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.

Is he though?

I doubt they would play him if they thought otherwise (or maybe I should change that to "I hope"). Spence is a very tough lad though, he will do fine I am sure.

Ultimatly a player has to say 'i feel fine'. They arn't going to poke and prod to make sure. He could have done with a rest.

clivemcl wrote:Ultimatly a player has to say 'i feel fine'. They arn't going to poke and prod to make sure. He could have done with a rest.

He'll probably play with pain killers and you'd expect him to come off early if we manage to look like winning the game.

No point wrapping him in cotton wool, if doctors and himself both think he can play, then he can play.

Bonus point away in Italy is a tricky one to get, i'm not sure if we can get it, need to come out of the blocks quickly get some quick scores, so the Italians know the game is beyund them, and then when their heads drop go for the jugular.

Ulster Abú.

valjester wrote:He'll probably play with pain killers and you'd expect him to come off early if we manage to look like winning the game.

Which is intentionally choosing a 'forced' substitution rather than using a bench tactically. I could understand if it were vital, but I dont belive it is. Pretty much every player has been rested axcept spence (unless my memory is failing me). We have whitten terblanche and trimble, i don't see why we should force it.

then again, maybe he is genuinly 100%!

SUFTUM!

Spence sat out a few games before Wallace got injured. He should be raring to go. I'm sure he realises he has to make the most of this time that Wallace and Marshall are out.

I seem to have confused 12 and 13 with Trimble.

I would however dispute that he was ever a centre.

We have players like Spence playing 12 now, I dont think that makes him a 12, similarly I dont think playing 12 or 13 when he was very young means that Trimble was ever a centre - he was a wing playing centre cause there was nobody else - bar maybe Paul Steinmetz.

Similarly you have any number of young players who move around the pitch until their best position is found - again I dont think playing a few matches in a position means thats what you are.

I think Trimble would make a fantastic 13 but I don't see the point when we have Spence/Cave already there. The thing is, with both 12s injured, one of them have to move inside, so now is a time Trimble may get a chance at 13.

Just over an hour to go. Here's a reminder of what happened last week;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_79qBI5dmY

This being televised?

Sky Sports, Red Button

Any chance of getting regular updates in here? Unfortunately, I am not in a position this afternoon to slink off and watch at a pub.

Will do our best don

Cheers, Willy. Appreciate it. Just so we're clear, I have exciting, mysterious things to do. No way did I promise to do some mundane, domestic stuff that I can't put off any longer. No way.

Cant get a stream everyone seems to be covering Leicester vs Clermont, if anyone has I'd be very grateful for a pm.

TMo decision for Trimble...

No try.

Trimble in AGAIN, TMO checks it AGAIN.

He so, so nearly knocked on a certain second try in a few minutes but the TMO allows it. Fumbled it forward- but just got a few fingers on it in time. Phew!

Try awarded to Ulster. Aironi 0-7 Ulster.

Great stuff keep it coming.

Ferris makes a great break in the 22, but his offload to Muller is just forward. Another scoring chance created- Ulster mean business.

Get my PM dodger?

Ian Humphreys kicks a penalty to make it 10-0.

Orquera makes it 10-3.

Penalty try Ulster after a great rolling maul is pulled down!

Aironi 3-17 Ulster

Great forward effort there. No one say it. Don't even whisper it yet.

Humphs pen after a Muller lineout steal and great bursts from Ferris and Afoa makes it 20-3.

Tom Court crashes over from short range, ref goes to the TMO...

27-3! Try is awarded.

Half-time; Ulster 27-3 Aironi

As good a half of rugby Ulster have played this season. We need to keep that momentum going and finish the job.

Hey guys trying to catch up here have we got the 4 tries?? Who scored?

No, we have 3. Trimble scored the first after a strike move off the back of a scrum. The second was a Penalty Try awarded after Aironi brought down a rolling maul a few feet from their line when the pack built up some great momentum. The third was a pick and go from big Tom Court. Two penalties and three conversions were our other scores.

Thanks Notch ! SUFTUM!...got a not great link to italian tv here...

I'm enjoying the Italian coverage. Rugby commentary actually gets better when you can't understand what they're saying these days.

Aironi are the team applying the pressure in the second period, but Ulster are weathering it well.

Paddy Jackson, Stefan Terblanche and Paddy McAllister all on for Ulster now. 30 minutes remaining. Jackson at 12 for Spence.

I have the Ulster game in Italian if people want it.

Aironi try on 57 mins Sinoti Sinoti.

27-8 with conversion to come. Ulster are getting frustrated; they need one more score but Aironi dominating possession and territory.

Gilroy throws an interception pass. 15-27 with conversion to come. Referee missed a very obvious bit of obstruction on Pienaar but the try stands.

We just need to calm down. Don't throw those 50/50 balls if its not on.

15-27 the score, 3 tries to 2.

Just need to put a few phases together. Patience.

Nigel Brady replaces Paddy Jackson (injury)- Ferris to the backline?

YES!!!!!!

Craig Gilroy gets the fourth try. Now to get out of here with the win and in one piece because I'm not kidding when I say Aironi have looked seriously fired up...

There was a brilliant pass in the build up by Cave I think it was. A second before he got smashed.

Several other tries, going very quickly.

Anyway it's now Ulster 41-20 Aironi. Great game. Our fifth was an interception form Robbie Diack.

John Afoa man of the match.

Adam Macklin in for a try! Very good, cavalier, mental offloading in the build-up. FT.

Some very poor play from us in the 2nd half but can't complain about the result. Job done

Some brilliant stuff in the build up to Macklins try there.

SUFTUM!

I hope you have it recorded Rodders.

Even if you only get highlights there will still be plenty to see with 9 tries!

serious foot off the pedal stuff at beginning of 2nd half. but job done. best runners up spot is on. now roll on munster and leinster

I'm sure the highlights will be on TG4 later! Great win by Ulster.