Ulster Boss Expresses Frustration Over Late Fighting Spirit in Defeat Against Edinburgh

The Frustration of Missed Opportunities

In a disappointing United Rugby Championship clash against Edinburgh on Saturday, Ulster boss Dan McFarland expressed his frustration over his team’s late display of fighting spirit. Despite scoring two late tries and claiming two losing bonus points in their narrow defeat of 24-27, this loss marked the third defeat for Ulster this season.

“It is so frustrating,” said McFarland. “We needed to show that from minutes twelve to twenty when we let opportunities pass us by.” He further added, “We had only fourteen men but managed to make a convincing comeback and dominate the last six minutes of the game by scoring two tries. It was good to be accurate then and demonstrate our fighting spirit.”

A Bright Start Followed by Inaccuracy

Ulster started off brightly at Kingspan Stadium as Tom Stewart scored an early try, giving them an early lead. However, Edinburgh responded quickly with a try of their own before Stewart crossed for his second try just before the half-hour mark.

The match continued with further tries from Pierre Schoeman and Robin Hislop, which gave Edinburgh a comfortable lead. Despite being behind, Ulster fought back relentlessly with Robert Baloucoune and James Hume darting over in the closing stages of the game.

McFarland Criticizes First-Half Performance

Reflecting on his team’s performance, especially in the first half, McFarland was critical of their accuracy. “I think we were inaccurate; that was the problem in the first half,” he said. He also highlighted how they started well with immense pressure and effective work from their maul but let six turnovers slip by 30-35 minutes into the game. This allowed Edinburgh to gain access and turn it into a dogfight.

“Once it became that backwards and forwards contest, I think they did pretty well,” added McFarland. “When you don’t take your opportunities, you’ll be under pressure at some point.”

Raising Standards for Future Matches

Acknowledging the need for improvement, especially before their return to Champions Cup action against Bath next weekend, McFarland emphasized raising standards during training sessions.

“We need to be more focused and better understand our roles on the field,” stated McFarland. “With a backline full of internationals like ours, execution is crucial.” He further mentioned that while training went well on Thursday after a lackluster session on Tuesday due to various changes in personnel resulting in reduced cohesion between players.

Moving Forward

As Ulster looks towards upcoming matches and competitions such as Euro 2024 group opponents draw for England and Scotland this Saturday, there is an unwavering determination within Dan McFarland’s camp to rectify past mistakes and achieve success moving forward.