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

Four in the Fog

Now we can all put on our Montpellier rugby jerseys for tomorrow! Leicester have two away games before we go to Welford Road, albeit against two sides who are now confirmed to be out of the competition. Job done. 10 out of 10 points taken in this European window.

Was the match good?

I mean, I was watching and all but could hardly see a thing!!!!

Woooooo Hoooooo!!!!!

  

Best part of it Notch is that we didn't play well and have maybe our first choice backrow to come back, our first choice hooker and one of the best wingers around

You'd have to ask the players, they are the only ones who could see what was going on!

We got the rub of the green in that game, big time. From Brendan Williams yellow to Trimbles instant control with the foot- we got a bit of luck. What you need in this tournament.

marty2086 wrote:Didn't see us getting a bonus point today but that fog was bad   

  

Do you mean you didn't predict we would get the TBP or you couldn't see the game through the fog?

I didn't see us getting the BP after the first 30 minutes and to be fair, in the end, I didn't see it.

MrsP wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Didn't see us getting a bonus point today but that fog was bad   

  

Do you mean you didn't predict we would get the TBP or you couldn't see the game through the fog?

Both

That will do. Didn't see the BP coming at 60 minutes odd. Garner was kind enough for an away ref and I don't know how Diack was awarded his try.

I don't think the Williams call was all that bad. In the red zone too often we see similar go unpunished. It needs to be a risky play not a 'no risk' play imo.

Great result again. No idea who played well though as everyone looked the same in the fog.....

rodders wrote:Great result again. No idea who played well though as everyone looked the same in the fog.....

I don't suppose anyone was listening the Gusher today? I wonder how he coped since he can't tell one player from the next on a clear day!

  

Only unbeaten team in the cup  

Tomorrows result is massive. A win for Leicester and we most likely have to win in welford road to top the group. A loss for Leicester and we can potentially wrap up a home QF against Montpellier at ravenhill

Anyone hear how the Ireland U19s? got on this afternoon?

I can't find the score or a report.

Think they were beat with the last kick. I know no more than that

Montpellier 4/5 Leicester Tigers evens.

Bookies have it almost 50/50, Montpellier very slight favourites.

We will let them have a draw then

Ooooohhhhh!

That would be fantastic!!!

Montpellier can't catch us anyway, unless they hammer Leicester (BP) and turn us over at Ravenhill before hammering Treviso (BP).

That would give them 19 and we're on 18 right now so they are all but out unless a very unlikely sequence of results ensues with us not getting any points in Round 5 or 6 and Leicester losing to Treviso.

It was more a desire to have Montpellier at the point of disinterest by the 5th round.

Ah we'll take them at Ravenhill whatever happens!

I think they already are disinterested if the fact they are putting their seconds out at home tomorrow is anything to go by.

Belt and Braces!

Montpellier look on the verge of doing us a big favour here. Ten minutes left 14-5

You didnt half jinx that clive  

my bad...   

Just had a look there and realised we are the only unbeaten team in the competition so far this year.

Also, second highest points scored, and lowest conceded by quite some way.

clivemcl wrote:Just had a look there and realised we are the only unbeaten team in the competition so far this year.

Also, second highest points scored, and lowest conceded by quite some way.

That's great guys! Shall we see how things stand after your trip to WR though?    

tigerleghorn wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Just had a look there and realised we are the only unbeaten team in the competition so far this year.

Also, second highest points scored, and lowest conceded by quite some way.

That's great guys! Shall we see how things stand after your trip to WR though?    

Or after your trip to Treviso   

On a serious note it should be some clash, and hopefully a classic of a contest that Ulster wins of course. Either way it looks like both teams should get out of the group. Hope so anyway.

Yeah if Leicester and Ulster both win in Round 5, I think we'll probably have both teams whatever happens in Round 6. But I want the home draw and I am confident we are good enough to get 6 wins out of 6 and top the pool.

I reckon both teams will be on 24 points come Welford Road, so yes I think both groups will go through but only one with a home quarter final obviously.

Acutally, both teams will be on 24 points after the match at Welford Road.  What determines the group winner in this case?

Artful_Dodger wrote:Acutally, both teams will be on 24 points after the match at Welford Road.  What determines the group winner in this case?

Head to head in the games I think. Then it goes to either points difference or tries scored, can't remember which.

Anyway here's the top two in every other pool

Pool 1

Leinster 13
Northampton 9

Pool 2

Toulon 15
Cardiff 13

Pool 3

Toulouse 15
Saracens 15

Pool 4

Clermont 15
Harlequins 11

Pool 5

Ulster 18
Leicester 15

Pool 6

Munster 14
Gloucester 9

I honestly can't see us winning against Montpellier and going out, I don't think its even possible. If we beat Montpellier who are out we are on 22-23 points. Gloucester can't catch us then, Saints can't catch us then, Harlequins can't catch us then, Cardiff would need to pull a miraculous 2 BP wins out of the air and then Toulon would still be behind us as a result and whoever loses in France between Toulouse and Saracens can't catch us.

I think we'll go through as 1st seeds or as 7th seeds but we should probably not be worrying about other teams and targeting a final total of 26-27 points anyway. But if we're on 22 after Round 5 we'll qualify even if it goes wrong in 6, I think.

We've also scored the most tries so we are in good stead for a tiebreaker.

Yes, I think it comes down to try's scored in a tiebreak, and hopefully Leicester don't pick up too many against Treviso. We have it in us to beat Leicester away though, and a good recent away record to back that up. Feeling the butterfly's already.
Hopefully our walking wounded are back in the mix by then, and that tally isn't added too between now, and then.

No wait, Saracens have probably scored more. But we're unlikely to face a tiebreak with them.

If there is a tie betwwen 2 teams in the same group they look at the head to head record.

(1) Most match points (4 for a win etc).
(2) Tries scored .
(3) Aggregate points difference.

If the tie is between teams from different groups they look at the whole pool stage,

(1) Tries scored
(2) Aggregate points difference
(3) Red and yellow cards
(4) Draw lots!   

The odds of drawing lots are pretty astronomical.

looking forward to the game with you guys at welford road already!

I would hope so.

Was it last year it looked like one group could have ended up in a three way tie?

Didn't happen though. Not sure how they would sort that one out if it did.

I think we will win at Welford Road so long as the injury crisis doesn't get any worse. That's not a slur on tigers as they have been brilliant IMO. I just think its our year for a home QF.

We look seriously focused

One thing to bear in mind is that if we and Leicester get a identical result in Round 5 a loss by 1 to 5 points would still see us top. A loss by 6 points would still see us top provided Leicester do not score 3 tries more than us or score 4 tries total - our points difference is so superior.

Small margins just might make the difference.
One reason why 5 points at home to Montpelier may well be crucial

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