URC Round 16 - Ulster vs. Munster - Friday, 22nd April @ 7.35pm - BBC NI, Premier Sports 2, RTE 2

Ulster

(15-9) Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Mike Lowry, John Cooney;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Matty Rea, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Brad Roberts, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Sam Carter, Sean Reidy, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

Munster

(15 - 9) Mike Haley; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Craig Casey;

(1 - 8) Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Thomas Ahern; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Fineen Wycherley, Conor Murray, Ben Healy, Chris Cloete.

Ref: Jaco Peyper

Clegg

Looking forward to seeing Lowry at 10. POM, Scannell and Zebo have all dropped out of the Munster squad. Would expect an Ulster win from this game.

Dubinusa

Wow! Not a good look for Madigan. 2 good teams announced. I can't call this one.

phog

14 man Munster won the reversed fixture in Thomond in January but I only see one winner tomorrow evening. Aside from last week Ulster have a great record in Ravenhill and I can't see Munster breaking it this time either.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956253#Comment_118956253

That's enough of your reverse psychology phog!

Clearly Munster are going to win this with room to spare.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956405#Comment_118956405

No, we're going to try win it but you and I know Ulster will be fired up after last week and they'll be chasing a BP win from this game

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956431#Comment_118956431

I actually hope we are fired up but I am not so sure. Not sure of the mental strength of this team.

In all seriousness I think for Ulster anything short of getting to the final now is a poor season, and so we really need to dust ourselves down and get stuck in tomorrow.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956441#Comment_118956441

Ulster have beaten Leinster twice and Toulouse away from home, that can't be sneezed at despite the result last weekend. They now have the added bonus of trying for top spot and host the final in Ravenhill

arsebiscuits1

Munster winning this would do Leinster a lot of favours....

...SUAF!!!

aloooof

Two good teams named, but Ravenhill is always a tough place to go. Bookies have Ulster 7 point favourites, a one score game sounds about right to me. Looking forward to it now!

Lowry at 10 is the most exciting aspect of this fixture in my opinion.

Hoping for an amicable draw.

Dubinusa

Hoping for an Ulster win. But, a tough one to call.

lawrencesummers

Big game for Tom Ahern.

Jump_In_Jack

Set up to be a cracker! (said in best Frank Carson impersonation).

Akrasia

Munster by 4 points.

theboss80

Huge game ahead. A Munster loss could potentially see them drop to as low as 7th after the weekend so need a huge game and with the squad Leinster sent to South Africa Ulster should be targeting top spot over next few weeks.

Think Vermullen being out is big for Munster but with Archer starting I fear Cooney could have a field day off the tee. Can't understand how Ryan isn't starting this after two good weeks for him.

Its a very tough one to call but see the home advantage might get Ulster over the line in a one score game BUT the Munster bench could be the deciding factor as they are alot stronger than Ulster's.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959950#Comment_118959950

Could drop to 8th

Jump_In_Jack

Munster are on 47 league points right now. A loss without a bonus point will mean they could drop as low as 8th.

8th) Expect Bulls to thrash Benetton at home (payback for Rainbow Cup last season). Jumping from 43 to 48.

7th) Expect Edinburgh to annihilate Zebre at home, probably by 50 points. Jumping from 44 to 49 league points.

6th) Sharks will be favourites to beat Leinster without their current Irish Internationals. Jumping from 46 to 50 or 51 league points.

5th) Stormers are favourites to beat Glasgow who have a poor away record this season. Jumping from 47 to 51 or 52 league points.

4th) Munster if lose could drop to 8th, if pick up a bonus point or two might only drop to 6th.

3rd) Glasgow have a big challenge cup game after their tour to SA so I'm guessing they will most likely not pick up any points, staying on 50 league points til the final round.

2nd) Have to fancy Ulster at home with only 3 changes to their side that ran Toulouse so close. Jumping 50 to 54 or 55.

