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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