Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

awec

Be surprised to see more than those two.

Digifriendly

No Best, just Bowe in squad. Line out throwing must have been deciding factor. Feel sorry for Rory whose general play around the park is second to none.

.ak

Such a shame Fez isn't fit really. Think Lydiate would've missed the flight because of him tbh.

bilston

Digifriendly wrote: »

No Best, just Bowe in squad. Line out throwing must have been deciding factor. Feel sorry for Rory whose general play around the park is second to none.

I think the throwing issues have been out of proportion to be honest. Irelands lineout has always struggled without POC. It was the same when Flannery was hooker. He hasnt been at the very top of his game but he is still better than the rest IMO. Anyway its done now and I still wouldnt be surprised to see him starting one of the test matches. Its happened before.

thomond2006

Extended Ulster squad to face Cardiff Blues in the RaboDirect PRO12, Friday 3rd May, Ravenhill, 7.45pm;

Forwards (16):
Johann Muller, Callum Black, John Afoa, Robbie Diack, Iain Henderson, Declan Fitzpatrick, Dan Tuohy, Ricky Lutton, Rory Best, Mike McComish, Lewis Stevenson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams, Tom Court, Sean Doyle, Rob Herring;

Backs (11):
Michael Allen, Ruan Pienaar, Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Peter Nelson, Craig Gilroy, Stuart Olding.

awec

BP win please

shuffol

Doyle's back, Birch makes way for him, must surely be on his way out.

CIARAN_BOYLE

shuffol wrote: »

Doyle's back, Birch makes way for him, must surely be on his way out.

Yeah Birch is going to a championship team in England, I forget who.

damianmcr

Rotherham Titans he is off to.

bilston

I wonder if Marshall will start at 9. With Murray with the Lions and Reddan injured, it's possible that Marshall may be the starting 9 in North America, or at least in the matchday 23.

Anyway as awec says a big win would be nice and there should be plenty of motivation for the Ulster lads. But we'll be lucky enough to scrape a win against this Lions studded Cardiff side.

rchendz92

(15-9) J Payne, A Trimble, D Cave, S Olding, T Bowe, R Pienaar, P Marshall; (1-8) C Black, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller, I Henderson, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): N Brady, T Court, D Fitzpatrick, D Tuohy, S Doyle, P Jackson, M Allen, P Nelson.

Strong enough for the BP easily. Henderson getting more time in 2nd row

Swap Callum Black for Tom Court and that is an absolute monster pack.

All ball carriers

Good to see Fitzpatrick back available

awec

Can't wait for this game after seeing that team. Hoping for a BP win.

What an exciting back line

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

Swap Callum Black for Tom Court and that is an absolute monster pack.

All ball carriers

Good to see Fitzpatrick back available

Aye, let's just wait and see if Deccie gets onto the pitch without straining his groin. But yes good to see, IF he could stay fit he'd be very good.


Cardiff Blues 15 Dan Fish 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Gavin Evans (c) 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Harry Robinson 10 Rhys Patchell 9 Lewis Jones

1 Taufa'ao Filise 2 Kristian Dacey 3 Scott Andrews 4 Bradley Davies 5 Lou Reed 6 Luke Hamilton 7 Josh Navidi 8 Michael Paterson

16 Marc Breeze 17 Thomas Davies 18 Campese Ma'afu 19 Teofilo Paulo 20 Macauley Cook 21 Liam Davies 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Tom James

No Warburton, Roberts or Halfpenny which is a shame.

There are a couple of good young players there though that we'll need to keep an eye such as Patchell and Robinson, so along with Cuthbert they have some decent firepower in the backs but all things being equal Ulster should be winning this one with a bit to spare.

LeeroyJones

Nice touch Paddy McAllister

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11439.php

irishbucsfan

Donated. Fair play to him

thomond2006

Any hope for Cardiff died when their Lions were left out, Ulster will top the table. Unless they are injured they really should have been played, they are going to get plenty rest before the Lions Tour anyway. It makes the game a lot less interesting tbh.

Sinbad_NI

Interview on the BBC news tonight with Fez... he wouldn't answer any question about transfers / plans for next year

bilston

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Interview on the BBC news tonight with Fez... he wouldn't answer any question about transfers / plans for next year

I'd guess there maybe an offer on the table from either Ulster or the IRFU otherwise his agent would be putting more transfer rumours in the media. I'm still hopeful that he might stay.

decisions

I think spending 2 yrs in Japan might be good for him long term. It would give him a chance to get himself right again in a league that seems to be less physically demanding.

opinionatedfan

2 years? nah just the one season.

bilston

Forecast looks pretty dreadful for tonight so that may be a concern for Ulster.

bilston

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/ruan-pienaar-qa

Interview with St Ruan of the Pienaar.

awec

It'll be a sad day when Ruan moves on

bilston

awec wrote: »

It'll be a sad day when Ruan moves on

Yep, it will, but we've done well to get four years out of such a great player, I hope the IRFU see sense and allow us to sign him up for at least another year after 2014 as while it affects Paul Marshall's international chances it benefits everyone else in the squad to have someone of his quality here. Surely it's hardly rocket science to know that Jackson, Marshall, Olding, Henderson and Gilroy will benefit from having Pienaar in the team! This is where the IRFU's new NIQ rules are such bellix.

In saying that reading that interview he says he may need to go back to SA in the build up to 2015 for the WC so we might not have a choice anyway.

Hype710

I hope Rory has an absolute stormer tonight.

awec

If Ferris did get a new contract with Ulster it would be the best news since the announcement that B*witched were reuniting.

Totally awesome.

shuffol

Hype710 wrote: »

I hope Rory has an absolute stormer tonight.

I bet he'll win Motm though wont necessarily be the best player on the pitch.

bilston

shuffol wrote: »

I bet he'll win Motm though wont necessarily be the best player on the pitch.

Unless he has an absolute 'mare or someone else scores a hat trick you can probably just about put your mortgage on it! When times are tough we like to close ranks in Ulster!

Hype710

Luke Marshall named in the Rabo Dream Team.

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/16507.php