Ulster 2013/2014

First topic message reminder :

It had to come eventually.

Squad

HOOKER
Rory Best, Rob Herring, Niall Annett
PROP
Tom Court, Callum Black, Paddy McAllister, Declan Fitzpatrick, John Afoa, Bronson Ross, Adam Macklin, Ricky Lutton
LOCK
Johann Muller (c), Dan Tuohy, Neil McComb, Lewis Stevenson
BACKROW
Iain Henderson, Stephen Ferris, Mike McComish, Sean Doyle, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack, Roger Wilson, Nick Williams
SCRUM-HALF
Ruan Pienaar, Michael Heaney, Paul Marshall
OUTHALF
Paddy Jackson, James McKinney
CENTRES
Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall, Paddy Wallace, Darren Cave, Michael Allen
WING
Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Chris Cochrane
FULL BACK
Jared Payne, Peter Nelson, David McIlwaine

Confirmed Pre-Season Games
Ulster Rugby vs Leinster Rugby, 23rd August
Leicester Tigers vs Ulster Rugby, 31st August

Heineken Cup Pool 5
Ulster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Montpellier, Treviso

Ulster Rugby vs Leicester Tigers, 11th October
Montpellier vs Ulster Rugby, 19th October
Ulster Rugby vs Treviso, 7th December
Treviso vs Ulster Rugby, 14th December
Ulster Rugby vs Montpellier, 10th-12th January
Leicester Tigers vs Ulster Rugby, 17th-19th January

RaboDirectPro12

First five games starting on the 6th September;

Newport Gwent Dragons vs Ulster Rugby    
Ulster Rugby vs Glasgow Warriors            
Connacht Rugby vs Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby vs Benetton Treviso
Ospreys vs Ulster Rugby

Full fixtures at http://www.ulsterrugby.com/rugby/results_1stxv.php

See also; Brian O'Driscoll being presented to the crowd at half-time at a Biarritz game!

The more I think about it, the more I think this is an agents trick or a premature conclusion by L'Equipe...

It will be a sad day when he goes but he has given us 3(soon to be 4) good years. It's tricky from the point of view I don't see any other position 9-15 that needs significant strengthening. Lock and backrow is where I would like a new signing if allowed. I don't think TH will be allowed

We would have a lot of money to spend if the Heineken Cup was continuing with these big money contracts winding down but as it is we can't guarantee to any new signing they'll be playing in anything more glamorous than the Pro12, and if no resolution with the French and English is agreed thats bound to hit the provinces budgets too.

I can see recruitment being very, very difficult for all Pro12 sides this summer. The Anglos and French have left us outside the tent pishing in and the top players want to play in the top competitions. Humphs sales pitch has been about our aspirations to be one of the top sides in Europe, the ambitions the club has etc. How can he pitch that when we don't even know if there'll be a European Cup next year, or if we'll be involved? Why would a top player want to come here if it wasn't for the big European games?

I'm resigned to the fact we're losing Afoa, I expect Muller to retire so we really need to make a big play to keep Pienaar. If he has signed on the dotted line at Toulon, well, we're in bother. The IRFU needs to wake up and take action on contracts of marquee names running down and to try and make the best deal possible for the provinces to play in Europe. The longer this uncertainty goes on, the more chance of the provinces losing more quality than they bring in this summer.

Notch wrote:Humphs sales pitch has been about our aspirations to be one of the top sides in Europe, the ambitions the club has etc. How can he pitch that when we don't even know if there'll be a European Cup next year, or if we'll be involved? Why would a top player want to come here if it wasn't for the big European games?

But why would the other big names in Europe not want to be playing against Ulster, Leinster and Munster. Looking at where these three irish provinces have stood over the past five years, surely leaving them out in the cold only lessens the amount by which you can boast about being Europe's best. French clubs will be using a sales pitch about having the chance of being the best in Europe at their club. If I was a player on the market I'd be asking why on earth can we not play the big boys in Ireland.

Blessing in disguise maybe. Watching Pienaar in a team playing against us would be heart wrenching!

On another note - when we brought in Muller/Pienaar/Afoa/Payne, I really thought we would have some real stars in the team by the time we had to lose them. It kind of feels like in four years our prospects are still prospects and not world beaters.  

Instead it looks as though we need a few more big names to come in because we are still a team in need of bolstering.

