Pro12 Playoff 1; Ulster (1st) vs Scarlets (4th) at Ravenhill

First topic message reminder :

Got my ticket booked for this one- expecting a good game if the weather holds up! Scarlets will probably raise their game from their abject home display against Treviso. Having watched them this season, I have noticed that when things don't go well for them and they start making mistakes they tend to get frustrated and make more and more. It seems they once again succumbed to this malaise against an excellent Treviso side who are slowly and surely growing into a team that can contend for a Top Six placing. But at Ravenhill, there is little pressure on them and they have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Totally different scenario.

Ulster were pretty poor for the first 40 minutes against Cardiff, no denying it, and will need an improved 80 minute display to see of the challenge of Scarlets and hopefully, in the event of a win, get primed to peak in the final two weeks later. Paddy Jackson has to return to the team at 10- a better defensive organiser and tackler, a more creative outhalf and it sees Pienaar return to his best position. Diack has to play too. Diack adds a great deal of balance to our backrow and I think dropping him to accommodate both Henderson and Williams would be a big mistake. Too unbalanced. Tuohy and Muller is a better balanced second row too, especially at lineout time, and Henderson hasn't been as impressive at lock as he has at 6. It seems like Henderson and Gilroy might both miss out- Gilroy maybe even not making the bench if Fridays selection is anything to go by, although I'd like to see him in there. Peter Nelson would be unfortunate to lose his place on the bench. In terms of impact subs, I actually think Tom Court can be a good impact sub coming on at loosehead. With Court, Henderson and Gilroy leading the charge from the bench in the second half hopefully we have enough to make it to our first ever Pro12 final.

Preferred Team;

1) Callum Black
2) Rory Best
3) John Afoa
4) Johann Muller (c)
5) Dan Tuohy
6) Robbie Diack
7) Chris Henry
8) Nick Williams
9) Ruan Pienaar
10) Paddy Jackson
11) Tommy Bowe
12) Stuart Olding
13) Darren Cave
14) Andrew Trimble
15) Jared Payne

16) Rob Herring 17) Tom Court 18) Declan Fitzpatrick 19) Iain Henderson 20) Sean Doyle 21) Paul Marshall 22) Michael Allen 23) Craig Gilroy

Do the Scarlets physios get bonuses? They have been worked hard tonight jeezzz

Awk sure Saint, we've already beaten Leinster at the RDS this season after the D4 mafia paid off the referee with some loose change they found down the back of Angela Merkel's couch.

neilthom7 wrote:

The Saint wrote:Ulster deserve some silverware after having such a great season. After Leinster beat Glasgow you have to wonder if Ulster are actually capable of beating them in the final at the RDS under the supervision of an unbiased ref? I doubt it .

Already have this season

I did say in a final, and with an unbiased ref...

Touhy forearm into Earles chops that technically is a pen

The TMO has given the try purely on the basis that Rolland gave it blind before been cajoled into going upstairs.
The officialls have totally destroyed the minds of the Scarlet players.

The front 5 of Ulster coupled with Piennar looked to have been enough for Ulster to win the game without Roland's 1 sided nonsense.

What a hideous end to the Scarlets season - combined with the fact they're losing a lot of their best backs this season - rough times!

Ulster have had a great season and fully deserve a spot in the final - just wish it had been a better contest!

The Saint wrote:Ulster deserve some silverware after having such a great season. After Leinster beat Glasgow you have to wonder if Ulster are actually capable of beating them in the final at the RDS under the supervision of an unbiased ref? I doubt it .

They could have Paddy Bloody Wallace as ref and they'd still have no chance.

It will be a repeat of Twickers. Don't cry now... It's all a high learning curve for ye.

Gibson wrote:

The Saint wrote:Ulster deserve some silverware after having such a great season. After Leinster beat Glasgow you have to wonder if Ulster are actually capable of beating them in the final at the RDS under the supervision of an unbiased ref? I doubt it .

They could have Paddy Bloody Wallace as ref and they'd still have no chance.

It will be a repeat of Twickers. Don't cry now... It's all a high learning curve for ye.

