Saracens v Ulster Rugby 18:30 Saturday April 6th Sky Sports

irishbucsfan

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15: Jared Payne|15: Alex Goode
14: Andrew Trimble|14: Chris Ashton
13: Darren Cave|13: Joel Tomkins
12: Luke Marshall|12: Brad Barritt
11: Craig Gilroy|11: David Strettle
10: Paddy Jackson|10: Owen Farrell
9: Ruan Pienaar|9: Richard Wigglesworth
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1: Tom Court|1: Mako Vunipola
2: Rory Best|2: Schalk Brits
3: John Afoa|3: Matt Stevens
4: Johan Muller CAPTAIN|4: Steve Borthwick CAPTAIN
5: Dan Tuohy|5: Alastair Hargreaves
6: Ian Henderson|6: Kelly Brown
7: Chris Henry|7: Will Fraser
8: Nick Williams|8: Ernst Joubert
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16: Rob Herring|16: John Smith
17: Callum Black|17: Rhys Gill
18: Ricky Lutton|18: Pietrous Du Plessis
19: Robbie Diack|19: Mouritz Botha
20: Mike McComish|20: Jackson Wray
21: Paul Marshall|21: Neil De Kock
22: Stuart Olding|22: Charlie Hodgson
23: Tommy Bowe|23: Chris Wyles

*Rumoured Teams, Awaiting Confirmation. Saracens is more of a guess than a rumour to be honest... Ulster one is pretty nailed on I believe! I'll change when it is announced.

Here is possibly the biggest game of the weekend. By big I don't mean most prestigious, most exciting, or highest quality. I mean BIG. Big hits, big carries and, if we are lucky, big English and (some) South African men crying at the final whistle.

Ulster exploded into the early stages of the Heineken Cup and Rabo Pro 12 this season. Ulster were a "team for the future" for a few years under Matt Williams and then Brian Mcloughlin. The future finally arrived in Belfast this September, the team being finally cooked, it seemed, by the furnaces of the Heineken Cup final in Twickenham last May. Mark Anscombe arrived and took the raw talent that existed in Ulster's young Irish talent, combined it with the polished skills and crucial experienced offered by the likes of Muller, Pienaar and Afoa and produced something that had fans of Irish rugby very excited.

Ulster knocked over Leinster and Munster and climbed to the top of the Rabo Direct Pro 12. Meanwhile the likes of Northampton, Glasgow and Castres just couldn't keep up with them in the Heineken Cup. The only blip on their early season radar being a tough 9-10 loss at home to Northampton. However things quickly changed and an injury crisis coupled with the 6 Nations Championship led Ulster down a dark road of defeats in the Rabo and, like some sort of really interesting metaphor, seemed to draw the confidence right out of Belfast. Things are looking up now on the back of last weekend's victory over Leinster in the RDS, but is it enough to bring them back up to European standard?

Saracens have been polar opposites to Ulster this season. Under the steady tutelage of Mark McCall, who is very much still working in the shadow of Brendan Venter, the team have built a ferociously efficient style of play around their well-drilled pack, intelligent management and reserved physicality of out half Owen Farrell, and dangerous wide play from the likes of Alex Goode and Chris Ashton.

Despite the investment in playing staff and facilities, success was something that has taken a while for Saracens to achieve. Despite being clear at the top of the premiership table, they have never been able to perform convincingly in Europe until this season. Detractors claim their focused version of forward-oriented rugby is not varied enough to allow them to challenge the top sides in Europe.

This season however they seem to have opened up at times. Although they are very much still built around their pack and half backs, they seem capable of throwing the ball wide. Especially when out half Charlie Hodgson is introduced. They have started to win with much wider margins and put Edinburgh mercilessly to the sword in the group stages of this competition.

However wide-play is something Saracens will surely be very much looking to avoid against Ulster. Ulster are dangerous in possession, as they showed just last weekend, and so you can be sure that Saracens will be focused on using possession as efficiently as possible.

KEY MATCHUP
Ulster Attack - "Terrifying" Saracens Wolf Pack
v.

As ridiculous as the Saracens media men are, they really have zeroed in on the most important part of this match. A strong kicking game mixed with ferocious defense and huge intensity from the forwards and midfield has become their trademark and they have modeled it after a "wolfpack". Although judging by media photos, it probably would have been better to choose an animal that they players weren't utterly terrified by. Like a giraffe or a platypus.

