Ulster return to Aironi in search of Five Points - Sat 17th December, Stadio Brianteo, Monza (kick off 1.30pm GMT)

First topic message reminder :

Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin has only made one change in the starting lineup, bringing back Tom Court with Paddy McAllister moving to the bench. Nevin Spence has been named having been passed fit. Adam D'Arcy retains his place at full back with Terblanche on the bench.

Elsewhere in the Pool, Clermont defeated Leicester at the Stade Marcel Michelin 30-12 on Sunday with no bonus points scored, making Pool 4 the tightest in the tournament at this stage with just 2 points separating the top three teams.

Ulster Match Day Squad to face Aironi, Saturday 17th December, Stadio Brianteo, Monza (kick-off 1.30pm GMT)
(15-9): A D'Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg;
Replacements (16-23): N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, T Barker, R Diack, P Marshall, P Jackson, S Terblanche

The match is televised live on Sky Sports behind the red button.

Just a note: TG4 don't put the highlights on their site so watch it at 9 or record it using Sky Plus or a memory stick or something.

OK thanks Thomond. Managed to catch the 2nd half but will try and catch TG4 later....

How did you manage that Rodders?

My GF and outlaws needed some quality time together of course Mrs P......

Wish I'd thought of that Rodders!



Did you really use that?

Nah got a wee bit lucky (devine intervention maybe), her auld fella has a cold so didn't want to go out today so I volunteered to keep him company while my GF and her Mum went shopping.....

Cant complain about that. Got the BP and we have a 2point cushion to leicester and 3 to clermont. Win against leicester, denying them the BP and we look good for at least the Amlin, am i right?????

Only saw the first half but Afoa looks so good and ferris was notable again. A few yips in the lineout which i hope were ironed out but cannot complain.

ps. Trimble will get some abuse for that first drop

Away tee feck about the amlin!.....bonus point win over the tigers and we're off to Landsdowne for the QF! SUFTUM!

Whatever way you look at it rodders unless Aironi can do a number on Clermont we have to win in france to top the group or at least get an LBP. We have never done it before.

We wont top the group stand but 5 points from the next two games should see us though maybe 4 points,

Ulster have never won in France but have gleaned points there including a draw with Toulouse. If Ulster want to be a serious team in Europe they have to start performing in France more consistently

I was only able to catch glimpes of this match due to being in work (but i had it streaming on the laptop). We looked pretty good at times, but at the same time silly basic errors in the 2nd half made hard work of a game that should have been won by more. Though 2 5 pointers back to back will give us a much needed confidence boost, D'arcy seems to have found a bit of form ala last season which is good. Aldo we should wrap 1F up fot next year boy does he make some difference. Fair play to aironi though not giving up and making a game of it in the 2nd half

I'm all for winning in France, but we've got to remember that winning in the rest France is a lot easier than winning at Clermont. Toulouse are easier to beat at home than Les Jaunards.

I'm not saying we can't do it, I'm just saying it would be our best result in the professional era including the entire 1999 run.

I agree best not to undersell it Notch.

Such a pity that Clermont got that LBP against Leicester. Without it Ulster could possibly have been going to France looking for a LBP to qualify. Looks like they will need a win, assuming they beat Leicester of course. Mind you after the weekends results they are in a good state for a best runner-up spot.

Well Spence proved me wrong. Brave lad as his ribs were black and blue by all accounts. Not convinced he should have played. At least I got the Barker call right !

Jackson, I think, is ok but may be out of contention for the 2 Inter provincials - will know more on Tuesday.

Very good first half but unlike some I was concerned how our forwards were second best for most of the 2nd half. Thankfully we kept our nerve but having, literally, one decent play in a 25-30 mins spell is not good.

Our goal against Leicester is simple - win and deny them a bonus point.
Do that and they are out of contention.

With the Leinster group the way it is that will secure the Amlin and then it a cases of giving everything in France.

How frustrating that we didn't pick up a bonus at Welford rd (or even the win) as 18 v 19 points could prove the difference between a QF spot and the amlin.

It's great to get 10 against Aironi but we have to learn to be clinical in this competition.