I agree Gibson, a repeat of Twickers is on the cards! SOB will be MOTM.

This game shows how ridiculous the Lions selections are, there should be at least 18 Ulstermen in the squad.

Gibson wrote:

The Saint wrote:Ulster deserve some silverware after having such a great season. After Leinster beat Glasgow you have to wonder if Ulster are actually capable of beating them in the final at the RDS under the supervision of an unbiased ref? I doubt it .

They could have Paddy Bloody Wallace as ref and they'd still have no chance.

It will be a repeat of Twickers. Don't cry now... It's all a high learning curve for ye.

Ahh Gibson I missed your positive thinking

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Also the only reason it was short was because 2 Scarlets players who were offside a metre short of their line stoped him would you rather it was a penalty try and 2 yellows come on

you must be taking the pi$$. On that logic Ulster would've been a man down for the trip. Trimble red for an unprovoked assault....

Yes and Trimble would not have been sent off for that and Williams would because he punched him 4 times grow up pal

LOL! I ain't your pal and a punch is a punch needless insult removed

Why is a 2nd row combo of Earle and Snyman rated higher than Kelly, Ball, Timane? Those two have to be the softest South Africans in the world. The latter look brilliant every time I see them and look as if they're giving 100 per cent.

Christ almighty. I have seen some one eyed refereeing but Rolland's performance tonight is staggering - what a nasty little c****. Scarlets are gash but I suspect there will be some citings after this ?

No good diving with no one around tremble . lol

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Also the only reason it was short was because 2 Scarlets players who were offside a metre short of their line stoped him would you rather it was a penalty try and 2 yellows come on

you must be taking the pi$$. On that logic Ulster would've been a man down for the trip. Trimble red for an unprovoked assault....

Yes and Trimble would not have been sent off for that and Williams would because he punched him 4 times grow up pal

LOL! I ain't your pal and a punch is a punch you t-w-a-t!

thats a bit harsh mate I am just countering your argument surely you can take a counter argument without resorting to personal insults

Scarlets flight home tomorrow is 7am!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem they'll have to get a few of them up early in hossie tomorrow

Do they look at club-level games when assessing refs for elite-int level? If not, Rollsnd probably just does these games for a laugh!

Stop kicking the fecking ball!

Rolland is no George Clancy but if he puts the effort in he could be just as incompetent

Hi I've just realised Rolland is yer man who sent off Warbs! The barsteward! He hates the Welsh!

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Also the only reason it was short was because 2 Scarlets players who were offside a metre short of their line stoped him would you rather it was a penalty try and 2 yellows come on

you must be taking the pi$$. On that logic Ulster would've been a man down for the trip. Trimble red for an unprovoked assault....

Yes and Trimble would not have been sent off for that and Williams would because he punched him 4 times grow up pal

LOL! I ain't your pal and a punch is a punch you t-w-a-t!

thats a bit harsh mate I am just countering your argument surely you can take a counter argument without resorting to personal insults

I fail to see your argument in telling somebody to grow up....my comment still applies!

Lovely footwork there

That was terrible defence Ulster

Don't give it Rolland! Go to the TMO!

Nice work by Rhodri and Ball in that scrum. Starters in the first XV perhaps, along with Gareth Davies.

Its worrying to think that the likely lions winger and centre are playing in this team

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

sheephead wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Also the only reason it was short was because 2 Scarlets players who were offside a metre short of their line stoped him would you rather it was a penalty try and 2 yellows come on

you must be taking the pi$$. On that logic Ulster would've been a man down for the trip. Trimble red for an unprovoked assault....

Yes and Trimble would not have been sent off for that and Williams would because he punched him 4 times grow up pal

LOL! I ain't your pal and a punch is a punch you t-w-a-t!

thats a bit harsh mate I am just countering your argument surely you can take a counter argument without resorting to personal insults

I fail to see your argument in telling somebody to grow up....my comment still applies!

Come on guys.............We are all pals on here............ its a rugby match not a world war

Do the consensus believe it is the Ulster replacements or Scarlets replacements that seem to have slightly shifted the momentum? Gareth Davies for one, who seems to constantly get left out of the starting team, should be playing for Wales.

