Ulster Rugby: Some criticism of team 'nonsensical' - Darren Cave
- Published
Ulster face a huge task to progress in Europe following Sunday's 39-0 defeat by Sale Sharks
Heineken Champions Cup: Ulster v La Rochelle |
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Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 17 December Kick-off: 17:30 GMT |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Sounds & BBC Radio Ulster |
Former Ulster centre Darren Cave has described some criticism of Dan McFarland's side as "nonsensical" after heavy defeats by Leinster and Sale.
Ulster lost 38-29 to rivals Leinster in the URC before a 39-0 defeat by Sale in the Heineken Champions Cup on Sunday.
Cave said calls for McFarland to lose his job as head coach went too far.
"The amount of nonsense I've been unfortunate enough to read - it's 10 times as nonsensical as what was produced on the pitch," he said.
Cave, speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound Extra Time, said he had read that "McFarland should lose his job, the Ulster team is going backwards, the supporters should be offered refunds and players are paid too much".
"The standard of European Rugby is phenomenally high at the minute," he added.
"The Premiership is very strong and we have taken out two or three of the worst Welsh teams and put in South African teams.
"Ulster, at the minute, are not good enough to win that trophy and it's as simple as that. They wouldn't say that, but that's the fact."
Ulster raced into a 22-3 lead over 14-man Leinster early in December but conceded 35 points without reply as their Irish rivals pulled off a crushing 38-29 victory despite their man disadvantage.
McFarland's men struggled from the off at Sale and a 39-0 defeat leaves their hopes of progression hanging by a thread.
Heavy snow and ice meant Ulster only arrived in England on the morning of the game after their original travel plans were cancelled, and Cave believe it "wasn't ideal" but can't be blamed for the result.
"They won't be using that as an excuse," he said, before describing the Sale defeat as a "capitulation".
"Leinster, the day before, had run into some problems with travel arrangements of getting over to France and they pulled off a result [a 42-10 victory over Racing Metro].
"I think off the back of what happened in the RDS the week before, it certainly was the worst back-to-back - I think it was 120 minutes if you include the second half in Leinster - that I've seen from Ulster in a long time."
'Ulster can beat La Rochelle'
Former Ireland centre Cave added that while "this Ulster team is not capable of being top of Europe, it is a team that should be competitive in Europe".
"They are better than producing performances and results like that but, for me, this was a team that was a whisker away from winning the league last year," he said.
"Right now, they are sitting OK in the league and some of the stuff I have read has been nonsensical, to be honest.
"With the way the Champions Cup is now, being two big pools, to not only to lose the game but to have a -39 points differential and no losing bonus points - those are the things that will make it hard to overturn.
"If Ulster didn't get to the last 16 in Europe but got to another the final in the league or pushed to win another league, I don't think that would be a bad season for them, although it would be a bitter pill to swallow."
Ulster have been on the end of two heavy defeats in consecutive weeks
Reigning champions La Rochelle, coached by former Munster and Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara, travel to Belfast for the second round of European fixtures but Cave believes it would not be a surprise to see Ulster come away with a victory.
"Sometimes that is a good thing to get straight back on the horse against a good team," he said.
"The other side of it is, and I've been quite blunt about it, the top teams in Europe are better than Ulster.
"In saying that, would I be astounded if we beat La Rochelle on Saturday? Absolutely not.
"Ulster are more than capable, and it is in the DNA for the past 20 or 25 years - beating big French teams, usually at home, so they are more than capable of turning this around.
"If I was in that Ulster group what would I want? Well, you've the European champions, coached by Ronan O'Gara, coming into town.
"I don't think it would be that much of a shock if Ulster turned them over."
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