Scarlets v Ulster (SUFTUM) 29th October 2011 at Parc Y Scarlets KO 3.00pm

First topic message reminder :

Six of Ulster's World Cup players have gone straight into the starting XV to face Scarlets in the RaboDirect PRO12 tomorrow night at the Parc y Scarlets (kick off 3pm).
Head Coach Brian McLaughlin has made a total of seven personnel changes and two positional switches. Johann Muller returns to captain the side from the second row, where he is resumes his partnership with Dan Tuohy.

Ulster (15-9): S Danielli; A Trimble, N Spence, P Wallace, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, A Kyriacou, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, P Wannenburg, M McComish, C Henry;
Replacements (16-23): N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, D Cave, A D'Arcy

Scarlets team just put up on the Scarlet Fever forum, not on the Scarlets web site though,


15 Evans, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Lamont, 12 Warren, 11 Fenby, 10 A Thomas, 9 R Williams,
1 R Jones, 2 Owens, 3 R Thomas, 4 Day, 5 Welch, 6 McCusker (c), 7 Edwards, 8 Morgan

REPS: 16 Rees, 17 John, 18 Gardiner, 19 Shingler, 20 Pugh, 21 Knoyle, 22 Newton, 23 S Williams

All you scarlet boys predicting a comfortable win?

I think Rhodri will get pasted against Ruan as he hasn't looked really comfortable at this level.

I thought Lamont (or Schlong to use his proper name) did alright with Warren against the Blues (though I didn't have the best angle to guage them from where I was sitting).
Interesting, and big ask, to play Rhodri Jones instead of Phil John, but good to see Owens and Fenby back.

Turkster wrote:Should be a win for Ulster with most of their internationals back, let's hope they don't need the ref's help this time though.

Couldn't agree more with Turksters comment!

(sorry StandUlster, but I guess it's ;p

Rava wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:i dont think the 7pm kick offs on friday nights are great either. Im not sure why they are so early but it is very difficult for people to get home from sorted and sorted to get to ravenhill for 7pm. It is also well nigh impossible to do this if you dont live in belfast and needs looked at. 7.30 or 8pm kick offs will lead to bigger crowds imo.

The 7.05 kick off is purely for the TV.

I know Rava and i like the exposure being on the Beeb brings. That being said i think it is too early and needs changed.

WillyGilly wrote:All you scarlet boys predicting a comfortable win?

Willy you will note that Scarlets fans are using reverse psychology. Crafty bu&&ers

Standulstermen wrote:

Rava wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:i dont think the 7pm kick offs on friday nights are great either. Im not sure why they are so early but it is very difficult for people to get home from sorted and sorted to get to ravenhill for 7pm. It is also well nigh impossible to do this if you dont live in belfast and needs looked at. 7.30 or 8pm kick offs will lead to bigger crowds imo.

The 7.05 kick off is purely for the TV.

I know Rava and i like the exposure being on the Beeb brings. That being said i think it is too early and needs changed.

No I agree with you 100% Stand. I have to leave Ballymoney at 5.15 to ensure we are on time (Need to factor in a pre-match ). I can just about manage that but my travelling companions don't find it at all easy.

WillyGilly wrote:All you scarlet boys predicting a comfortable win?

this is no where near our best team, so yes Ulster should win, if we had...

15 Stoddard
14 North
13 Williams
12 Davies
11 Lamont
10 Priestland
9 Knoyle
8 Morgan
7 Turnbull
6 McCusker
5 Day
4 Timani
3 R Thomas
2 Rees
1 I Thomas

playing though, you'd need the ref's help again.

If we had 1F playing, you'd need fifteen Scarlets-shaped bodybags.

Or Dan Lydiate.

He's good.

But he's no Ferris.

By the way -

Scarlets are going

d
o
w
n

Don Alfonso wrote:By the way -

Scarlets are going

d
o
w
n

yes, that's what we've been saying all along.

are you bringing your tame 'Scottish' ref with you this year to make the job easier?

Was looking forward to getting up tomorrow and watching Man Utd v Everton then Scarlets and Ulster only to find out today neithers on tv

Missed the Treviso match so no Ulster fix for a while now and couldn't bring myself to watch the highlights was hard enough finding out the score

Is Cave fully fit again or is his injury still playing up because he's hard done by if it isnt

Turkster - no, shouldn't be necessary...

