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

I agree. The crowd where I was standing were really getting on Paddy's back all match. I thought we did well against a good Glasgow team, playing in a mess of a night.

Jackson is 21 I don't understand people getting on the lads back he had a few mucked up kicks but they missed the slick passes etc as I said he is 21 already infinitely better than O'Connor and better than IHumph if he is 25 and still not moved on then have a go but in the last year he has come back from a tough Heineken cup final and improved so they should give the kid a break.

Exactly, some eijits wanted him off after 20 mins. Ruan was controlling the game from 9, and Glasgow are a fighting team. It was like summer for them - the rain was only lashing every other 15 minutes!

Jackson is also carrying an in jury right now. Limped through a lot of last nights game his eventual substitution was due to injury not tactical.

Glas a du wrote:Clermont.

Nope, that pleasure will most likely be reserved for the team that finishes 7th or 8th. Can't see Toulon or Quins getting a BP win next week but Clermont have every chance of running up another big score in Llanelli (sorry).

My prediction is Leicester. 4th seed vs 5th.

Either Leicester away or Leicester at home. Obviously home is much, much more preferable but Leicester away is by no means impossible.

Notch wrote:My prediction is Leicester. 4th seed vs 5th.

Either Leicester away or Leicester at home. Obviously home is much, much more preferable but Leicester away is by no means impossible.

Agree Notch that would be the likely scenario and I would be ok with that match could be a lot tougher. The criticism of Jackson is plain stupid as you pointed out he is playing not fully fit either. I didn't hear nay chanting luckily or I would have told them to shut their piehole and support the team. How can you be supporting the team if you are asking for a 21 year old flyhalf to be taken off like 20 mins in. Ridiculous. Cari probably set them straight for us lol

Leicester would be interesting. After what Parling and Cockerill talked about in the papers today, they like a bit of scrum action; pity the penalties and free kicks that spoil their fun. If only we had a scrum:)

#JusticeforJackson

Tough win in awful conditions and the scoreline flattered us a wee bit.

Fantastic to qualify for the QF for the 3rd year running after failing to escape the group stages for million years.... hope we can get the home QF but if we don't hey ho we'll do it the hard way

SUFTUM.

SUFTUM.

rodders wrote:#JusticeforJackson

Tough win in awful conditions and the scoreline flattered us a wee bit.

Fantastic to qualify for the QF for the 3rd year running after failing to escape the group stages for million years.... hope we can get the home QF but if we don't hey ho we'll do it the hard way

SUFTUM.

WOW WOW WOW theres an easy way?
SUFTUM

I would have thought sarries is the most likely scenario. Saracens will end up on 23 points after they (inevitably) BP Edinburgh. An away win in France (no BP) would leave us on 23 too. Currently we have two tries more but sarries could run up a cricket score at home to Edinburgh so would be favourites to get above us on trys scored.

A BP win all but guarantees us a home QF most likely against sarries. Leicester will get a maximum of 22 IMO .

Notch wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Clermont.

Nope, that pleasure will most likely be reserved for the team that finishes 7th or 8th. Can't see Toulon or Quins getting a BP win next week but Clermont have every chance of running up another big score in Llanelli (sorry).

You're such a conventional thinker...

(I'm not saying you're wrong, conventional wisdom conventionally has the habit of correct in most cases as a matter of convention)

rodders wrote:#JusticeforJackson

Tough win in awful conditions and the scoreline flattered us a wee bit.

Fantastic to qualify for the QF for the 3rd year running after failing to escape the group stages for million years.... hope we can get the home QF but if we don't hey ho we'll do it the hard way

SUFTUM.

We have a Jackson (Ruraidh) that gets a hard time at Glasgow too. Mostly from our Eastern brethren but there is a minority of morons at Scotstoun who boo him at team announcement. The reason for this, I assume, is basically the popularity of Duncan Weir as a local boy (well specifically Rutherglen in Glasgow's SE side of the river) made good. Unfortunately Duncan has not fully recovered from his injury to find form and now R Jackson is playing rather well.

Still is is a shame for RJ and you should never denigrate your own players especially on match days.

I would bench Henderson. He doesn't have to be in the side just because he's the next big thing. At the moment I would play McComb for more grunt and grit and Diack as he's on great form. Henderson will have plenty of chance to make an impact.

I can see a full strenght Ulster (with their 2nd row in particular) winning anywhere and yes that includes Toulon and Clermont.

