Cardiff Blues v Ulster Friday 17th February, Cardiff Arms Park (kick off 7.05pm):

First topic message reminder :

Ulster Match Day Squad to face Cardiff, Friday 17th February 2012, Cardiff Arms Park (kick-off 7.05pm)
(15-9): S Terblanche; C Gilroy, N Spence, P Wallace, I Whitten; I Humphreys, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, N Brady, J Afoa, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, C Henry (capt), W Faloon, R Diack;
Replacements (16-23): A Kyriacou, P McAllister, A Macklin, T Barker, M McComish, P Marshall, S Danielli, A D'Arcy

Unavailable due to injury: Jared Payne (achilles), Declan Fitzpatrick (neck), Darren Cave (foot), Pedrie Wannenburg (foot), Johann Muller (calf), Ali Birch (knee)

Cardiff XV: 15 Ben Blair 14 Richard Mustoe 13 Gavin Evans 12 Gavin Henson 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Lloyd Williams 8 Xavier Rush 7 Josh Navidi 6 Michael Paterson 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Cory Hill 3 Scott Andrews 2 Ryan Tyrell 1 John Yapp

Replacaments: 16 T Rhys Thomas 17 Nathan Trevett 18 Ryan Harford 19 Maama Molitika 20 Martyn Williams 21 Richie Rees 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Chris Czekaj

Luke Marshall has been very poor, and doesn't deserve a call-up, or so I have been told.

I dont see why Darcy has been dropped, I thought he and terblance both did well last week. In particular, I felt that darcy's defence was impressive and at times vital.

I know whitten did reasonably well at the start of the season on the wing, but if Darcy cant get game time during six nations, when will he. Have to feel for him, he really is a quality player.

I feel for D'arcy as well. starting a Hcup q final one year then, being made second fiddle to a new guy, new guy gets injuried, 'my chance to shine' ols get gets bought in.

Next year I feel Payne will be h-cup and Darcy pro12, but they will be rotated a lot, I'd even start playing Dacy on the wing for the rest of this season, just so he can be an impact sub from the bench next year, impact either wing or fullback, Payne can either come off or move to centre/wing, oohhhh the options.

D'Arcy is a good enough player but whether he is "quality" depends on who you are judging him against. Personally I think there is very little between quite a few fringe players in the current squad.

Rory, who told you Marshall has been "very" poor?

I think it was Notch after seeing him play for the ravens. Marshall really didn't sound good at all.

Rava wrote:D'Arcy is a good enough player but whether he is "quality" depends on who you are judging him against. Personally I think there is very little between quite a few fringe players in the current squad.

Rory, who told you Marshall has been "very" poor?

Fair enough Rava, but my comparison in this case is D'arcy versus Whitten on wing. No actually, its Terblance versus whitten, Darcy would play FB. Either of Darcy or Terblanche on the wing is better than Whitten who is a center, and as a centre not overly impressive last week.

But theres maybe not much in it. So I'll not complain too much! But certainly, unless I was being selective in my viewing, I thought Darcy was great last week and Whitten...meh

I thought it was poor judgement to put Spence and Whitten at 12 & 13 last week, so I wouldn't read too much into Whitten's performance.
While I do accept D'Arcy is a good fullback I think Terblanche's influence and organisational skills from this position shouldn't be understated.

Ah Rava sure they only had 20 mins to rejig after Wallace got called to Paris.

Nice to see richie mustoe getting a a run out, always been a big admirer of him. Gavin at 12 is also good to see, more game time and hopefully he can hit some form going into the 1/4's against leinster

Rory_Gallagher wrote:BOD is past it, EOM isn't as good a tackler as Cave/Spence, and I'm guessing Macken is third? He hasn't got the awareness. If you count Fitz as a 13 I would maybe listen though I think he could be very good there.

OK. If we're including Macken then the top 5 are from Leinster.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I think it was Notch after seeing him play for the ravens. Marshall really didn't sound good at all.

I think you are exaggerating what I'd said there. I'd said he had a few poor games including one for the Ravens and hasn't been able to get any form together with all his injury problems this year.

Didn't mean to exaggerate anything Notch, just seems like he isn't playing very well atm.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:BOD is past it, EOM isn't as good a tackler as Cave/Spence, and I'm guessing Macken is third? He hasn't got the awareness. If you count Fitz as a 13 I would maybe listen though I think he could be very good there.

OK. If we're including Macken then the top 5 are from Leinster.

1) BOD
2) Cave
3) Spence (if he can play as he did last season in his preferred position)
4+) some other guys. Some Leinster players may well feature

You know, I think BOD should really come back and play 12. And become the best in the world there for a few years. Then retire. Will certainly help us bring through the next 13!

Plus put Spence of last season above Cave for me

Don Alfonso wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:BOD is past it, EOM isn't as good a tackler as Cave/Spence, and I'm guessing Macken is third? He hasn't got the awareness. If you count Fitz as a 13 I would maybe listen though I think he could be very good there.