In all seriousness, our big names will, for the most part, be extremely rusty. There was a lot of bench-warming for those guys. (Although Muller has been nvolved in beating one Welsh team in the last couple of months.) I expect dropped balls, mistimed kicks and a lack of intensity. I doubt we'll play much like a team.

Ulster can't take anything for granted. We should be able to win, but I imagine it will be one of those recent cornerstones of Irish rugby - the frustrating, dispiriting win.

Don Alfonso wrote:He's good.

But he's no Ferris.

Did you see the Quarter final? he tackled Ian Ferris and SOB off the park!

Turkster wrote:

Don Alfonso wrote:By the way -

Scarlets are going

d
o
w
n

yes, that's what we've been saying all along.

are you bringing your tame 'Scottish' ref with you this year to make the job easier?

Was he the one who let us use the other ball?

To be honest the Scarlets should be thankful for a losing bonus point, based on the strength of the two teams names. HOWEVER, I am hoping that the last three matches (37-17 v Edinburgh, 31-3 v Leicester, 30-3 v Blues, all bonus point wins) will have boosted the moral of the players. And maybe with a bit of luck the fact Ulster have not played for two weeks, and they have a number of RWC returnees in their team, will make htem a touch rusty. Or am I just being overly hopeful?

nah SS, that's sort of how I'm looking at it. It is possible for us to sneak a win, but I'd be more than happy with a LBP though. Still, it's the Scarlets, anything is possible...both good and bad

ScarletSpiderman wrote:To be honest the Scarlets should be thankful for a losing bonus point, based on the strength of the two teams names. HOWEVER, I am hoping that the last three matches (37-17 v Edinburgh, 31-3 v Leicester, 30-3 v Blues, all bonus point wins) will have boosted the moral of the players. And maybe with a bit of luck the fact Ulster have not played for two weeks, and they have a number of RWC returnees in their team, will make htem a touch rusty. Or am I just being overly hopeful?

yes, it should be a comfortable win for Ulster, enthusiastic youngsters are no match for seasoned pro's. Pienaar's class should bring them through even if the Scarlet's pack does well, I'm not hopeful at all.

That's the spirit Turkster

rugbydreamer wrote:That's the spirit Turkster

ssshhhh, it's my plan to be even more chuffed if they win, but a face saving 'I told you so' attitude if they don't.

Turkster wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:To be honest the Scarlets should be thankful for a losing bonus point, based on the strength of the two teams names. HOWEVER, I am hoping that the last three matches (37-17 v Edinburgh, 31-3 v Leicester, 30-3 v Blues, all bonus point wins) will have boosted the moral of the players. And maybe with a bit of luck the fact Ulster have not played for two weeks, and they have a number of RWC returnees in their team, will make htem a touch rusty. Or am I just being overly hopeful?

yes, it should be a comfortable win for Ulster, enthusiastic youngsters are no match for seasoned pro's. Pienaar's class should bring them through even if the Scarlet's pack does well, I'm not hopeful at all.

Pienaar didnt get much game time in New Zealand so could be some rust to shake off Humphrys has looked lost recently and the forwards have been a huge disappointment this season so Scarlets have a good shout

sounds fool proof to me, it's something I usually fall back on also

No matter how much rust Pienaar has to shake off he will not be as bad as Paul Marshall has been

True, Stand.

Has Oor Wullie really fallen so far, so fast?

And for me, Cave>Spence, I have to say. Still, it's not like Spence is anything shabby...

Wasn't it playing us last year you started to click?

Standulstermen wrote:No matter how much rust Pienaar has to shake off he will not be as bad as Paul Marshall has been

Thats true I think quite a few players haven't found anything near the levels they hit last year Marshall impressed me to an extent last year because he seemed to step up to the challenge of competing with Pienaar

Glas - don't think that's accurate, really.

By the first time we played you, we'd already hammered the Blues in Cardiff, beaten Biarritz in Ravenhill and won home and away against Bath.

I think it was after the first Scarlets game, though, that people began to take notice.

See what a little controversy can do?

See like I said, Welsh fans like sat afternoon KO, Irish fans Fri Evening KO.

