being limited to just two John Cooney penalties in the second half, Dan McFarla
After defeating Racing 92 31-15 in the Champions Cup the week before, it was thought that Ulster had turned the corner. However, according to Ferris, Friday’s performance raised more questions than it did answers for Dan McFarland’s team as they prepare to play Leinster.
“Ulster just seemed to stop playing in the second half and relied on their kicking game and a few mistakes from Connacht,” Ferris said to Viaplay Sport. They simply didn’t seem to be able to gain any momentum in the second half.
“I have no idea why. Is it possibly a hangover from last week?
“It seemed as though there was not enough energy. However, it seemed as though Kingspan lacked atmosphere.
“Even though we are viewing it on TV, it seemed dull and silent. A few days remain before Christmas, when the Kingspan should be bustling and falling behind schedule.
“Perhaps it’s because of what they were observing. Both teams struggled to establish a rhythm, and the game was very stop-start and full of mistakes.
“Ulster simply needed to win at home one more, put it behind them, and go on. However, they won’t be impressed with the performance at all, particularly in the second half.
“That wasn’t good enough.”
Ferris thinks Ulster head coach McFarland won’t have felt any less pressure after their back-to-back victories against Racing and Connacht.
Furthermore, according to the former British and Irish Lion, the province needs to go a long period without a loss to demonstrate that they can challenge at the top of the URC this season.
“He faces pressure all the time. Before Friday’s match against Connacht, Ferris stated, “You’re the head coach of a team that wants to win trophies and the expectation from fans and everyone at Ulster is to be there or thereabouts every single season.”
“They went to Bath and gave up a ton of points in the last 15 to 20 minutes of that game, which left them eighth in the URC.
“He needed a response from the team as the pressure mounted, and he received it against Racing 92. Was that just a one-time event, though, or can he inspire his squad to victory against a Connacht team that is in desperate need of a win?
“He is the Ulster coach with the longest tenure, having been there for five or six seasons. Along the way, he has enlisted the aid of a few guys.
“I’m sure many Ulster supporters have been wondering if he’s the best person for the job. It is not working at all, and then you do brilliantly against Racing, which boosts your confidence once more.
“But in the big games, he needs to do it three or four times in a row. We may then reevaluate after that.”
