Ulster v Tigers : pre-season friendly chat and banter and regular updates

First topic message reminder :

Tomorrow 1430h
Radio coverage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01m180z (Radio Ulster)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wlj21 (Radio Leicester)

Both concurrent with footy matches apparently.


Ulster team:
Ulster (15-9): J Payne; C Gilroy, C Farrell, L Marshall; M Allen, N O'Connor, M Heaney (1-8): C Black, N Brady, A Macklin, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (c), L Stevenson, R Diack, A Birch, N Williams;
Replacements: R Lutton, R Herring, N Annett, J Afoa, A Macklin, N McComb, M McComish, S Doyle, B McIlroy, P Jackson, C Cochrane, S Olding, R Andrews, P Nelson.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10700.php

Tigers team:
http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/14403.php essentially means they are not naming a team.

"We'll take as full a squad as we've got. It is about getting the 'hit-out' physically and getting combinations and making sure everybody is fit."

Cockerill reported no fresh injury worries after seeing Crane, Brookes and Hawkins come through last weekend.

To be fair Ulster have a big pack and fielded their first choice tighthead against our second choice tighthead out of position. If we are going to play against big packs we need to add some grunt to our own. The Jersey game showed this and the Ulster friendly highlighted it. Currently the pack is too athletic and needs some more physicality. Crane will help but Slater or Deacon returning will be better.

Well, our second choice gave him a hard time too before Afoa came on. Think you'll be in trouble if Castro has to play there regularly- I remember Ayerza owned Fitzpatrick in the scrums at Welford Road but Castro couldn't cope at times against him. Bringing John Afoa on after 25 mins when they were defending a 5m scrum just seemed cruel!

Castro is a tighthead. You'll hopefully see him in that position not loosehead.

Castro originally played both Notch, in the famous win at Thomand park in the HEC Castro played loosehead and Julian White played tighthead. It's been too long since Castro swapped sides though he is a specialist tighthead now. We've got three good looseheads in Ayerza, Stanko and, Mulipola and someone on the offy said the academy boy who came on in the second (Balmain) half did good so hopefully we won't have to play Castro there in a competitive game.

I suspect Cockers wanted to just get everyone a run out, which makes sense. From what I've heard the atmosphere was a good 'un as well so all went well all round. Same again next year at WR?