Ulster vs Glasgow Warriors - HC Round 5

First topic message reminder :

Preliminary Ulster squad has been announced - unfortunately Luke Marshall and Adam D'Arcy are ruled out. The former being a serious blow for Ulster.

Glasgow have been in excellent form recently, should be a good match.

Provisional Ulster squad to play Glasgow, Heineken Cup Pool 4, Fri 11th January, Ravenhill (kick off 8.00pm):

Ulster team:

(15-9): J Payne; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, L Stevenson, I Henderson, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, R Wilson, P Marshall, M Allen, C Cochrane

Glasgow team:
15 Murchie 14 Maitland 13 Dunbar 12 Horne 11 DTH 10 Weir 9 Pyrgos

1 Grant 2 Hall 3 Low 4 Ryder 5 Kellock (Captain) 6 Eddie 7 Harley 8 Strauss

Subs: 16. MacArthur 17 Reid 18 N/A 19 Campbell 20 Swinson 21 Matawalu 22 Wight 23 Hogg

The kicking in this game is some of the worst I have seen.

Poor from Meatball

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Squint

Maybe put your glasses on then, Asbo?

Weir has been poor.

Come on Jared Payne!

Good patient score

funnyExiledScot wrote:Weir has been poor.

Being generous, fES, unusual for you!

George Carlin wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Squint

Maybe put your glasses on then, Asbo?

Call 'em as i see 'em, GC - 3 squint from Best, 2 from Glasgow - just watch which hand the jumper catches with

Massive knock-on from Henry off Nico chuck back?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Weir has been poor.

Being generous, fES, unusual for you!

It's the nicest thing I could say about his overall performance tonight. Shame, I was hoping for a big performance from him.

What does horne bring to the table?

Pienaar should have been motm.

Great try by Darren Cave!

3rd try for Ulster, wonder if there's time for them to get a 4th?

funnyExiledScot wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Weir has been poor.

Being generous, fES, unusual for you!

It's the nicest thing I could say about his overall performance tonight. Shame, I was hoping for a big performance from him.

What does horne bring to the table?

Pienaar should have been motm.

Zip, like Murchie, not international class

As if to cap of the evening, weir misses a key tackle to boot.

Give them the bonus point I say!

Superb from Ulster - Glasgow have forgotten the game plan that served them so well in the 3rd quarter

What is Pienaar thinking?

Agrred on murchie. Rabo is his level.

Well done, Ulster, first defo qualifiers - bravo

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agrred on murchie. Rabo is his level.

Applies to so many Scots players that get talked up to int'l level (apart from the Messiah, obv)

Pity De Luca's out.

On the plus side for Scotland, Beattie scored a try against Sale this evening.

Glas a du wrote:Pity De Luca's out.

Just spat a full glass of wine over the computer, ya barsteward - comedy value tho, fair play

Congrats to ulster. Hope those injured players come back for the knock outs. Oh, and learn how to defend the driving maul!

Beattie for inside centre?

Well done Ulster - not pretty, but very effective. Complete non-event from a Glasgow perspective - only hope Harley is not hurt.

Saints sneaked home against Castes - just turned into a kicking duel.

Montpellier got an away bonus point win against Cardiff - JB Jnr getting one of his own and playing a major part in the penalty try that got them the bonus point.

Everytime Glasgow dont win the battle up front and the backs get put under pressure (which isnt often however), Murchie either crumbles or goes MIA.

Glas a du wrote:

Beattie for inside centre?

Im sure Glasgow tried that once years ago, or made public that they were considering it!

So how many glasgow players just played themselves out of the 6N training squad?

Saints sneaked home against Castes - just turned into a kicking duel.

Not entirely fair, there were some very good almost tries.

Scot Abroad wrote:So how many glasgow players just played themselves out of the 6N training squad?

I wouldnt say any, its one game. But certain players do have to put in a better performance next week. The problem is, Glasgow rely on winning the battle up front, their league form of the past two seasons has been built on it, but that didnt happen tonight, and backs who usually get a bit of an easier ride suddenly found themselves under a lot of pressure.

Unfortunately Northampton are probably one of the last teams you want to play in this context.

Imperialbigdave wrote:

Glas a du wrote:

Beattie for inside centre?

Im sure Glasgow tried that once years ago, or made public that they were considering it!

Roland Rat

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Imperialbigdave wrote:

Glas a du wrote:

Beattie for inside centre?

Im sure Glasgow tried that once years ago, or made public that they were considering it!

Roland Rat

Are you trying to say Roland Reid?

Scot Abroad wrote:So how many glasgow players just played themselves out of the 6N training squad?

Not that many, tbh, 'cos Scotland are going to need the bodies! There's plenty would never be considered by any other self-respecting nation, but just wait for the guff from the press

Not really relevant, but Beattie MOM

Short of denton single handedly destroying munster, beattie must start at number 8 for scotland at twickenham.

Congrats Ulster-Go well in the playoffs!

funnyExiledScot wrote:Short of denton single handedly destroying munster, beattie must start at number 8 for scotland at twickenham.

Tend to agree - don't care or post about Scotland any more, but Denton-Brown (not captain)-Beattie for 6-7-8 if I gave a Poopie

caz wrote:Congrats Ulster-Go well in the playoffs!

+1

And I hope you get all those injured players back cos I think you might need them

Holy cow - is absolutely nobody running a Blues-Monpellier thread?
Damn - must be tough being a Cardiff fan.

