Ulster v Bath - 7.30 pm Fri 9th October

LFC5Times · 09-10-2009 2:03pm #1

Ulster: C Schifcofske, T Nagusa, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble, I Humphreys, I Boss, T Court, A Kyriacou, B Botha, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell, S Ferris, W Faloon, R Diack. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, C Henry, P Marshall, I Whitten, S Danielli

Bath: N Abendanon, J Maddock, M Carraro, S Hape, M Banahan, R Davis, M Claassens (c), D Flatman, L Mears, D Bell, S Hooper, D Grewcock, A Beattie, J Salvi, J Faamatuainu. Replacements: P Dixon, D Barnes, A Jarvis, P Short, B Skirving, S Bemand, N Little, J Cuthbert

Referee: James Jones (Wales)

Ulster have made one change for Friday's Heineken Cup opener against Bath with Andy Kyriacou replacing Nigel Brady at hooker.

Andrew Trimble's fine recent form means that fit-again Danielli has to be content with a place on the bench - with Timoci Nagusa retained at wing.

Bath make four changes to their starting line-up with Ryan Davis in for Nicky Little at fly-half.

Lee Mears, Danny Grewcock and Jonny Faamatuainu all come into the first XV.

Ulster duo Tom Court and Paul Marshall agree that Bath will be a major step up in the opening Heineken Cup game of the season on Friday night.
Hooker Pieter Dixon, lock Peter Short and number eight Ben Skirving join Nicky Little on the bench.

The inclusion of Davis for Little is the most interesting selection as Davis was dropped after the first two games of the season after struggling with his place-kicking.

For Ulster Robbie Diack holds on to the number eight jersey ahead of Chris Henry.

Henry was named in the team for last weekend's game against the Scarlets but had to pull out because of injury.

The Irish international is included in the replacements for Friday's game.

McLaughlin is still without injured trio Dan Tuohy, Cillian Willis and veteran full-back Bryn Cunningham.

Paddy Wallace will continue to captain the side from midfield.

Bath form(latest game at the bottom):

Gloucester 24 - 5 Bath
Bath 15- 17 Wasps
Sale 12 - 25 Bath
Bath 20 - 20 Leicester
Harlequinns 13 - 11 Bath

8th of 12 teams in Guinness Premiership

Ulster form:

Dragons 23 - 6 Ulster
Ospreys 16 - 20 Ulster
Ulster 13 - 16 Edinburgh
Connacht 6 - 30 Ulster
Ulster 45 - 24 Scarlets

2nd of 10 teams in Magners League

Betting with Paddypower:

Ulster 4/5
Draw 18/1
Bath 1/1

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What are people's opinions on tonights game?

toomevara · 09-10-2009 3:40pm

Bath are definitely targeting this game after their poor start to the GP. they went down to Quins last week after a last minute Nick Easter try, and the Bath rugby public, who know their rugby, are less than impressed thus far. Nicky Little's going well for them though.

Ulster showing the green shoots of recovery and what better way to copperfasten that, than a home win at Ravenhill to start their bid to get out of their group stages since for the first time they won the bloody thing in '99.

09-10-2009 6:54pm

http://www.ercrugby.com/tools/matchdaylive.php?fixid=95349&referer=www.ercrugby.com

pity this game isn't televised.

ScrubsfanChris · 09-10-2009 7:56pm

23-12 to Ulster with about 20 minutes to go.

Aidric · 09-10-2009 8:46pm

Ulster won 26 - 12, good result.

Brewster · 09-10-2009 8:55pm

Great result, if Ulster can get a result in Edinburgh next weekend it would be game on for them...

toomevara · 09-10-2009 9:06pm

Delighted for the Ulster boys. Here's hoping this is the start of something beautiful....

09-10-2009 9:25pm

interview with Ian Humphreys here. On Ulster's Heineken cup chances and the origins of his beard.

chupacabra · 09-10-2009 9:53pm

Willie Faloon MOTM. This lad is looking better and better. Next week will be key for Ulster, if they can get a win against Edinburgh then they will be in pole position to go through.

Goodluck2me · 11-10-2009 5:36pm

Excellent for Ulster and irish rugby if the White knights could get a decent run this year.
Watching RTE there and they had highlights of leinster and munsters losses and not even a mention of the score of this game.

some real talent coming through there though bodes well for the future.

chupacabra · 11-10-2009 7:20pm

Goodluck2me wrote: »

Watching RTE there and they had highlights of leinster and munsters losses and not even a mention of the score of this game.

Yeah i was pretty annoyed at that. Also all the major radio stations today barely gave mention to Ulster, the big headline being the 2 big boys getting defeated. Fingers crossed that the Sky Sports highlights program shows it tonight at 9 tho.

Goodluck2me · 11-10-2009 11:06pm

I was thinking that maybe they dont class the north as the national broadcaster and left them out, but what of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan?

hopefully Ulster can get a run now and create a bit of press for themselves.

Digifriendly · 12-10-2009 11:43am

chupacabra wrote: »

Yeah i was pretty annoyed at that. Also all the major radio stations today barely gave mention to Ulster, the big headline being the 2 big boys getting defeated. Fingers crossed that the Sky Sports highlights program shows it tonight at 9 tho.

Ulster vs Bath was not covered live by Sky and AFAIK no other station can show pictures from a game like this until Sky have shown them first. Noticed on BBCNI's Final Score on Saturday that there were only interviews with spectators and players after the game and no action from the game shown at all.