I believe we can still do this and don't even want to contemplate the Amlin, which quite frankly is a nothing but a mickey mouse consolation competition, until we have mathematically no chance of reaching the HEC QF.

As Humph said in his post match interview we are still aiming to win the group, not just be runners up and that is the attitude we need to have.

SUFTUM!!

Don't disagree with that - we just need to focus on Leicester and make sure they don't get a bonus point. Do that and they are out of contention

Absolutely Geoff the Leicester game is massive any manner of victory would be a great result and to remain unbeaten at home against the Tigers and Clermont,plus 10 points against Aironi, would be a fantastic return and a step up from last season, regardless of what else happens.

The main thing is that we go into the final pool game with something to play for and I'll be a happy camper .

Everything is still in our own hands which is the main thing and with players like Ferris, Trimble, Afoa, Pienaar, Best and Muller in our side we shouldn't fear anyone.

Played some good rugby on Saturday but again switched off at times and let Aironi back in

On a side note the Sky Sports commentators need addressing because they kept mentioning a place called Ravens Hill anyone heard of it? And kept mixing up D'Arcy and Cave

They were awful weren't they?

They also didn't seem to notice Spence get replaced and mixed up several other player's names.

The camera work and direction were terrible too. Had the director ever seen a rugby maych before?

Also, did anyone see the offical attendence figure? The Beeb had it at slightly over 6000. if that is true they must have all been hiding.

I'll stop moaning now!

I actually missed a lot of the game, only catching most of the second half were to be honest we were very poor for most of it. We played some fantastic attacking rugby at times, particularly in the build up to Gilroys try but we were very impatient and sloppy.

There were some howlers like IHumph trying to run out of his 22, before passing to Cave, who knocks on .

Ferris seemed much less prominant in this game, from what I saw, than in previous weeks but Paul Marshall had a massive impact when he came on.

What happened Trimble, did he bomb a try or something? How did Spence and Cave go in the 1st half?

Trimble ran in a great try after 3 or 4 mins.

Great step to break through. All he had to do was dot the ball down under no real pressure.

Unfortunately he forgot that last bit and managed to let the ball slip out of his hand before he grounded it. TMO said NO.

Just a couple of minutes later he juggled a pass but somehow managed to regather it and then looked like he might have lost control of it again before grounding it!!!

Thankfully this time the TMO said TRY!!!!

....it can happen to the best of us I suppose!

Who was it made a big break, was it Darcy, and the cameraman showed us a close up of his head over a distance of 20metres! hilarious camera work.

Lets be honest if we get a QF its likly to be away, and against Leinster Toulouse, its about as far as we can go this year.
In ranking points
QF = 4 points
Final of Amlin = 5 points
winning Almin = 6 points

given that Ospreys and Bath are likley to drop points and move down the ERC ranking, 2 extra points by winning the Almin rather than a QF, could see us move up to a second seed team, meaning easier group for next year.

However its all if's and buts and we may even win a QF, so I'll wait and see waht the result is rather than thinking about which would be better, both could be good.

Kinshu I understand the logic but it doesn't matter what your seeding is, you need to face the top sides at some stage away from home if you want to be sccessful in europe.

I'd love us to face Toulouse or leinster...thats what its all about, playing the best sides and we shouldn't fear these sides.

I suspect if you asked Ferris, Pienaar, Afoa or any Ulster player for that matter if they would rather play in a HEC QF or Amlin final you'd only get one answer.

Kingshu wrote:Lets be honest if we get a QF its likly to be away, and against Leinster Toulouse, its about as far as we can go this year.
In ranking points
QF = 4 points
Final of Amlin = 5 points
winning Almin = 6 points

given that Ospreys and Bath are likley to drop points and move down the ERC ranking, 2 extra points by winning the Almin rather than a QF, could see us move up to a second seed team, meaning easier group for next year.

However its all if's and buts and we may even win a QF, so I'll wait and see waht the result is rather than thinking about which would be better, both could be good.

We would possibly move to second seeds with a QF qualification. No way will it guarantee an easier group though when you look at the potential third and fourth seeds. We could end up with two French teams in our group.

