Ulster vs Scarlets, Fri 15th Sept 7:35pm, BBCNI

thomond2006

Ulster Rugby team to play Scarlets, Friday 15th September, Kingspan Stadium (7.35pm):
(1-8): Kyle McCall, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O'Connor, Chris Henry (captain), Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel;
(9-15): John Cooney, Christian Lealiifano, Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble, Louis Ludik.
Replacements (16-23): John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Robbie Diack, Matthew Rea, Paul Marshall, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe.

Scarlets:
15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny Mcnicholl, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Gareth Davies,
1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens ©, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Will Boyde, 8 John Barclay

Replacements; Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Werner Kruger, David Bulbring, Josh Macleod, Jonathan Evans, Rhys Jones, Jonathan Davies

This should be a cracker!

awec

Scarlets have their Lions back and we don't.

Screw the IRFU.

Big test for Ulster and probably the first major top table clash of the season that I'm really interested in (sorry Connacht).

Scarlets look stronger on paper especially tight 5.

Should be a terrific match, would love to see Ulster do a number on them after their double on Leinster / Munster at the end of last season.

Do it Ulster. Do it for Frodo.

ClanofLams

awec wrote: »

Scarlets have their Lions back and we don't.

Screw the IRFU.

I'm not opposed to the player management scheme generally speaking but you do sometimes think there could be a bit more flexibility. Ulster have Dragons home and Zebre away in their next two fixtures, surely Henderson and Payne could take one of or both of those games and be available tomorrow night, even if it was coming off the bench.

awec

ClanofLams wrote: »

I'm not opposed to the player management scheme generally speaking but you do sometimes think there could be a bit more flexibility. Ulster have Dragons home and Zebre away in their next two fixtures, surely Henderson and Payne could take one of or both of those games and be available tomorrow night, even if it was coming off the bench.

Going into the most difficult game so far and a very important one in the context of the season without Best, Henderson, Coetzee, Piutau, arguably our four most influential players.

IRFU rules are far too arbitrary. I would love to know if there has ever been any proven benefit to them.

bilston

I'm not wanting to defend the IRFU because I do think they take things to the extreme when it comes to releasing players but I reckon the fixtures are irrelevant it will be down to the players pre season schedule.

But generally yes I would like to see the players play even a couple more games a season. Apart from anything else I think the league needs it as well.

Paul Smeenus

Cracking thread, Gromit.

molloyjh

awec wrote: »

Going into the most difficult game so far and a very important one in the context of the season without Best, Henderson, Coetzee, Piutau, arguably our four most influential players.

IRFU rules are far too arbitrary. I would love to know if there has ever been any proven benefit to them.

It's hardly arbitrary. It's probably the polar opposite in fact. Is it sometimes a pain in the ass? Yes. But that doesn't make it arbitrary? No.

I agree Hendo and Best should be available for a game like this, but their pre-season will be mapped out well in advance of fixtures being released.

Utah_Saint

any more word on Beirne coming back to Ireland?

Winters

Lots of exciting match ups in those two back lines.

Former Former

Where is Piutau?

letf

Former Former wrote: »

Where is Piutau?

injured.

letf

Utah_Saint wrote: »

any more word on Beirne coming back to Ireland?

Munster looks fairly likely.

awec

Former Former wrote: »

Where is Piutau?

Injured (it's minor, I think he was in the reckoning for this game).

bilston

Former Former wrote: »

Where is Piutau?

I think he hurt his arm counting money a couple of weeks ago...either that or else we are getting him fresh for the Dragons and Zebre...

Paul Smeenus

Deysel out with eye inury. Rea starts, Ross on bench.

We;ll lose, but we;ll have three homegrown players starting in the pack. Woo-hoo.

stephen_n

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ulster Rugby team to play Scarlets, Friday 15th September, Kingspan Stadium (7.35pm):
(1-8): Kyle McCall, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O'Connor, Chris Henry (captain), Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel;
(9-15): John Cooney, Christian Lealiifano, Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble, Louis Ludik.
Replacements (16-23): John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Robbie Diack, Matthew Rea, Paul Marshall, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe.

Scarlets:
15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny Mcnicholl, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Gareth Davies,
1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens ©, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Will Boyde, 8 John Barclay

Replacements; Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Werner Kruger, David Bulbring, Josh Macleod, Jonathan Evans, Rhys Jones, Jonathan Davies

This should be a cracker!

Where's the write up? Pimping out your thread in the Ulster thread and it's little more than a quick copy n paste job.

thomond2006

stephen_n wrote: »

Where's the write up? Pimping out your thread in the Ulster thread and it's little more than a quick copy n paste job.

Thomond's Big Match Preview:

Nucifora OUT.

There, I've satisfied the Ulster regulars.

But naw, it should be a good game. Scarlets have had an incredible backline for years but it's only in the last year that they've had the pack to match it. Tadhg Beirne and John Barclay have been fantastic signings. The loss of James Davies is a blow though, playacting side he's a brilliant player. McNicholl and Steff Evans are arguably the best wing combination in the league and if Halfpenny can recapture form he didn't show on the Lions Tour the back three will be all kinds of awesome. There's not a lot of weakness in a fully fit starting XV.

