Castres V Ulster match thread

[neilthom7]

First topic message reminder :

So we are into the final round of group matches and this Saturday 19th January at 1.35pm Castre will take to the field V Ulster. Now Ulster are already guaranteed to qualify from the group and Castre are out but there is plenty riding on this for Ulster namely a home QF. If Ulster were to win and get the try bonus point they would definitely get a home Quarter final anything else and then it is down to other teams results as well. The biggest thing for Ulster will be to avoid any QF trips to France. The biggest worry for Ulster going into the match is now a big injury list. It is possible Ulster if all of their doubtful players don't make it will not be able to field 3 backs on the bench. So what are your predictions guys?
The match will be on Sky Sports 3 and I will update this thread with teams as we know them.

Ulster
(15-9): Gilroy; Trimble, Cave, Wallace, Allen; Pienaar, Marshall;
(1-8): Court, Best, Afoa, Stevenson, McComb, Diack, Henry (capt), Wilson;
Replacements (16-23): Herring, Black, Fitzpatrick, Henderson, McComish, Heaney, Jackson, Cochrane.

Castres
P Bernard, M Evans, S Bai, R Lamerat, M Garvey, R Tales, R Kockott; Y Forestier, M-A Rallier, A Peikrishvili, M Rolland, C Samson, M Babillot, P Faasalele, P Wannenburg.

Replacements: B Mach, S Taumoepeau, M Lazar, I Tekori, T Lacrampe, J Bornman, P Bonnefond, M Andreu.

[neilthom7]

I think we can't use not having Muller as an excuse anymore these guys will have to step up, Muller wont be around forever we have 3 locks on the field and a very experianced hooker so there is absolutely no excuse for not getting the lineout right.

[thebluesmancometh]

For all this lineout confusion the misthrows by Best is certainly the problem, very unlike him!!!

There was one timing issue, but the others have to be attributed to Best

[Notch]

No. But 3 locks doesn't necessarily make the lineout better because they are both used to playing the same specialist role. We do have enough options to vary it, we just don't have the brains and experience in making the calls out there.

[Artful_Dodger]

Most refs I've seen recently would have given two penalty trys but Nigel Owens keeps going for resets. Not just when we should have had a penalty try but at the end of the half he reset after we had marched Castres back 10 metres, then give a penalty at the next scrum.

[Notch]

It's been really an exceptionally poor performance outside the scrum.

[Portnoy's Complaint]

Saints v Glasgow (which curiously Sky elected for the red button) is 6-10 HT.

[Rory_Gallagher]

South Africa and New Zealand both have a relatively young and inexperienced second row, and they don't have any problems with the lineout. I don't think the lineout operator excuse is a good one really. These guys should have the lineouts perfected in training.

[Portnoy's Complaint]

Most refs I've seen recently would have given two penalty trys but Nigel Owens keeps going for resets. Not just when we should have had a penalty try but at the end of the half he reset after we had marched Castres back 10 metres, then give a penalty at the next scrum.

Owens is a homer Dodge.

[JmD]

I wonder if Horgan will stand by saying Pienaar needs to play 10.

[toml]

It's been really an exceptionally poor performance outside the scrum.

pretty woeful. Small Paul and Afoa have looked OK...

Pienaar has been worse than PJ at 10

[Notch]

Most refs I've seen recently would have given two penalty trys but Nigel Owens keeps going for resets. Not just when we should have had a penalty try but at the end of the half he reset after we had marched Castres back 10 metres, then give a penalty at the next scrum.

It can only be so long before he goes to his pocket, surely? He must go for a yellow if he's penalising them at every scrum but he is giving us very little reward.

Sky are right, Pienaar has been so good defensively as a 9. Moving him has hurt us when we aren't in possession. Pienaar and Jackson are a good defensive unit.

[Notch]

It's been really an exceptionally poor performance outside the scrum.

pretty woeful. Small Paul and Afoa have looked OK...

Pienaar has been worse than PJ at 10

Well he's a scrum-half, look, he is. We're playing him out of position.

[Artful_Dodger]

Most refs I've seen recently would have given two penalty trys but Nigel Owens keeps going for resets. Not just when we should have had a penalty try but at the end of the half he reset after we had marched Castres back 10 metres, then give a penalty at the next scrum.

Owens is a homer Dodge.

Wasn't much of a homer for us at Ravenhill.

[toml]

Olding should get a start in the Rabo

[Cari]

This isn't the start Ulster wanted!

[Notch]

F*ck sake Ulster! Grubber in our own 22?

[Notch]

Six or seven penalties against Forestier now and he just gets a ticking off.

F*ck sake, now he's been hooked. That was a yellow.

[Notch]

Ahhhhhh it's like nails down a black board!

[Cari]

He'll be binned before long. And he can't use the language barrier as an excuse. That was a clear and concise warning.

[Notch]

He'll be binned before long. And he can't use the language barrier as an excuse. That was a clear and concise warning.

No he won't. He's just been subbed

Owens!

[neilthom7]

Worst thing is Castres are not being made to work hard to win this we are losing it all on our own

[Notch]

Worst thing is Castres are not being made to work hard to win this we are losing it all on our own

They've done nothing in this game. We just look jaded and demoralised.

At what point are we going to wake up and play some rugby?

[neilthom7]

Owens has been unbelievably leniant I normally think he is a good ref but today he has been letting Castres away with murder

[Notch]

Well done Chris Henry.

[neilthom7]

We finally get a lineout right and then we Frak it up anyways

[Notch]

What on earth are we doing out there?!!?

[JmD]

Get Marshall off, had enough of this.

[Cari]

Buggger. That's cheeky subbing him.

[Cari]

Luckily, the penalty goes wide. 8-6 at 51 minutes.

[Notch]

Buggger. That's cheeky subbing him.

Its Owens fault. He might as well have sent a telegram to the Castres bench telling them what to do if they wanted to avoid a yellow card.

[neilthom7]

Wee Iain Henderson seems to enjoy playing back row more that was an excellant choke tackle

[Cari]

That's Nigel though. He's often reluctant to give out yellows for some reason...the West Wales derby probably being the most recent exception.

[Notch]

Is that the most phases we've put together? 5?

[neilthom7]

Gotta be near it Notch its just not good enough

[toml]

Need to use the maul

[Notch]

The two games where we've had to stand up and deliver this year, we've fallen apart. Its frustrating.

[toml]

Massive chokes both times

[Cari]

As things stand at the moment, Saints are out...but there's still time.

Oh no...cool heads lads.

[Notch]

I can't believe Cave got a warning for that. He's a small man ducking into it.

[Cari]

OK, so Cave gets a warning but the commentators are on about some afters, I missed that. So did the officials it seems.

[JmD]

Doak standing a bit too close to a microphone there.

[neilthom7]

I think the one things this has done is show all those people calling for Marshall and Pienaar that there is a reason why we play the combinations we do.
Today has been too error prone and we are going to end up going to clermont or toulon if we dont win this

[neilthom7]

Thats more like it boys cave did beautiful

[Cari]

Great play from Ulster...come on lads!!

[eirebilly]

3 points is a decent return from here in this tight match.

[Cari]

8-9 after Pienaar's penalty.

[toml]

the back line has started working... why now?

[neilthom7]

maybe pienaar and Jackson?

[Cari]

People have changed position Tom...it must work better this way.

[neilthom7]

Great kick from Gilroy

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