1st) Leinster could possibly win in SA, but without the core of their team they'll go in as underdogs. Stay on 60 league points til the final round, or might pick up a few points.

Dubinusa

Tonight's game is really big for both provinces. I like the look of Munsters team, very big in the 2nd row. I think it will be very close. A lot will depend on how Lowry plays. I think it's his 1st start at 10 this season.

Both teams should look to kick penalties. Both Cooney and Carberry are almost automatic.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960718#Comment_118960718

Both teams should look to kick penalties

Surely, Ulster's strength is kicking to the corner and mauling to get a try rather than take 3 pointers? I think I'll be happy if Ulster kick at goal.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960889#Comment_118960889

True enough, but there's little room for error, imo. Both teams will have purple patches and I don't think Ulster can afford to be turning down points.

TRC10

If Lowry goes well at 10 tonight, it makes for a very intersting dynamic for the rest of this season and next with Stockdale and Addison to come back. Many would see out-half as a position where Ulster could do with an upgrade, and while I think Burns is good, he probably isn't at the level required if Ulster want to win a European Cup if you look at the out-halves who have won it over the last 10 years (Ntamack, Simmonds, Farrell, Sexton, Wikinson, Giteau). So if Lowry can manage the game well, make good decisions, distribute well, threaten the gainline etc, him becoming Ulster's 1st choice 10 becomes a very live option with given that Ulster power have plenty of firepower to replace him at 15.

I'm also very much looking forward to seeing if Carbery's performance last week was a flash in the pan of if he's genuinely back to his best.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962160#Comment_118962160

Joe Simmonds is a definite outlier on that list.

Madeoface

I'll have you know Archer is leading the stats on men and ball flopping in the URC and slowest player to leave a ruck.

Madeoface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962198#Comment_118962198

Forgot to quote ref to Archer above...duh

Paul Smeenus

SUFTUM

phog

Ahern drops to be bench after being ill, Jenkins starts.

Clegg

That's a massive scrum win for Ulster.

What is the story with the pitch? Looks like a beach.

clsmooth

Might be reading too much into him going down earlier but Balacoune ‘s right arm looks a bit limp

DDA frustrated there at Munster being unable to get the ball wide at all.

clsmooth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962496#Comment_118962496

Maybe not after that half break :D

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962160#Comment_118962160

We have seen very little of Lowry at 10. Ulster coaches have plenty of time to see him there in training. If he was a significant upgrade on Burns, we would probably have seen more of him. He might want to play 10 but like Carberry might be a much better 15.

Beyond ridiculous from Farrell there.

TomsOnTheRoof

Three brilliant kicks from Casey.

lawrencesummers

Klendennen with thebbrilliant turnover at the maul and munster make it count down the other end.

Great play from the Munster Back row so far.

Ulster not coping well when Munster get anywhere near the line. Munster def the better team so far.

Clegg

Chris Farrell is having a stinker.

lawrencesummers

There was a knock on a while back by halfway

awec

This team is too mentally soft.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962544#Comment_118962544

Pass to Earls was pretty shaky.

Clegg

Baloucoune is the only Ulster back that looks the least bit threatening.

stephen_n

Did someone say earlier Klein can’t offload?

awec

Every single ruck Munster player is lying on the wrong side.

De Allende no release.

lawrencesummers

Ulsters kicking is terrible.

Its a bad sign when billy burns would improve you.

TomsOnTheRoof

Casey having an absolute stormer

Wikidy

Thought he was part of a double tackle before the penalty he won. Although he used his smarts and was looking at the ref before he jackled.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118962573#Comment_118962573

He released when the tackle was called and then latched on.

Ulster really poor with the ball. Asking no questions at all.

Clegg

That was utterly dreadful from Ulster. That deep kick actually caused some disruption to Munsters defence. Ulster win a turnover against a disorganised defence but their attack is just jogging into alignment.

stephen_n

Ulster need to attack through the middle of the ruck. Munster not resourcing rucks at all.