Nick Williams out.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/2013/0114/362673-ulsters-williams-ruled-out-for-eight-weeks/

Talking about it in the Ulster vs Glasgow thread

Well.....why not give it a thread of its own

Its a big blow, he's had 6 MOTM awards for us out of 18 games. He's an unstoppable carrier and has an uncanny ability for deft offloads given his size and bulk.

However....we have Roger Wilson ready to step in. Not many teams have two 8's of that quality, but fortunately we do. In saying that the amount of injuries Ulster are now accumulating is becoming a concern.

What's the latest on Ferris?

Wliiams is a big lump of a unit which won't do his rehab any favours. A seriously good player to have, though, but the good news for you is that he looks like he will be back for the 1/4s. You have the RoboCop as good as won already so his loss won't really be felt too much there.

Yeah I was gonna say from being seriously lucky you guys are now racking up quite a few!

Williams
Ferris
Muller
Tuohy
Fitzpatrick <?>
Marshall
Darcy <?>

A lot more than that pete, its more like...

Best
Muller
Tuohy
Ferris
Williams
Jackson
L.Marshall
Gilroy
Bowe
Payne

and

Darcy
Macklin
McAllister

and of course we are also without

Nevin Spence

MrsP wrote:and

Darcy
Macklin
McAllister

and of course we are also without

Nevin Spence

Farrell and Nelson injured also

Actually lads it would be quicker to list who's not injured.

A complete list of injuries (players missing next weekend for sure) and players who are carrying injuries and are classed doubtful for Saturdays game, but may be asked to play through it;

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Rory Best
3. Adam Macklin
4. Johann Muller
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Stephen Ferris
7. Sean Doyle
8. Nick Williams
9. <no-one! Yay!>
10. Paddy Jackson
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Luke Marshall
13. Chris Farrell
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Jared Payne, Peter Nelson, Adam D'Arcy

Now I expect one or two of those to play, but only because its the Heineken Cup. Jackson, Best and Payne all played last week but they probably wouldn't have been risked in a league game. At the game you could see Jackson and Payne were both limping in between plays. Payne made it to full time, but Jackson came off injured- as did Craig Gilroy and Nick Williams.

Worst case scenario, all of the players who are doubtful don't start next week- we may not have enough fit backs in the ERC squad to name a full bench and we have no specialist fullback in the squad.

I think Pienaar hurt his hand in the Glasgow game but no one has confirmed it so it might not be too bad.

You put it like that Notcha and add a scrumhalf there and that team could beat a lot of Rabo teams the only positive is with that many injuries this time last year I probably would have been called up our squad depth is much better this year but now it's becoming a serious problem and people are going to get called away soon to 6 nations

Durning the 6 nations it's reported that Payne, is being given a few weeks of to visit home,

hopefully a lot of that list will be coming back

Feb/march are going to be tough months, add in Irish Internationals and you have Court/Henry/Henderson missing as well, maybe Wallace and a few others maybe in the wider training camp

Have games against
Ospreys(h) ,Zebre (h), Glasgow (a) Treviso(h) Edinburgh (a)

How many of that list should be reappearing durning te 6 nations?

During the 6N I think we will have

Cave
Wallace
Tuohy
Jackson
Court
One of trimble and Gilroy....


...still available. Bear in mind with BOD back earls will most likely be shoehorned into the wing spot.

With johann coming back we could have a really strong pack/tight five and our first choice half backs. I think we will have enough about us to win all those games given that the ospreys and Glasgow will be decimated too I would imagine

and Treviso will be missing 18 players also, edinburgh will be missing 8 glasgow and opreys more, Zebre a few of their better players, overall, I think all those games should be winnable,

Zebre ran us close in Italy with both missing players, so could be a danger, Glasgow away would be the other that could be an upset.

I just got the phone call lads. I will be in contention for a bench spot this week. Fairly chuffed. Will be wearing the heart on my sleeve I promise.