For Ulster to win this game they need to be able to live with the pressure in midfield though. Johann Muller needs to prepare his troops for one of the most physical games they will have ever played. This is a young team and they need to find their feet very quickly in this game or it will pass them by. Ulster need to take absolutely no prisoners in attack, particularly when it comes to the breakdown as Sarries will be trying to make a mess of their possession and prevent the likes of Jackson and Marshall from using the weapons around them. Big line breaking carries from the likes of Nick Williams will get Sarries marching backwards as well, and this will prevent them arriving at breakdowns with momentum. A "mon" of the match performance from Big Nick would be very very useful.

This is what European rugby is for. A clash of philosophies, a clash of cultures and a clash of humongous angry forwards. Miss it at your peril.

postitnote

Team confirmed

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11351.php

15-9): J Payne, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy, P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (c), D Tuohy, I Henderson, C Henry, N Williams;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, R Lutton, R Diack, M McComish, P Marshall, S Olding, T Bowe.

Only change to your team above is McComish in instead of Wilson

irishbucsfan

postitnote wrote: »

Team confirmed

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11351.php

15-9): J Payne, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy, P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (c), D Tuohy, I Henderson, C Henry, N Williams;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, R Lutton, R Diack, M McComish, P Marshall, S Olding, T Bowe.

Mike McComish!!!

What on earth do they see in him?

ulster_Beef

Are we excited much yet ?

MolBee

Wilson injured again I wonder?? Why not have Stevenson on the bench then? McComish... what does he have to do to play himself OUT of the team. He's a trier and all but really, really ineffective as we have observed over the past few weeks. Meh.

CIARAN_BOYLE

I haven't seen a lot of saracens this year, but do they do like England does and use Goode as almost an extra playmaker when Farrell is at 10??

Can't understand McComish involvement ahead of either Wilson or Stevenson (are both injured I thought they were fit)

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Mike McComish!!!

What on earth do they see in him?

I missed that one. That's a weird one alright. If Wilson is injured then I'd have thought Stevenson as second row cover and Diack as back row cover.

ulster_Beef

ulster_Beef wrote: »

Are we excited much yet ?

ULSTER SAYS YES

postitnote

Great write-up Bucs.
The excitement is building big time!

The starting 15 excites me, as does having Olding, Marshall, Diack and Bowe on the bench. I feel they can really make an impact and are as good as any of the 15.

The rest of the bench I just hope they aren't needed too early on, and if they are on play well tbh, perhaps more out of hope than expectation.

I haven't been this excited about a rugby match since the opening game of the 6 nations, and tbf this match eclipses all that has gone before us this season.

SUFTUM!!!

irishbucsfan

15 Alex Goode
14 Chris Ashton
13 Joel Tomkins
12 Brad Barritt
11 David Strettle
10 Owen Farrell
9 Richard Wigglesworth
1 Mako Vunipola
2 Schalk Brits
3 Matt Stevens
4 Steve Borthwick ©
5 Alistair Hargreaves
6 Kelly Brown
7 Will Fraser
8 Ernst Joubert
16 John Smit
17 Rhys Gill
18 Petrus du Plessis
19 Mouritz Botha
20 Jackson Wray
21 Neil de Kock
22 Charlie Hodgson
23 Chris Wyles

thomond2006

That is a very classy Ulster backline.

rchendz92

Great write up. Think I might actually be more excited for this trip to Twickenham than I was for last year's.

That might have been because I knew we would never win last year though...

postitnote

I still get depressed when i hear "London Calling".

But hopefully not anymore, the team has grown stronger and better and this year is the time to put that behind us, this will be a happy tune once again.
I really think last year's twickenham experience has helped to mature this squad.

So, win tomorrow and then we can concentrate on maintaining our 100% European Cup win record in Lansdowne Road

jamiedav2011

I cannot fcuking wait for this game!
Could be a classic HEC tie.

shuffol

Looking forward to seeing how Jackson stacks up in front of the sky cameras against the ultra hyped Farrell in whats essentially his backyard. Am never overly impressed by Saracens, their pack lacks a top class operator IMO but their obviously a very strong side, should be a cracking game.

Tox56

Saracens are a good team but I don't really understand why nearly everyone is rating Ulster as underdogs for this. Whatever about their depth, that starting 15 has to be one of the most complete sides in the tournament. Fantastic backline but I see no reason why their pack can't stand up to Saracens, looks just as good on paper.

awec

GET. INTO. THEM!