I would bench Diack actually. He is important but the line out wasn't great even when he was on. I may be being harsh but I don't this his work at the ruck was good enough, physically speaking. Thats just the impression I got so I'm not 100% sure. If Wilson replaces Williams this is probably a help in that area anyway but I think Henderson over him would add more physicality in that area.

Would be happy with either truth be told. We do need the bonus out there to keep our noses in front of Saracens. I would back our first XV to win in vicarage road (or Singapore if that's were sarries would play) but getting that home QF would send out a marker IMO

Looks like Nick Williams is an ACL/medial issue. Will be a massive blow if he needs the surgery.

We're luck we have Roger Wilson and hopefully Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller and Stephen Ferris will come back into the pack too over the next few months to help us compensate.

I can't see us getting a BP next week with the injuries we have.

Just the calibre of player we are missing- Muller, Ferris, Bowe, Williams. Those guys would make the difference between a narrow win and a big one.

Can I just say, that despite getting cold and very wet (well that happens in Wales anyway...) I really enjoyed myself at Ravenhill on Friday night. Great atmosphere, and a good match to see from a neutral point of view. Ulster have a great little ground there, with a top home crowd to boot. I'd highly recommend a visit to any rugby fan looking to go on an away trip.

Glad you had fun Cari!

It was awesome Rors! Really like the city of Belfast too defo want to go again at some point.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21005584?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

It's bad. If none of those six recover it could be;

Court Herring Afoa
Stevenson Henderson
Diack Wilson Henry
Marshall Pienaar
Trimble Cave Allen Cochrane
Wallace???

We've no other fit fullback in our squad. D'Arcy and Nelson are injured. Bowe and Gilroy who have played there are injured. We better have one of either Payne or Gilroy available otherwise we'll probably have no choice but to go for a 5/2 split on the bench due to too many injuries in the backs. If those two are injured I would see us having to move a couple of guys to less favoured positions.

Wallace at 10, Pienaar at 15 possibly? Pienaar has played there for SA before.

Rory, are you wise son?

You want to take our best tactical kicker, our best game controller and our best thinker on the rugby pitch and take him out of the halfbacks and put him back in Siberia miles from the action in a position he hates where he won't be touching the ball half as regularly? It would be lunacy. If Wallace is at 10, Pienaar is at 9 and Wallace won't be at 10.

Makes more sense to me than playing Paddy Wallace at 15. When has he ever played there? Wallace is an experienced 10, and has been very good the past two seasons. Meanwhile If we have no 15 cover, the only experienced option there would be Pienaar.

Obviously I hope Gilroy at the very least is fit for this game, in which case he can play 15.

I don't think Gilroy has played 15, even at school but he would appear to have all the skills required for that spot.

A big ask to shove him in there in an HEC game if he has had no chance to get used to the positioning required. Just ask Tommy Bowe!

Wallace played at 15 v Ospreys can't remember if it was last year or year before but I do remember he played well. As far as I remember now I was young so forgive me if wrong but didn't Paddy start his careers at Ulster at Fullback only moving to 10 when D. Humph went to World cup in 2003 and even then continued at fullback after that so i would say he has plenty of experiance at fullback. I would prefer Pienaar at 10 in that case and P. Wallace at fullback I think.

it was 3 years back neil if i remember correctly. Think Tommy scored their winning try in that game.

If Gilroy is fit he starts XV (if Jared is out) with Michael Allen on the wing.
Is Olding in the HEC squad if jackson is out?

Standulstermen wrote:it was 3 years back neil if i remember correctly. Think Tommy scored their winning try in that game.

If Gilroy is fit he starts XV (if Jared is out) with Michael Allen on the wing.
Is Olding in the HEC squad if jackson is out?

Have we used our injury joker?

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/matchcentre/ulster_rugby.php?section=2 thats the registered squad according to it olding ain't registered

I beleive we have replaced chris farrell

There's only two Chris Cochranes!! (with different stats)

Maybe they thought he was so good the put him in twice lol

He grew!

And lost the weight he'd put on over Christmas!

He's like a new man!

Can either of them play FB?

Since no one really knows why there are 2 chris cochraines or what the other looks like I am currently changing my name as I can play fullback but sshhh don't tell the ERC

Great idea Neil.

Your plan is cunning and fool proof. Just make sure you don't post it on any public fora or anything.



Although, unfortunately the person who thinks we have 2 Chris Cochranes also can't count to 39.

MrsP wrote:I don't think Gilroy has played 15, even at school but he would appear to have all the skills required for that spot.