Payne is definitely staying though isn't he? He has nailed his colours to the mast with ireland has he not?

Notch & Jennifer & others....Been catching up & reading your posts with interest after noticing the discussion about RP.
Great to read such balanced discussion and I have to say I agree with what you guys are saying.

I think we shouldn't under estimate what a critical stage we are at with this Euro discussion going on and the recent departures in Wales to France and more recently Sexton moving to France and other players being touted for moves including our own NIQ's. I do wonder that if a deal is not made with ERC that Rabo teams will be left in the cold or at least having to agree to financial terms set out by the Fr & En teams in any format they set up the Rabo teams are going to struggle to hold players and compete with the limited resources they already have.

I do agree with the IRFU strategy somewhat on NIQ players...you only have to lok at the footy premier league with each of the top teams only having a handful of english players to see what the possible affect of no strategy could be. Noone can compete with the Fr clubs financial clout, we have to accept that but we may have already begun to see the affect of this in the Fr national team...I wonder if thats the sign of things to come...Any euro deal set up by the FR & Eng clubs to form a new tournament, in my mind is going to accelerate this negative development.

We also know that marquee players and keeping our own national players are important. In many cases its the difference in atendances on match day, sponsorship, tv rights and winning games.

Its all a delicate balance....but I worry about the future right now..

"Payne is definitely staying though isn't he? He has nailed his colours to the mast with ireland has he not?."

Payne was contracted as a project player, in signing that he more or less nailed his colours to the Irish mast. The All Blacks did come calling again but I reckon he knows what colour he needs to be in in order to become a regular international. I have been saying since he signed that he has more class and ability than 98% of the Irish squad so his addition will be worth the wait. The guy is class.
Ruan will be a big loss but after weighing things up I get a gut feeling he will stay put for now. He wants to play at 9 and he wants to play plenty of rugby so I can't see why he would sail off to France where he would be down the scrum-half pecking order and having to scrap for the 10 shirt where he'd rather not play. Money doesn't buy everyone so fingers crossed St Ruan remains an Ulsterman.

Payne signed a 3 year contract last season. He is going nowhere. Of course retaining Ruan will be important but it won't be the death knell of ulster rugby if he leaves.

With all our NIQs going next season (if we aren't allowed to retain them) I think Humph will have enough to fund two NIQs and a project. I still think there will be a European competition as well

Standulstermen wrote:Payne signed a 3 year contract last season. He is going nowhere. Of course retaining Ruan will be important but it won't be the death knell of ulster rugby if he leaves.

With all our NIQs going next season (if we aren't allowed to retain them) I think Humph  will have enough to fund two NIQs and a project. I still think there will be a European competition as well

 

So do we suspect its true about RP then?
What can we read into no comment from either club or player?

Not much until he gets back from international duty- he's rightly focusing on that, and French clubs can't announce new signings for next season until January.

We don't know if its true and it won't be confirmed for a few months so nest prepare for the worst case scenario.

Team announced for Connacht

(15-9): J Payne, D McIlwaine, D Cave, L Marshall, M Allen, P Jackson, I Porter; (1-8): T Court, R Herring, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (Captain), I Henderson, R Wilson, C Henry, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): N Annett, K McCall, R Lutton, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, J McKinney, C Gilroy.

Is Tuohy injured?

No.

If Ruan wants to play rugby on a regular basis at his preferred scrum-half position he will stay at Ulster hopefully. If he wants to earn a lot more cash for becoming a super-sub then it'll be Toulon for him. Maybe he will much prefer to return to his homeland and finish his playing days in the SH. We will know the answers soon enough but first he has some unfinished business for Ulster. If he has to go elsewhere next season then hopefully he can take a winners medal with him from the last ever European Cup
I noticed one of our fabulous papers today announcing that five other Ulster players may be leaving at the end of the season. Coming to the end of a contract does not mean that you are leaving for pastures lined with green. Media = Laughable.

P.S.

Notch, that's the shortest post I have ever seen you add

True, but Muller and Afoa are almost definitely going.