And great to see Tommy Bowwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeee back.

Zippy1991

Stick it up their arses lads

bilston

15 Alex Goode vs Jared Payne
14 Chris Ashton vs Andrew Trimble
13 Joel Tomkins vs Darren Cave
12 Brad Barritt vs Luke Marshall
11 David Strettle vs Craig Gilroy
10 Owen Farrell vs Paddy Jackson
9 Richard Wigglesworth vs Ruan Pienaar
1 Mako Vunipola vs Tom Court
2 Schalk Brits vs Rory Best
3 Matt Stevens vs John Afoa
4 Steve Borthwick © vs Johann Muller
5 Alistair Hargreaves vs Dan Tuohy
6 Kelly Brown vs Iain Henderson
7 Will Fraser vs Chris Henry
8 Ernst Joubert vs Nick Williams

Firstly I will concede that Saracens have a slightly stronger bench but man for man I look at the above and well all I can say is I'm happy enough for Ulster to be sailing under the radar a bit.

mfceiling

Zippy1991 wrote: »

Stick it up their arses lads

With no vaseline...

Buer

Zippy1991 wrote: »

Stick it up their arses lads

I see John Hopoate is alive and well and posting on Boards.

ulster_Beef

mfceiling wrote: »

With no vaseline...

You only use lube if you love someone

eyeball kid

This should be a cracking match. Really hope I get to see it. The win last week against Leinster was hugely important for Ulster and hopefully they will gain some momentum from it.

bilston

ulster_Beef wrote: »

You only use lube if you love someone

If they love you they won't ask

awec

Do you know the scene in the second lord of the rings movie, at the very end when they are under siege and look like they are about to falter, and then Gandalf arrives after being missing for a while to save the day and rides down on his big white horse to sink the final blow?

Yea?

That'll be Tommy Bowe on Saturday. :cool:

ulster_Beef

bilston wrote: »

If they love you they won't ask

That's classed as rape these days in the eyes of the law lol

.ak

Zippy1991 wrote: »

Stick it up their arses lads

mfceiling wrote: »

With no vaseline...

Buer wrote: »

I see John Hopoate is alive and well and posting on Boards.

ulster_Beef wrote: »

You only use lube if you love someone

bilston wrote: »

If they love you they won't ask

ulster_Beef wrote: »

That's classed as rape these days in the eyes of the law lol

:eek: Jeez, give the Ulster lads a sniff of knock out European rugby and it goes to their heads... :P Try sticking to the Rugby lads...

bilston

.ak wrote: »

:eek: Jeez, give the Ulster lads a sniff of knock out European rugby and it goes to their heads... :P Try sticking to the Rugby lads...

You should have seen last year when we got to the final!

Anyway as for tomorrow I posted elsewhere that the starting XVs are pretty even.

The two back threes are very dangerous, as for the midfields I think Saracens are more about pace and power and we maybe have a little built more brains in there. The half backs compliment each other well. No one in their right mind would take Wigglesworth over Pienaar but Wigglesworth will pose his own problems. Farrell is obviously dead eye dick when it comes to goal kicking more so than Pienaar and certainly Jackson. Hopefully Jackson plays on the gainline like he did against Leinster and how he did against Fiji back in November. To be fair it's probably easier to play flat when you have RP flinging the ball at you with pace and accuracy. Marshall has the pace but not the accuracy and Murray has the accuracy but not the pace!

Up front I think Saracens have an edge in the scrum. I'd take Vunipola over Court and Afoa hasn't played a lot lately. I'd have Muller and Tuohy ahead of Borthwick and Hargreaves but the Saracens platform from lineouts is good. The key battle may be in the back row (isn't it always?) and who wins the battle between Henry and Frazer could be on the winning team at the final whistle.

monkeybutter

Ulster need to be patient and they have a great chance of a win. They pushed it slightly against Leinster last week and that kept them in the game. The same mistake this week could be costly.

I think they have a cutting edge that Saracens lack and can match them in defense.

I suspect a low scoring game, with a try from Ulster being the difference, with a similar number of penalties.

16-12 to Ulster

If they can get the try break through early enough and Saracens need to chase it a bit, they could win by more

Sinbad_NI

C'mon Ulster. Hoping for something to celebrate on Sat night in London.

vienne86

Yes, c'mon Ulster......we'd love a semi in Dublin!