Agree - Beattie is the form 8 - thank god we have some talent there. Richie Vernon not really fit to hold his kit bag.

Now all we need is an openside to hobble back to fitness. Really am nervous about Harley after that knock.

George Carlin wrote:Holy cow - is absolutely nobody running a Blues-Monpellier thread?
Damn - must be tough being a Cardiff fan.

Agree - Beattie is the form 8 - thank god we have some talent there. Richie Vernon not really fit to hold his kit bag.

Now all we need is an openside to hobble back to fitness. Really am nervous about Harley after that knock.

GC, can't throw Harley in as an openside vs England, has to be a big three backrow that will get us across the gain line cos we should get enough set-piece possession imo

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Holy cow - is absolutely nobody running a Blues-Monpellier thread?
Damn - must be tough being a Cardiff fan.

Agree - Beattie is the form 8 - thank god we have some talent there. Richie Vernon not really fit to hold his kit bag.

Now all we need is an openside to hobble back to fitness. Really am nervous about Harley after that knock.

GC, can't throw Harley in as an openside vs England, has to be a big three backrow that will get us across the gain line cos we should get enough set-piece possession imo

Oh yes, I'm totally sold on that being Dozer - I'd put Kelly at 6 but pretend we're coming over all French with our L-R flank forwards approach. Don't care abour positions for the first match - Robshaw is not a fetcher and neither is Wood.

But I totally agree that we need big ball-carrying barstewards for this. Hope Gray is angry about listening to Diamond's sweet words and wants to show what he's got. Kellock shouldn't feature in the XXIII at all.

Is a home QF safe?

Disappointed with a lot of elements of Ulsters performance tonight, after playing the first 20 minutes at Heineken Cup intensity and doing well we dropped back to second or third gear until the last 20.

I'm still delighted we've qualified with a game to spare and now thoughts turn to beating Castres and getting home advantage.

I was highly impressed with Glasgows rolling maul tonight! They were excellent in protecting the ball carrier, getting set quickly and changing the point of attack. Whilst other elements of their game were less impressive tonight I do feel there is a lot more to come from this Glasgow side in the long run. I look forward to hopefully meeting them again in the Pro12 playoffs- now their thoughts will turn to the league and they have more than enough about them to target a home draw in those playoffs

Dave. wrote:Is a home QF safe?

Absolutely not, we have to beat Castres to get it. Big concern for that game would be missing Nick Williams. Roger Wilson is a very good 8, I'm just not sure who that leaves us for then bench! Hopefully Tuohy might be fit? It's a long shot...

Lot of injuries right now.

Imperialbigdave wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Imperialbigdave wrote:

Glas a du wrote:

Beattie for inside centre?

Im sure Glasgow tried that once years ago, or made public that they were considering it!

Roland Rat

Are you trying to say Roland Reid?

I seem to remember there was some talk of converting Richie Vernon to centre on acccount of him apparently being one of the fastest players in the Glasgow and Scotland squads at the time and not really being physical enough for the back row. The ongoing attampt to convert Graeme Morrison to centre hasn't been a success.......

Notch wrote:

Dave. wrote:Is a home QF safe?

Absolutely not, we have to beat Castres to get it. Big concern for that game would be missing Nick Williams. Roger Wilson is a very good 8, I'm just not sure who that leaves us for then bench! Hopefully Tuohy might be fit? It's a long shot...

Lot of injuries right now.

I'm sure in a week we can Castres all doubts aside. Just dont want Ulster to face to go to France in a QF!

Dave. wrote:

Notch wrote:

Dave. wrote:Is a home QF safe?

Absolutely not, we have to beat Castres to get it. Big concern for that game would be missing Nick Williams. Roger Wilson is a very good 8, I'm just not sure who that leaves us for then bench! Hopefully Tuohy might be fit? It's a long shot...

Lot of injuries right now.

I'm sure in a week we can Castres all doubts aside. Just dont want Ulster to face to go to France in a QF!

Me neither. Maybe Castres will rotate their squad though, now they're gone from the competition.

MacKnocked-on wrote:

Imperialbigdave wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

Imperialbigdave wrote:

Glas a du wrote:

Beattie for inside centre?

Im sure Glasgow tried that once years ago, or made public that they were considering it!

Roland Rat

Are you trying to say Roland Reid?

I seem to remember there was some talk of converting Richie Vernon to centre on acccount of him apparently being one of the fastest players in the Glasgow and Scotland squads at the time and not really being physical enough for the back row. The ongoing attampt to convert Graeme Morrison to centre complete and utter donkey hasn't been a success.......

I disagree.

Fair play to Glasgow they made life very difficult in that third quarter. Ulster lost focus when we went from Glasgows line to our own at the end of the first half. Outside of Pienaar the kicking game was poor until Marshall came on. Paddy had another poor effort. We need to be doing all we can to bring him on but I would go with the half back combination that ended the match for next week. Hopefully conditions will be better.

Payne was in no way fit for that game but he just oozes class.

How did Harley play?

With the current open-side crisis I'd definitely prefer he started ahead of Denton.

Is Jackson poll position to start against England now?

I think Hamilton will start with either Kellock or Gray, personally I'd go with Kellock due to his recent form (Ulster excluded because I haven't watched it yet) and bring on Gray and Denton after 50 minutes.

Centre is a huge problem.