OK. If we're including Macken then the top 5 are from Leinster.

1) BOD
2) Cave
3) Spence (if he can play as he did last season in his preferred position)
4+) some other guys. Some Leinster players may well feature

Pah!

1 BOD
2 O'Malley
3 Ferg
4 Luke
5 Macken
6 Some non Leinster guys may well feature.

McFadden and EOM would be the best options if we want to see how many times the opposition can charge through our midfield

Rory_Gallagher wrote:You know, I think BOD should really come back and play 12. And become the best in the world there for a few years. Then retire. Will certainly help us bring through the next 13!

Fall on your knees NOW, and pray for forgiveness to the one true BOD!

Not a bad Idea really, will never happen though. More chance of ROG helping Sexto to be a better player.........On purpose.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Pah!

1 BOD
2 O'Malley
3 Ferg
4 Luke
5 Macken
6 Some non Leinster guys may well feature.

I commend your unwavering support of your province.

Don Alfonso wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Pah!

1 BOD
2 O'Malley
3 Ferg
4 Luke
5 Macken
6 Some non Leinster guys may well feature.

I commend your unwavering support of your province.

And I yours.

we're a quare bunch-a lads.

OK...... I'll give you Cave. But you must promise to not get him hurt

Spence missed the RWC squad with injury, Cave missed the 6N squad with injury. Lots of talent, timing is for sh*te.

Marshall was poor for the ravens but he hadn't played at that level for 4 months when he was injured. Didn't look at all fit. I was more hopeful for him but Geoff (quite rightly) mentioned that his progress had been set back a year and I agree now

The good thing is that there will be no room for complacency or a bad attitude amongst these young guys. If one of them doesn't put the effort in they will find themselves behind the other guys very quickly.

Wallace, cave, whitten, spence, Marshall, Farrell.

6 guys and only two positions and only 1 guy remotely close to retiring.

Any idea if this will be on the bbc website? If not any links would be appreciated .....why oh why did I move from Sky to Virgin (NTL)? no idea they didn't offer bbc 2 regions!!

Just says BBC2 Wales and BBC 2 NI on the Beeb website but i would have thought there would be at least one of them covered on the website.

Generally if you go to the rugby union section of the website, itll be there pretty apparantly with the word 'LIVE' beside it. But you might have to wait until kick off before you can even find it.

If scrum v are showing the match in Wales ( bbc2) then virgin customers can use the red button, games are usually shown live there, especially the scrum v friday games, no matter where in UK you live.

Martyn Williams in for Josh Navidi, apparently, who has a bruised hip.

Could some of the 'boys in the know' give an update on Ulsters situation. From earlier comments I had got the feeling we would have heard some info re head coach/bowe/kaino by now? Or are there issues holding things up?

Do we at least know any more about potential shortlisted coaches?

Not a clue Clive. I had heard that there would be some news this week but I suppose with the tickets going on sale there is enough about. I think they are more likely to release news the week of a home game to boost interest and thus ticket sales. That's what I would do anyway.

Bowe is surely a case of when and not if now but the others ihave no idea.

Enjoying this game on the telly. I was offered a ticket, but I would've been on my Jack Jones and I stayed too late in work.

Standulstermen wrote:

Bowe and Cari are surely a case of when and not if now but the others I have no idea.

Corrected that for you Stan

Lloyd Williams is a liability in this game so so slow and D Parks is D Parks.

Ya Lloyd ain't havin a good'un tonight. To be fair on Parks though the wind is pretty strong

Gowales - it's not that bad in Cardiff tonight to be honest. I mean it's nowhere near gale force.

Thank god i don't go to watch this game live

What a kick from Parks, what a rubbish game, the ground is too soft for an open game.

Parks & Henson look comical!

The backs are having a mare!

Forwards are the main problem if you ask me

Anyone got the latest score?

Trev I actually logged on to say just that.
Not a great game. Breakdown a lottery once again.

Billy, 11-6 to Ulster.

Is it just me or do both teams seem like they just don't care

Cheers Rava

Ulster will play a very different style in the second half, but if we can't get our breakdown right we'll lose. Clancy is crucifying us. We need to up our intensity.

That prop for Blues is having a good game, made a lot of ground + solid ball carrier. Are there any Blues fans who can tell me who he is?

Gareth Baber should have been sacked last year after a year of awful back play. Instead, his was made joint head coach.

Parks gets the blame (and is partly responsible), but the organisation of that backline shows how bad Baber is at organising a structured attack plan.

Awful attack, just incompetent. I cant remember the last time I saw a well structured try from the Blues backs, Amlin final 2009? (before Baber started), HC semi? LV final?

bsando wrote:That prop for Blues is having a good game, made a lot of ground + solid ball carrier. Are there any Blues fans who can tell me who he is?

Scott Andrews the welsh international who gave away a stupid penalty in the first scrum and can't scrummage in any case.