Nice individual try - but forgive the Ulster players switching off in a game that begun over 90mins ago - and still has 20 mins to go!!!

By the way - am I the only one who thinks Aled Davies is rubbish? Nothing to do with Gareth Davies try, but how is Aled ahead of him?! Aled seems to spend days staring at the ruck from miles away... Looks around... Minces up... Looks around... Hard boils an ostrich egg... Waits some more... Then passes blind to no one!

Big Henderson is on for Tuohy who I think had a very good game

Golden wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Officials and Scarlets are feckin woeful - Rolland is a complete embarrassment !

How was that Rollands fault? The TMO told him it was a try!

Like the TMO is going to make Rolland look like the prat he is by going against him once he has awarded the try? FFs grow up.

Scarlets were well beaten without this abismal dispaly from the officals.

Halberstram, I don't think Aled is rubbish, but I think Davies is a lot better and should be the one in the Wales squad!

Payne into centre now?

Golden wrote:Its worrying to think that the likely lions winger and centre are playing in this team

Not as worrying as the fact this ref reffed a World Cup semi final. Hope he had a good game. Doh!

Saint, how did he lose his place for the blonde haired Turk scurmy to start playing. Was it injury of form?

MarcusHalberstram wrote:

Golden wrote:Its worrying to think that the likely lions winger and centre are playing in this team

Not as worrying as the fact this ref reffed a World Cup semi final. Hope he had a good game. Doh!

and this years Heineken cup

Williams motm for me! Another huge performance.

Ulster giving everyone a game now

Ifandorbut wrote:

Golden wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Officials and Scarlets are feckin woeful - Rolland is a complete embarrassment !

How was that Rollands fault? The TMO told him it was a try!

Like the TMO is going to make Rolland look like the prat he is by going against him once he has awarded the try? FFs grow up.

Scarlets were well beaten without this abismal dispaly from the officals.

That's true. Doesn't prevent people from having the right to hate on Rolland's performance though.

rodders wrote:Williams motm for me! Another huge performance.

yeah he has been immense

Golden wrote:Payne into centre now?

He's practicing for the RWC ...

good job Muller has long arms or Davies would have been away there

Scarlets scrum looking good at last. Owen Williams and Aled Davies have both played pretty average tonight.

Ifandorbut wrote:

Golden wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Officials and Scarlets are feckin woeful - Rolland is a complete embarrassment !

How was that Rollands fault? The TMO told him it was a try!

Like the TMO is going to make Rolland look like the prat he is by going against him once he has awarded the try? FFs grow up.

Scarlets were well beaten without this abismal dispaly from the officals.

Cos theres no way the TMO could be expected to do his job and come to the correct decision?

The Saint wrote:Halberstram, I don't think Aled is rubbish, but I think Davies is a lot better and should be the one in the Wales squad!

All scrum halves are annoying, but Aled Davies really rubs me up the wrong way. He seems like he's playing a game in a parallel universe!

Really impressed with Timani. Shame he will be playing in the proD2 next season

rodders wrote:Hi I've just realised Rolland is yer man who sent off Warbs! The barsteward! He hates the Welsh!

Ja. True. But not as much as the Welsh hate themselves.

Me? I blame the English. For everything.

sheephead wrote:Saint, how did he lose his place for the blonde haired Turk scurmy to start playing. Was it injury of form?

From what I remember Davies was the starting 9 over a year ago, but only because Knoyle was injured ( ), with Rhodri Williams as his back up. Not sure where Aled came from but he is certainly rated highly by Easterby. Gareth Davies did have a minor injury at the start of the season I think, but a turk is going to have to confirm that with me being not sure and everything...
Davies is the only similar 9 to Phillips for me, but with the desired pass.

neilthom7 wrote:good job Muller has long arms or Davies would have been away there

Darn right, that was a try saving clothesline from the big man....

rodders wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:good job Muller has long arms or Davies would have been away there

Darn right, that was a try saving clothesline from the big man....

hahaha well he seen everyone else at it so