Ulster v Clermont, Ravenhill, 10/12/16, 1PM Sky Sports 2

awec

|
Piutau|Spedding
Bowe|Strettle
Marshall|Lamerat
McCloskey|Fofana
Ludik|Abendanon
Jackson|Lopez
Pienaar|Parra
McCall|Chaume
Best|Kayser
Herbst|Zirakashvili
Browne|Van der Merwe
Diack|Vahaamahina
Henderson|Chouly
Henry|Lapandry
Reidy|Yato
Replacements|Replacements
Herring|Beheregaray
Warwick|Falgoux
Ah You|Ric
Treadwell|Timani
Ross|Gerondeau
Marshall|Radosavljevic
Cave|Stanley
Stockdale|Raka

Ulster host Clermont tomorrow with their European hopes hanging by a thread. Anything less than a home win will pretty much confirm Ulster's exit from Europe this season after only three matches played. A poor performance in Bordeaux was followed by a tight and unconvincing home win against Exeter, Ulster will need to improve ten-fold if they hope to get anything out of this match tomorrow.

Ulster's pack is an obvious area of concern, with Browne and Diack in the row it will be an area that Clermont hope to exploit. Iain Henderson is going to have his work cut out at 6 and Kyle McCall will face his toughest test yet in his senior Ulster career.

The backs look a much better proposition, first choice half backs though many would argue Piutau and Ludik would be stronger swapping positions. One would have to assume that the hope is for Piutau to get the ball at second receiver often and try and break the line.

Prediction

Ulster will need to show something they haven't shown all year to win this. Any confidence I had has been blasted away with the pack selected, I think we're going to lack power and will get smashed all over the field by their pack.

A win for Clermont.

bilston

Second row is a concern.

Agree with awec that I'd swap Ludik and Piutau. Not sure how it will go tomorrow, but a win is a must.

Big test for McCall, but also a big opportunity. He went last week, although up that point I was more in the Warwick camp.

bilston

Some wise man posted the pack who played against Clermont a few years ago on uafc earlier.

Court
Best
Afoa
Muller
Tuohy
Ferris
Henry
Wannenberg

Those were the days.

awec

Indeed bilston, it's depressing.

That pack would eat our current one for dinner.

sydthebeat

its Vahaamahina

bilston

I wonder if there was an argument to play Henderson in the row tomorrow with Ross starting at 6, or even Wilson.

awec

Any team without Diack in it is always better.

Bridge93

I think Ulster will win. I don't know why, perhaps it's because they're at home, but I think they'll win

CatFromHue

Bridge93 wrote: »

I think Ulster will win. I don't know why, perhaps it's because they're at home, but I think they'll win

It's because they like to troll their fans so much.

It's the hope that's the killer and they know how to give just that little bit to their fans :pac:

MJohnston

awec wrote: »

Indeed bilston, it's depressing.

That pack would eat our current one for dinner.

Ah come on now, Rodney would run them close

Utah_Saint

So a win temporarily extends the Euro suffering and ensures the comic duo are safe for another while. A loss, the depression takes hold and the comic duo are safe for another while. Hmmm....

jacothelad

MJohnston wrote: »

Ah come on now, Rodney would run them close

...to the burger stall after the game.

Stheno

Grief!

irishbucsfan

Ulster are not very good

Ectoplasm

Uh oh...this doesn't bode well for Ulster

mansize

This could be bleak

Ectoplasm

Marshall!!!

vienne86

Marshall! Yes....lovely line!

mansize

Great

gamma001

what a line!

GET IN

irishbucsfan

lovely stuff

TeoReid

beaut of a pass too

clsmooth

Brilliant try, lovely line by Marshall. Lovely soft pass by Jackson

Buer

clsmooth wrote:

Brilliant try, lovely line by Marshall. Lovely soft pass by Jackson

Credit to Neil Doak for that training ground move.

irishbucsfan

Ulster lose another kickoff and Clermont are going to have a setpiece in their 22...

Utah_Saint

Buer wrote: »

clsmooth wrote:

Brilliant try, lovely line by Marshall. Lovely soft pass by Jackson

Credit to Neil Doak for that training ground move.

BANNED

TeoReid

ulster need to sort out receiving restarts

TeoReid

that was so cynical

vienne86

Delighted with that try for Ulster, but Clermont look comfortable.