Any news on Paddy Jackson? looked nasty.

roddersm wrote:We wont top the group stand but 5 points from the next two games should see us though maybe 4 points,

I can't share that confidence - it assumes that 2 of Scarlets, Cardiff or Edinburgh and Quins will not get 18/19 points. (I am confident Glasgow and Biarritz wont get more than 17).

That is still far from certain - in fact I will be very surprised if Quins don't get 20 points or so in 2nd place.
Our try scoring might be crucial and that is not too bad at the moment.

We need Racing, Saracens, Northanpton and Castres show some pride in their shirts.

2nd seed doesn't guarantee an easier group but it does make it far more likely

We could only get one top flight side from England or France.

Being 3rd seed means you can get a top flight side from both countries as this years draw has shown.

clivemcl wrote:Any news on Paddy Jackson? looked nasty.

Clive we will find out today or tomorrow

Fair enough Geoff, I posted that before the quins result. I think 19 points is a resonable, albeit ambitious, target and will give us a good chance.

I have a feeling the Saints will win their remaining games and will want revenge against Munster and Scarlets.

TG4 dedicated a decent amount of to Ulster on their highlights programme (the previous week they cut out all of about twenty seconds from the Scarlets vs. Munster, which meant we literally just saw the Ulster tries.) So I saw a bit of the game. (Thanks for the updates as well.)

We looked like we were fizzing in the first half. Hard to tell, though – Italian sports cameramen are not the best. For our last try, with all the frenetic offloading and pace, I felt a bit dizzy, try to follow the action.

Still - job done. Cannot wait for Leicester at Raven’s Hill (or wherever). Should be a show-stopper.

Another interception try in Italy for Diack. The guy is so frustrating. Fantastic awareness, great hands, meek as a lamb. Such a good skillset, but all his tries come from loose ball because he obviously feels bad shouldering tacklers out of the way...

PJ’s injury not nearly as bad as feared, I have read.

Does anybody know what’s happening with McLaughlin? The Belly Tele are making reference to his wife awaiting “test results”. Whatever the issue, I hope nothing too serious. Thoughts go out to him.

Don Alfonso wrote:PJ’s injury not nearly as bad as feared, I have read.

Does anybody know what’s happening with McLaughlin? The Belly Tele are making reference to his wife awaiting “test results”. Whatever the issue, I hope nothing too serious. Thoughts go out to him.

Thats good news on Jackson didnt see much of him at centre unfortunately is this where we can expect to see him play for the minute?

They made a passing mention on Saturday about McLaughlin not being there hopefully its nothing serious

Jackson at 12 is a stop gap because of Wallace's injury and Marshall not being in the HC squad. It will be all change in the New Year.

geoff998rugby wrote:Jackson at 12 is a stop gap because of Wallace's injury and Marshall not being in the HC squad. It will be all change in the New Year.

Is Marshall back in training?

I ask more for Jacksons development as when Paul Marshall Pienaar and Humphries are fit he doesnt get much of a look in so 12 could be a chance to use him and let him get game time. With the 6N round the corner might need him there depending on if Spence and/or Wallace are selected

By all accounts Marshall is fit and raring to go. I would expect to see him on the pitch against Leinster and Munster over the holiday period.

Feck its a really exciting few weeks coming up. These next few games will define our season I think.

Do you guys think we will field a weakened side against Leinster and go for the win against Munster?

Marshall is availabe for selection for the holiday games and raring to go.

As a little quiz - we have a player celebrating a happy event today - any one know who or what ?

Diacks wedding anniversary?......Ferris bench pressing personal best?

Neither of those but you have, inadvertantly got close

Anniversary of Ferris bench pressing Robbie Diack?

Trimble's wedding anniversary?

Also.. when Marshall/Wallace return at 12, who are your choices for 13? Cave or Spence?

The wedding bit is correct but it ain't no anniversary.

Taking place in Italy today

What is the latest on the Ferris court case?

Wasn't it due to be heard around now?

geoff998rugby wrote:The wedding bit is correct but it ain't no anniversary.

Taking place in Italy today

What a chancer! He arranged the wedding to coincide with an away game to Aironi!

Who is getting married?