Pete330v2 wrote:If Ruan wants to play rugby on a regular basis at his preferred scrum-half position he will stay at Ulster hopefully. If he wants to earn a lot more cash for becoming a super-sub then it'll be Toulon for him. Maybe he will much prefer to return to his homeland and finish his playing days in the SH. We will know the answers soon enough but first he has some unfinished business for Ulster. If he has to go elsewhere next season then hopefully he can take a winners medal with him from the last ever European Cup
I noticed one of our fabulous papers today announcing that five other Ulster players may be leaving at the end of the season. Coming to the end of a contract does not mean that you are leaving for pastures lined with green. Media = Laughable.

How little would Ruan have to be paid to play for Ulster in the grim and the grime and the week-to-week challenge of the Rabo to beat an offer of an occasional game in the T14? Wintering over in the South of France must be a nightmare.

Portnoy's Complaint wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:If Ruan wants to play rugby on a regular basis at his preferred scrum-half position he will stay at Ulster hopefully. If he wants to earn a lot more cash for becoming a super-sub then it'll be Toulon for him. Maybe he will much prefer to return to his homeland and finish his playing days in the SH. We will know the answers soon enough but first he has some unfinished business for Ulster. If he has to go elsewhere next season then hopefully he can take a winners medal with him from the last ever European Cup
I noticed one of our fabulous papers today announcing that five other Ulster players may be leaving at the end of the season. Coming to the end of a contract does not mean that you are leaving for pastures lined with green. Media = Laughable.

How little would Ruan have to be paid to play for Ulster in the grim and the grime and the week-to-week challenge of the Rabo to beat an offer of an occasional game in the T14? Wintering over in the South of France must be a nightmare.

Absolutely Portnoys and him heading to Toulon is the very real, possible likelyhood. I just hope (dreamer that I am) that he wants to be at the helm of a team competing in europe and the Rabo as very possible winners of one or the other rather than being on the fringe in france. I know the money will be a huge lure but his love of playing, leading and orchestrating a team might win over greed.......yeah I know, some chance, I'd be off to france if I were he

Two more years for Nick Williams.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/nick-williams-signs-twoyear-contract-extension-with-ulster-29628469.html

 

I was incredulous when dHumph signed Williams, and I was utterly wrong.

I think that Wilson is actually a better eight, but Williams has become totemic. He can swing a game with a break or an offload and, in the midst of all the tactical analysis and stat-quoting, he is one of the most entertaining players in the Pro12.

Casual TV viewers might come to their first Ulster game having seen Williams throw the opposition about like rag dolls and score - they won't be inspired to come on the strength of Wilson's superb ball control at the back of a scrum, or canny postioning in defense.

So lads. This deal along with BJ Botha would seem to give the lie to the rule that you can't give an Niq player more than one year after he is thirty.

May be seen as a sympathy vote from the IRFU if you lads lose Pienaar as well as Afoa and Muller.

Tbh you will probably be fine without the latter two.

Well, Muller and Afoa will be gone - I think that's fairly obvious. Maybe we won't replace either or both of them.

Payne will also be IQ next season, so we have one NIQ player on the books for 2014-2015. I'd happily sacrifice an NIQ spot to keep Pienaar.

The last player to actually sign for someone else because of that restriction was probably Wannenberg, with Hines the highest profile.

Clearly, the IRFU have abandoned these rules, and are playing eveyrthing by ear. What a shock. Or maybe it's because Nick Williams is currently 29? (Although he will be 30 when his current contract ends.)

Yeah yerman Geoff who used to post a lot here reckoned that the NIQ rules were dead in private. to be replaced next season with less spots and no allowance for project players.

BJ and Nick would indeed suggest that the IRFU are busking.

I hope Pienaar stays. Most would go for the big old dosh and the nice weather. Hopefully his love of "higher powers" will make him see it differently.

The fact that he is being flogged as it it is with his year round season might be a factor too. He would be flogged a lot harder in France.

See he is getting a bit of a break on the bench thos week at least.

I stopped posting on the UAFC site due to the abuse aimed my way because I thought that signing Big Nick was a masterstroke as he'd been such a wrecking ball for Aironi. I had always thought he would be a very potent weapon for Ulster which he has turned out to be and I am overjoyed the big fella will be staying with us. He is obviously enjoying his time here and there is no doubt we would his subtle skills if he was to leave
Here's to watching him smash defences for another couple of seasons

Glad to hear Williams is staying, a masterstroke of a signing. Think a 1 year deal might have been better business given he's not the fittest chap around.

