Match Thread - Ulster v Harlequins, Ravenhill, 7:45 BT Sport 2

awec

|
Charles Piutau | Ross Chisholm
Craig Gilroy | Charlie Walker
Louis Ludik | Winston Stanley
Stuart McCloskey | Jamie Roberts
Jacob Stockdale | Alofa Alofa
Christian Lealiifano | Marcus Smith
John Cooney | Ian Prior
Nick Timoney | Renaldo Bothma
Chris Henry | Dave Ward
Iain Henderson (C) | Archie White
Kieran Treadwell | Charlie Matthews
Alan O'Connor | George Merrick
Wiehaan Herbst | Kyle Sinckler
Rob Herring | Elia Elia
Callum Black | Lewis Boyce
Replacements
John Andrew | Charlie Piper
Andrew Warwick | Mark Lambert
Ross Kane | Phil Swainston
Matthew Rea | Matthew Luamanu
Sean Reidy | Dino Lamb
Paul Marshall | James Lang
Peter Nelson | Tim Visser
Andrew Trimble | Mike Brown

Harlequins travel to Ravenhill tonight to take on Ulster in the second of the european head to heads, after being given a bit of a shake down last week. Ulster will be looking to continue the dominance up front (wow) with Iain Henderson hopefully wrecking all round him again. Nick Timoney will look to continue his rich vein of form, and Jacob Stockdale will hopefully pick up where he left off.

Nothing less than five points will do for Ulster tonight. Well, that's not strictly true, but a lack of 5 points will mean needing to pick up difficult points against Wasps and La Rochelle. Tonight is Ulster's best shot at picking up that crucial 10th point they'll need from their last 3 games.

Harlequins I know feck all about except Mike Brown has been dropped probably because he's a bit rubbish and spends more time mouthing off than playing the game.

The referee isn't Lacey or Clancy so we should be ok.

Prediction

Ulster to get the bonus point they want, and give Harlequins a good pasting in the process. Mike Brown to look annoyed at the end. Jamie Roberts to do nothing but run into the first man in white he sees.

sydthebeat

Acceptable match thread.
That deserves a like.

Ulster to get five points but concede a few late ones leaving it a high scoring game.

Ulster 37 - 25 Quinn's

prawnsambo

Your list of refs and hate figures in Ulster Rugby is starting to look a lot like Arya Stark's infamous list.

vienne86

Why does BOD have to shout?

awec

Quins are here to throw it around. Suits us fine.

awec

Hmmmmm, that was pretty awful from Piutau. Telegraphed.

corny

Beautiful kick.

swiwi_

The Quins 10 looks like he'd be asked for ID if he heads for a beer after the match.

awec

Sinckler is brainless, that was especially dumb :pac:

ScrubsfanChris

swiwi_ wrote: »

The Quins 10 looks like he'd be asked for ID if he heads for a beer after the match.

Marcus Smith, he's not 19 until February

Ulster don't look very good at lineouts, in case you hadn't noticed...

pickarooney

any streams running through Belfast?

ongarite

Poor tackle attempt, technique from Ulster in this Quins move

swiwi_

pickarooney wrote: »

any streams running through Belfast?

River Lagan...?

Former Former

Ulster defence is shocking

sydthebeat

Those missed tackles are killing Ulster... Terrible defense

awec

Oh fcuk off.

vienne86

Walker is quick, but that was poor defence by Ulster for that try.

swiwi_

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Marcus Smith, he's not 19 until February

Looks decent on first viewing. Baby faced assassin.

awec

If only Ulster had a coach that specialized in defending....wonder where we could find one of those.

swiwi_

vienne86 wrote: »

Why does BOD have to shout?

Dont reckon he shouts. But he always sounds constipated. Not really a voice that lends itself to commentary I have to say.

what's up with Rory Best?

sydthebeat

Landon Chubby Ledge wrote: »

what's up with Rory Best?

Infected cut on his leg

vienne86

Entertaining first half. Quins look more like scroing tries than Ulster.

awec

Looking better second half

awec

Why would you take three there.

crisco10

Stockdale and Gilroy give serious pace to back 3

awec

Stockdale made that one with that wee pass inside.

pickarooney

Stockdale is just about my favourite player of 2017

crisco10

awec wrote: »

Stockdale made that one with that wee pass inside.

Nah it was defo piataus goosestep. ;-)

Burkie1203

awec wrote: »

Why would you take three there.

Win the game first. 2 score game gives ulster a bit of freedom to open up now.

awec

Our defense is a joke. Decent teams will pump us.

awec

Sinckler is such a fool.

Clegg

Lads Stockdale is world class.

Don't care if I'm going over the top.

crisco10

Clegg wrote: »

Lads Stockdale is world class.

Don't care if I'm going over the top.

He's having some breakthrough season. Pure midas touch.

pickarooney

Sploosh!

Akrasia

awec wrote: »

Sinckler is such a fool.

You could see his team mates rolling their eyes in the replay at such a stupid thing he did.

Alan O Connor is a really good rugby player. Not flash, not a powerhouse, but he really goes about the game really well.

Sephiral

If Stockdale keeps maturing at this rate, he will be the best winger in the Northern hemisphere in a very short amount of time. He is big, quick, good fundamentals, good temperament and is being Schmidtified at a very early point in his development. Hard to see what his ceiling is right now.

That Chisholm fella is worth keeping an eye on Ulster!

Akrasia

Who tied Jamie Roberts' shoelaces together?

Sephiral

Sephiral wrote: »

If Stockdale keeps maturing at this rate, he will be the best winger in the Northern hemisphere in a very short amount of time. He is big, quick, good fundamentals, good temperament and is being Schmidtified at a very early point in his development. Hard to see what his ceiling is right now.

Never mind his physical assets, its his brain that has impressed me all season. For Ulster and for Ireland, his decision making is spot on, all the time. And he's still a kid.

Bodes well.

Akrasia

Only Ulster can lose this game from here...

awec

WHY CANT WE DEFEND!?!.!.!?!!?

ongarite

Akrasia wrote: »

Only Ulster can lose this game from here...

Better hope they miss the conversion

Sephiral

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Ulster lose this.

ongarite

Game will be a draw the way things are going!

Credit where its due, the Quins fans in the crowd have seriously put the effort in with the gear!

Synode

Cooney's had a great game. Well deserved

awec

Nobody can defend.

Cooney could be an Ulster legend after a single season.

He's actually been a superb signing so far.