It's tough on Ulster they don't have the Lions back. I do think there should be a bit more wriggle room regarding team selection. It's pointless having the likes of Henderson available for Zebre where he's not needed. Tomorrow Ulster could do with him in the trenches. Even allowing him to come on after 60 minutes would be a boost. As Scarlets are in Ulster's conference this is an 8 pointer kind of game and it damages the league's reputation to see top internationals missing out.

Ultimately Scarlets are on a bit of a roll and it wouldn't surprise if Jon Davies comes on to score a late winner. They'll see this as a game to really show they can continue from their fantastic playoff run last season. Scarlets by 5 IMO.

bilston

Our pack are missing Best, Henderson, Deysel and Coetzee. There is no way we will win.

Burkie1203

awec wrote: »

Going into the most difficult game so far and a very important one in the context of the season without Best, Henderson, Coetzee, Piutau, arguably our four most influential players.

IRFU rules are far too arbitrary. I would love to know if there has ever been any proven benefit to them.

Saw a few quotes from a newspaper interview with Billy Vunipola on twitter this morning where he advocates an 11 game premiership season in order to protect players. He says the players may eventually go on strike

molloyjh

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Deysel out with eye inury. Rea starts, Ross on bench.

We;ll lose, but we;ll have three homegrown players starting in the pack. Woo-hoo.

Well that's s**t. Hard to see a home win so....

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Deysel out with eye inury. Rea starts, Ross on bench.

We;ll lose, but we;ll have three homegrown players starting in the pack. Woo-hoo.

I'm not too confident of the win but one of the things I'll be interested in will be Rea's performance, he seems to do well in the lineout last week but didn't really do a lot else that I can remember. However it was his first game so it will be interesting to see how he goes. I also like our second row this week which seems a good mix of dog and athleticism.

Hopefully Cooney goes well again and we see Stockdale, Trimble and McCloskey fire in the backs.

Jump_In_Jack

Just pointing out, for those that would prefer the TG4 coverage (as I do) to the BBC coverage, this match will be televised live on TG4, coverage starting at 19:30.

thomond2006

I wish I had BBC Norn Iron.

Scythica

thomond2006 wrote: »

I wish I had BBC Norn Iron.

have you ever hear big gusher commentate? you may be better off with tg4!

thomond2006

Scythica wrote: »

have you ever hear big gusher commentate? you may be better off with tg4!

Ah I didn't realise it was on TG4. Cheers!

Icemancometh

Scarlets are mad. Should be a good game

thomond2006

Is that Ronan Loughney as co-commentator on TG4?

Scythica

I'm really taking a shine to Cooney. he's hungry for work, even if it doesn't always work out

moleyv

This game is about as exciting as a conversation with Les Kiss...

Jump_In_Jack

Scythica wrote: »

I'm really taking a shine to Cooney. he's hungry for work, even if it doesn't always work out

Fine penalty.
As the Irish replacement for Pienaar he's doing a good job so far to pick up where his predecessor left off.

thomond2006

Awesome play from Parkes on his own line.

awec

No way the scarlets were onside there

Scythica

great defending by scarlets

Jump_In_Jack

Stockdale's take in the air and the acceleration and offload, pure class.

ionadnapokot

Bernie & Barclay are class
Beirne for Ireland!

thomond2006

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Bernie & Barclay are class
Beirne for Ireland!

Beirne for Munster 2018/19.

Jump_In_Jack

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Bernie & Barclay are class
Beirne for Ireland!

Beirne has stood out alright, if he signs for an Irish province for next season he should be in the Irish camp soon enough. Was the outstanding forward for Scarlets at the end of last season.

ionadnapokot

thomond2006 wrote: »

Beirne for Munster 2018/19.

Shud be in Nov squad

Former Former

Sweet Jesus if Lealilifano is injured you can pack your tent up for the season

Buer

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Was the outstanding forward for Scarlets at the end of last season.

He was excellent but Shingler and James Davies were another level. Their back row was the reason they won the title and those two were sensational. Shared the MOTM awards in the semi and final and Shingler got player of the season.

thomond2006

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Shud be in Nov squad

If he's coming back to Ireland next season as rumoured then his presence at Scarlets this year isn't a big enough reason to not select him.

awec

We are really missing someone who can melt rucks.

Clegg

Lions player of the series Jonathan Evans?

FFS

ScrubsfanChris

12-3 looking a lot more comfortable right now

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

If he's coming back to next season as rumoured then his presence at Scarlets this year isn't a big enough reason to not select him.

It really is. They're not going to break protocol for a bloke who hasn't even been capped. He might get called into a training panel, if he's lucky.

They're after bringing through a couple of young locks and are going to give them priority. Henderson, Treadwell, Ryan and Dillane are all going to command spots ahead of him until he comes home and delivers.

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

It really is. They're not going to break protocol for a bloke who hasn't even been capped. He might get called into a training panel, if he's lucky.

They're after bringing through a couple of young locks and are going to give them priority. Henderson, Treadwell, Ryan and Dillane are all going to command spots ahead of him until he comes home and delivers.

If he's signed for Munster then next then I don't see an issue picking him now. He's already made the commitment to come back to Ireland.

Cracking hands from Scarlets off that interception.

ionadnapokot

Not convinced by Treadwell.
Still not sure what he is good at

Clegg

Jaysus that was out of nothing.

awec

Oh **** off

thomond2006

That was a remarkably simple looking try for Scarlets.