Pienaar should take the dosh, its time for Marshall and Jackson to step up. Would like to see us sign an experienced 10 though....maybe get Ihumph back from LI.....

Pete330v2 wrote:I stopped posting on the UAFC site due to the abuse aimed my way because I thought that signing Big Nick was a masterstroke as he'd been such a wrecking ball for Aironi. I had always thought he would be a very potent weapon for Ulster which he has turned out to be and I am overjoyed the big fella will be staying with us. He is obviously enjoying his time here and there is no doubt we would his subtle skills if he was to leave
Here's to watching him smash defences for another couple of seasons

That UAFC site is garbage. Lowest common denominator rugby opinions. I remember before we signed Nick Williams they said Pierre Spies wasn't good enough for Ulster. A lot of them were critical when we signed Ruan Pienaar for goodness sake. Muppets.

After what (? was it Rory) was saying before about some players not liking the Cowboy's way of doing things, it's good to hear Trimble saying that UR is a fun place to be just now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24345754

MrsP wrote:After what (? was it Rory) was saying before about some players not liking the Cowboy's way of doing things, it's good to hear Trimble saying that UR is a fun place to be just now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24345754

I'm glad to hear it.

It seems the mood in the camp is a lot better after a poor start to the season.

It is a relief as I am convinced that an unhappy team can not be successful.

Maybe it was pre season that caused the problem?

I would think that this group of players have an exceptionally strong bond so hopefully that will help them all when things are not going smoothly.

Jeez if the mood changes that quickly we may hope we don't lose again. Anyway retaining nick is good business and if Pienaar isn't done and dusted then retaining him with maybe one more NIQ spot to fill (assuming the other two are off) will be our lot.

Did anyone actually hear anything reliable about the mood being bad, because I think there is a degree in which maybe minor concerns or grievances can be amplified in the re-telling.

Chinese whispers are seldom good indicators of the truth. If you look a Anscombes comments on Paddy Jackson it doesn't come across as simple as stick only rant based coaching. MA takes no shiz but he doesn't strike me as that bad a man manager.

On the guys departing, or probably; Afoa set to play soon, this weekend, but I'm heartened by what I've seen of our scrum recently. His heart isn't in it at Ulster I feel, his heart is with his wife and kids in NZ and I question if we'll see the best of him this year. It's very important we develop alternatives as we have been. Muller is still worth his place in the lineout but looks like he's coming to the end of his career, the improvement in the other locks lineout skills in the time he has been here has been immense and that offsets his importance- even though he is the brains of our lineout calls and almost and assistant coach in his own right. He's still a great presence to have in the team, but Henderson and Tuohy looks like a very promising combination, even having nicked a good few on the opposition throw as well as the obvious carrying and work rate they bring.

I can see us replacing both, but with guys who wouldn't necessarily be first choice- not the same marquee names but we lack depth at lock and tighthead if we don't sign anybody.

But if Pienaar leaves we need another goal kicking 9 and those don't grow on trees. Afoa and Muller should be allowed to move on but we should be doing whatever we can to keep Ruan.

Totally agree on Muller and Afoa Notch. Muller would make a great player coach but he does look like a guy coming to the end physically and mentally. He still has a few big games in him but he doesn't look up to another long attritional season.

Afoa clearly wants to be in NZ and you can't blame him. Huge loss but it's time for some home grown TH's to earn their crust.

As said above I have mixed feelings on Pienaar. He's pretty irreplaceable, in terms of his goal kicking and ability to cover 9 and 10 - but in the longer term, as with Afoa it will give some of the home grown boys a chance to step up if he goes.

Just on that - with Halfpenny linked to Toulon, could that mean they may have cooled their interest in Pienaar?

The Halfpenny to Toulon stories are slightly odd as all news reports seem to say that the reason he would be signed is for his goalkicking (all of the chat about him being a "replacement for Wilkinson"). The rather obvious point is that they don't play in the same position, which means either that Fearless Fred or Gitau will go to 10 or they'll just buy Dan Carter's entire family and force him to move there. Halfpenny would also have to compete with Armitage for the shirt and Pienaar would know that he'd have to face down club favourite Michelak and Tillous-Borde for the 9 slot.

I would think that if Ulster only have 1 NIQ slot left, then a lock should be a priority? Imagine what a Brodie Retallick or a Wilhelm Steenkamp could bring to the pack.