A big ask to shove him in there in an HEC game if he has had no chance to get used to the positioning required. Just ask Tommy Bowe!

He has played there for the U20s a few times, I remember watching him play there and he looked very comfortable. Totally different level though, obviously.

Has he? Well that helps as I think the only thing he is missing from the skill set required is the experience and positioning awarness.

Can you imagine the counter attacking from deep?

Ok Mrs P i will make sure not to do that....... wait this is a public forum

I don't know if I could understand Anscombes instructions anyways

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Makes more sense to me than playing Paddy Wallace at 15. When has he ever played there? Wallace is an experienced 10, and has been very good the past two seasons. Meanwhile If we have no 15 cover, the only experienced option there would be Pienaar.

Obviously I hope Gilroy at the very least is fit for this game, in which case he can play 15.

Your age is showing now Rory! Paddy Wallace started his Ulster career going between 12 and 15. For a long time he played more rugby at 15 than 10. He's also played there for Ireland off the bench. He's DEFINITELY played much more rugby at 15 than Pienaar in his career. He might even have still had more minutes at 15 than 10 for Ulster.

I suppose you're going to tell me you don't remember when he had peroxide blonde hair either?

I hope we don't have to move him to 15, it would be not great because he's lost a yard of pace since those days. Still better than Pienaar though, because we'd lose Pienaar effectively.

Some of us are old enough to remember Notch but are working very hard to erase the memory in an effort to reduce the PTSD.

Notch wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Makes more sense to me than playing Paddy Wallace at 15. When has he ever played there? Wallace is an experienced 10, and has been very good the past two seasons. Meanwhile If we have no 15 cover, the only experienced option there would be Pienaar.

Obviously I hope Gilroy at the very least is fit for this game, in which case he can play 15.

Your age is showing now Rory! Paddy Wallace started his Ulster career going between 12 and 15. For a long time he played more rugby at 15 than 10. He's also played there for Ireland off the bench. He's DEFINITELY played much more rugby at 15 than Pienaar in his career. He might even have still had more minutes at 15 than 10 for Ulster.

I suppose you're going to tell me you don't remember when he had peroxide blonde hair either?

Nobody can forget that Notch, I still have nightmares of that

(We weren't a very good team when we had Wallace at 15 Rory).

That wasn't Wasps as they are today, that was Wasps with Shaw, Dallaglio, Lewsey, King etc. One of the best teams in Europe.

Although Paddy was our starting fullback when we hammered London Wasps 42-19 at Ravenhill in 2001. Who knows maybe if we have Paddy at 15 again, rolling back the years, we can get a similar result? Except with Pienaar as our talismanic half-back not Humphreys

That was the first game I took Mrs M to, in our 'courting' days. I even got seats in the stand, the gentleman I am. She thought Hump scored that many points every game! She hasn't been back to Ravenhill since...

Notch wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Makes more sense to me than playing Paddy Wallace at 15. When has he ever played there? Wallace is an experienced 10, and has been very good the past two seasons. Meanwhile If we have no 15 cover, the only experienced option there would be Pienaar.

Obviously I hope Gilroy at the very least is fit for this game, in which case he can play 15.

Your age is showing now Rory! Paddy Wallace started his Ulster career going between 12 and 15. For a long time he played more rugby at 15 than 10. He's also played there for Ireland off the bench. He's DEFINITELY played much more rugby at 15 than Pienaar in his career. He might even have still had more minutes at 15 than 10 for Ulster.

I suppose you're going to tell me you don't remember when he had peroxide blonde hair either?

I hope we don't have to move him to 15, it would be not great because he's lost a yard of pace since those days. Still better than Pienaar though, because we'd lose Pienaar effectively.

Says the guy just 4 years older!

No you are right, I didn't get into rugby really until I was about 15, and I can't remember Wallace playing 15 at all. Just his game off the bench there for Ireland for about 10 minutes a few seasons back.

I do remember the hair vaguely though!

Took my eyes year to recover they wouldn't work at Ravenhill untill someone promised me the hair dye had been confiscated from Paddy

They had to split his stash into several different consignments and send them to the four corners of this island.

Unfortunately Darren Cave and Jamie Smith found the Ulster horde under a fleg in Ballymena. They say that was why Smith had to leave.

We all know who found the stash in Leinster.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_kilkenny/11761630/

Sean Dougall found the Munster stash and it went badly wrong

Ah now it might be unfair to blame that one on Munster. He may be ours!