Simple solution Welsh temams at home play sat, Irish teams at home play Fri, (except maybe Connacht they may like a sat KO) Scottish and Italian teams are just forced to fit off when fits (not my fault they have poor attendances so don't get a say).

that said &.05 is too early for me even, 7.45 would be perfect,

However I still think that while Llanelli RFC games may be rescheduled, (Scarlets and Llanelli RFC both can't play at home at same time unless as a curtain raiser) it still effects other clubs in the region. which can't be good for Welsh prem.

I would go to every Scarlets home match if they were 2.30 or 3.00 on a Saturday.

Well to be fair Kingshu, this weekend both Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery are playing away, so what few fans that would have travelled to watch them will probably still do so. It's not like the Scarlets are taking away from any home support.

It might be awkward for people who do play for their local sides, but sometimes those matches ko at like 12 or 1, so depending on how close they are to Llanelli, a 3pm ko is still okay to make.

Glas a du wrote:I would go to every Scarlets home match if they were 2.30 or 3.00 on a Saturday.

+100

Glas a du wrote:Wasn't it playing us last year you started to click?

Our best form last year was all before we played the Scarlets

We got some great wins in the period before Christmas and a few after that as well, then we kept winning- but very functionally. Just doing enough.

I was slightly disappointed with our performance in our two games against Scarlets last year. We didn't play as well as we were capable of, the kind of rugby we showed in the Heineken Cup group stages. Still miles away from where we can hope to be at the weekend.

It's a game we can't afford to lose on Saturday- already a must-win. TV companies have dropped the ball though- this should be an evening kick-off and on TV.

Looks like we're both in agreement Scarlets fans that Scarlet will lose, and Ulster fans Ulster will follow the trend and lose

Unfortunatelly one team is prob going to win it, and nither set of fans will be happy.

Ah yes Spence back at 13 Now we will see Ireland's future outside centre begin to make his mark.

Kingshu wrote:Looks like we're both in agreement Scarlets fans that Scarlet will lose, and Ulster fans Ulster will follow the trend and lose

Unfortunatelly one team is prob going to win it, and nither set of fans will be happy.

Mind you I'd think both would settle for a draw?

Nah, I want a win!!

Unfortunately feicing nobody knows which Ulster team is going to turn up. If it's the one that played Ospreys and Dragons last time we were in Wales, we're feiced. If it's the one that played Cardiff just a week before I'd be quietly confident.

Certainly we need to use the ball a lot better than we have been and just control the game better. Fortunately Pienaar is masterful at this, but he's barely played any rugby so should be a bit rusty. Humphreys needs to sort himself out form-wise.

If those two click and our pack holds their own I think we can do it.

Dont forget Notch, the Blues are Poopie.

I think i'd quite enjoy a last minute draw where the Scarlets infringe in the Ulster 22, but the ref gives the pen to the Scarlets and we slot over a last minute equaliser.

But I'm in agreement with Turkster and can't fault his logic - Ulster to win, rusty but enough to get them over the line, LBP for Scarlets and if they do win I'm happy but if they loose I save face!

That is a valid point. But looking at ourselves in that match, it's more basic things we did against them like our tight five forwards hit rucks, the majority of passes from 9 found their man, kicking from hand found touch and space, tackles were made, more passes were completed, less handling errors, the breakdown was contested well and more than anything players looked confident and hungry.

Once all of those go... well you'll not be winning rugby matches.

So a return of at least 90% of that- ie. the stone cold basics- would be nice.

what do you lot say? Like kicking snow off a rope?

Notch wrote:Nah, I want a win!!

Unfortunately feicing nobody knows which Ulster team is going to turn up. If it's the one that played Ospreys and Dragons last time we were in Wales, we're feiced. If it's the one that played Cardiff just a week before I'd be quietly confident.

Certainly we need to use the ball a lot better than we have been and just control the game better. Fortunately Pienaar is masterful at this, but he's barely played any rugby so should be a bit rusty. Humphreys needs to sort himself out form-wise.

If those two click and our pack holds their own I think we can do it.

Glas you are a Wumming feicer But cause I know you I'll forgive you.

Notch surely with the number of changes it cant be the one that played Ospreys and Dragons. . We will have several guys bursting to show what their countries missed for the last six weeks. SUFTUM.

3-0 Ulster Humph penalty

Poor refereeing?

Hard to tell anything from the radio Glas

Very frustrated, the medium wave on my radio is ffyced.

I've just come back from down PYS way. Bought a plasma ball from maplins..

3-3 now after serious pressure from the scarlets