Notch wrote:Did anyone actually hear anything reliable about the mood being bad, because I think there is a degree in which maybe minor concerns or grievances can be amplified in the re-telling.

Well said, Notch. I think we seriously under-estimate the mental strength of the Ulster team.

They’ve lost a final in each of the last two years, and I think that we attribute this to a lack of will or determination. I don’t think it is. It’s experience, but we are so nervous about their mentality it’s ludicrous.

In May 2009, four and a half years ago, we were scrapping bitterly with Connacht at the bottom of the Magners for a HEC place. We hadn’t gotten out of our HEC pool in years, and hadn’t won in either France or England. Matt Williams was fired (allegedly by text, waiting at the airport) before the end of the season. The previous year or two had seen Wilson, Best (N.) and Bowe head off for pastures new.

Look at where we are now.

Things aren’t perfect, but they never are, for anyone. Afoa is torn between NZ and here by his family; he’s absent for long stretches, and they get on with it. Pienaar is only periodically available, back and forth between here and the southern hemisphere to play for SA, and they get on with it. Paddy Jackson is ludicrously young to have played flyhalf in an HEC final, a Rabo final, be first choice at provincial level and have international caps; pilloried for his goal kicking, he gets on with it. Last year Ferris only played twice, and they got on with it. Two bright young hopes, lads we thought might push to be starters – McAllister and Farrell - were out for the season by October, and they got on with it. We lost Nevin Spence in the most heart-breaking way, and they got on with it.

Where are these other teams that effortlessly go from strength to strength, never faltering, never encountering a bad run of form? In your imagination.

Brothers, I’m sick of this inferiority complex. Ulster are a close-knit, tough, talented team. Silverware will come – success already has.

Don Alfonso wrote:
They’ve lost a final in each of the last two years.....


Where are these other teams that effortlessly go from strength to strength, never faltering, never encountering a bad run of form? In your imagination

cough. cough. They beat you in those 2 finals. cough. cough.

Joke ok. don't go gettin all sensitive.

It's okay. You may get those jokes in while you can...

Don Alfonso wrote:Where are these other teams that effortlessly go from strength to strength, never faltering, never encountering a bad run of form? In your imagination.

Brothers, I’m sick of this inferiority complex. Ulster are a close-knit, tough, talented team. Silverware will come – success already has.

Totally agree. I think what's fairly obvious is that people from NI are exceptionally negative. We (the metaphorical) moan when we win and moan when we lose. We moan in the good times and we moan in the bad. Moan, moan, moan...

Ulster are in a great place, there's always room for improvement and constructive criticism but the positives far outweigh the negatives which as you say is a polar shift from where we were 4-5 seasons ago.

The team is playing great rugby, the depth and quality is good, Ravenhill looks great, the crepes are great as is the fish an chip van, the jerseys look nice, the beer is great.... what more do people want?

Wait. Wait. You have *crepes*?

Wonderfully put Don. You saved me a stack of typing.
We are in a great place at the moment with a future that looks just as great. We have so many talented players, wonderful new facilities, increasing mental strength and crepes with beer. I despise the mentality that we are faltering etc when we drop a couple of games. I'd rather we drop them now than at the business end of the season. We will continue to improve and lets face it, nobody wants to peak too soon. Premature can be an awful word sometimes

I know I may be the eternal optimist sometimes but I really feel that Ruan will stay put. He will want to be with SA for the world cup and if he is to do so he will have to be playing regular rugby. At Toulon he could be sitting in the sun basking in a large bank balance with splinters in his butt from the bench. A bench he could well have a weekly parking spot on. If he stayed at Ulster lets face it he would bask in the hero worshipping spotlight whilst being in the starting XV week in, week out. Who knows though.....


Oh and Jen, watch it, I'll set SinE on ya

Indeed George... beware they go a bit heavy on the mayonnaise at times though (moan) ..

Wait. wait. You have mayonnaise on yours? .....

#SUFTCAB

#standupforthecrepesandbeer

(and the other "Consessions")

reland winger, Andrew Trimble, has recovered from injury and is included in the Ulster team to face Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow night (kick off 19:05).

Trimble underwent surgery on his finger three weeks ago and starts on the right wing in place of Tommy Bowe, who has failed to recover from a dead leg he sustained in the bonus point win over Treviso at Ravenhill last Friday.

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has made four changes in total. Captain Johann Muller returns, while Declan Fitzpatrick is selected at tighthead having recovered from the injury that he picked up against Connacht in Galway.

In the only other change, Nick Williams, who signed a new two-year deal with the Province this week, starts at Number 8, with Roger Wilson moving to the bench.

Ireland international centre, Stuart Olding is selected among the substitutes and is in line to make his first appearance of the season if he is called upon.

Ulster beat the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium last year, but the Welsh region have won their last 10 home games and are one of two unbeaten sides in the RaboDirect PRO12 this season.

The game will be shown live on BBC Two Northern Ireland.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Ospreys, RaboDirect PRO12, Liberty Stadium, Friday 4th October (kick off 19:05); (15-9): C Gilroy, A Trimble, J Payne, L Marshall, M Allen, P Jackson, P Marshall; (1-8): T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick J Muller (Captain), D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, B Ross, I Henderson, R Wilson, M Heaney, S Olding, D Cave.

theshanker wrote:reland winger, Andrew Trimble, has recovered from injury and is included in the Ulster team to face Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow night (kick off 19:05).

Trimble underwent surgery on his finger three weeks ago and starts on the right wing in place of Tommy Bowe, who has failed to recover from a dead leg he sustained in the bonus point win over Treviso at Ravenhill last Friday.

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has made four changes in total. Captain Johann Muller returns, while Declan Fitzpatrick is selected at tighthead having recovered from the injury that he picked up against Connacht in Galway.

In the only other change, Nick Williams, who signed a new two-year deal with the Province this week, starts at Number 8, with Roger Wilson moving to the bench.

Ireland international centre, Stuart Olding is selected among the substitutes and is in line to make his first appearance of the season if he is called upon.

Ulster beat the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium last year, but the Welsh region have won their last 10 home games and are one of two unbeaten sides in the RaboDirect PRO12 this season.

The game will be shown live on BBC Two Northern Ireland.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Ospreys, RaboDirect PRO12, Liberty Stadium, Friday 4th October (kick off 19:05); (15-9): C Gilroy, A Trimble, J Payne, L Marshall, M Allen, P Jackson, P Marshall; (1-8): T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick J Muller (Captain), D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, B Ross, I Henderson, R Wilson, M Heaney, S Olding, D Cave.

Game of the weekend. Really looking forward to it.  

Is there no match thread?

Not that I have seen , no idea how to start one so I posted the team on this thread.

Some interesting developments.

No Bowe? Injury? Or – whisper it – has Allen been preferred?

Payne at OC again. Gilroy at FB again.

Olding – backup 10. Just for this match… or…?

#SUFTUM
#SUFTCAB

Says Bowe has not recovered from a dead leg in the article.

Ah - just read the post properly. Dead leg for Bowe.

theshanker wrote:reland winger, Andrew Trimble, has recovered from injury and is included in the Ulster team to face Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow night (kick off 19:05).

Trimble underwent surgery on his finger three weeks ago and starts on the right wing in place of Tommy Bowe, who has failed to recover from a dead leg he sustained in the bonus point win over Treviso at Ravenhill last Friday.

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has made four changes in total. Captain Johann Muller returns, while Declan Fitzpatrick is selected at tighthead having recovered from the injury that he picked up against Connacht in Galway.

In the only other change, Nick Williams, who signed a new two-year deal with the Province this week, starts at Number 8, with Roger Wilson moving to the bench.

Ireland international centre, Stuart Olding is selected among the substitutes and is in line to make his first appearance of the season if he is called upon.

Ulster beat the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium last year, but the Welsh region have won their last 10 home games and are one of two unbeaten sides in the RaboDirect PRO12 this season.

The game will be shown live on BBC Two Northern Ireland.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Ospreys, RaboDirect PRO12, Liberty Stadium, Friday 4th October (kick off 19:05); (15-9): C Gilroy, A Trimble, J Payne, L Marshall, M Allen, P Jackson, P Marshall; (1-8): T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick J Muller (Captain), D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, B Ross, I Henderson, R Wilson, M Heaney, S Olding, D Cave.

A tad surprised to see Cave on the bench. Looking forward to see how Olding pairs with Payne. No Lutton. Maybe should have been taken off earlier last week?