Ulster V Scarlets

Ulster

15. J Payne
14. C Gilroy
13. D Cave
12. L Marshall
11. M Allen
10. P Jackson
9. R Pienaar

1. T Court
2. R Herring
3. J Afoa
4. J Muller (Capt)
5. I Henderson
6. R Wilson
7. S Doyle
8. N Williams

Replacements
16. N Annett
17. C Black
18. R Lutton
19. R Diack
20. M McComish
21. P Marshall
22. R Scholes
23. R Andrew

Scarlets

15. Jordan Williams
14. Kristian Phillips
13. Gareth Maule
12. Adam Warren
11. Frazier Climo
10. Aled Thomas
9. Gareth Davies

1. Phil John
2. Kirby Myhill
3. Samson Lee
4. George Earle
5. Johan Snyman
6. Josh Turnbull
7. John Barclay
8. Rob McCusker (capt)

Replacements
16. Emyr Phillips
17. Rob Evans
18. Jacobie Adriaanse
19. Richard Kelly
20. Sione Timani
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Olly Barkley
23. Gareth Owen


Referee: Leighton Hodges
Assistants: Gary Conway, Gary Glennon (Ire)
Tmo: Simon McDowell (Ire) Assessor: Jack Young (Ire)

Both teams are fairly strong for this fixture, good to see. All but three of our fit internationals are back, of course we're missing Dan Tuohy and Tommy Bowe to injury as well but we're in decent shape. With five first choice players out I'm not sure where it ranks on the Scrumpy-o-meter but most people would say its a strong team

It's crazy that John Barclay isn't involved with Scotland- absolutely nuts.

I was tempted to put down the Scarlets have only 3 of their 11 welsh lads back, and also Leighton Hodges hates us, in the OP so that when I use that as an excuse after the game it doesn't count as whinging.

But realistically that is a pretty strong Scarlets side, and this could be a good chance for us. We usually end up playing Ulster when we are under powered, so this time with both having the 6Ns to contend with, we should can go looking for the double (first time in bloody ages).

Fighting talk   

Personally I'm hoping for a big reaction after last weeks poor performance. We can't afford to drop any points in these next two home games.

 

ScarletSpiderman wrote:I was tempted to put down the Scarlets have only 3 of their 11 welsh lads back, and also Leighton Hodges hates us, in the OP so that when I use that as an excuse after the game it doesn't count as whinging.

But realistically that is a pretty strong Scarlets side, and this could be a good chance for us.  We usually end up playing Ulster when we are under powered, so this time with both having the 6Ns to contend with, we should can go looking for the double (first time in bloody ages).

It still counts as whinging I'm afraid Spidey!

  

  

Weather looks absolutely dire for tommorrow.

Scarlets have a fairly strong pack out but no accurate kicker unlike Ulster. Still could be a close one.

MrsP, to be honest I would rather see David Humphreys as the ref that the Muppet we have, odds are he would be less one eyed against us.

Vince, is it just wet, or very strong winds too? If its just wet the Scarlets should be ok, Jordan Williams is a long range option, and Climo hit 85%ish, not sure exact figure, for tarakani last season so we should be ok. But if it is windy, then it could be a nice of missed kicks.

Rain/sleet/snow across NI but in the city it'll hopefully just be rain. Just hope the weather is such the game can go ahead.

6 degrees and guaranteed Rain with a moderate wind seems to be the forecast

Hopefully it will be a good game but the weather will have a very big factor and I think would help the Ulster.
Our team look fairly strong, Samson is a huge boost and i hope he has a stormer at scrum time.
We're so lucky that Scott Johnson has no eye for international rubgy, Ther weather should suit Barclay tomorrow.   

Climo is a very accurate goalkicker and the weather is consistently bloody awful in New Plymouth, so Fraz will be used to these conditions.

From the last few matches I saw, John Barclay is starting to boss the breakdown again - his currently exclusion from the Scotland squad being yet another inexplicable thing inside the blamange of Scott Johnson's brain.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:
Vince, is it just wet, or very strong winds too?  If its just wet the Scarlets should be ok, Jordan Williams is a long range option, and Climo hit 85%ish, not sure exact figure, for tarakani last season so we should be ok.  But if it is windy, then it could be a nice of missed kicks.

It is most certainly going to be quite windy i think :/ maybe the new stands can alter it a bit..

One question for you Spider, if Climo's numbers are anything to go by, why i have seen Priestland -who lets face it is an average kicker- taking kicks and missing quite a few of them while Climo was playing?

Jhamer25 wrote:Hopefully it will be a good game but the weather will have a very big factor and I think would help the Ulster.
 

Cant agree with that

5 years ago I would say yes, but Ulster tend to struggle in bad weather these days.
I would far more confident if it was good weather

Vince, Priest has been up in the high percentages this season for kicking, and Climo didn't arrive until November (I believe) so that is why Priest has been kicking.

Really looking forward to this game.

Just looked at the Scarlet remaining fixtures -: Ulster (A), Edinburgh (H), Munster (H), Glasgow (A), Connacht (H), Blues (MS), Dragons (H), Blues (H)

IF we can pick up some points in this game I think we could start a march on the play off spots, as we should realistically win our home games (bar Munster maybe), and hopefully pick up LBPs minimum in the away games.

Very strong looking Ulster side - whats yer man Scholes like?

Any news on Ferris and when he's likely to return?

Scholes is the best of the backs who have yet to make it in the first XV.

The lad is a real prospect - I'd take him above Andrew, Allen, Cochrane, McIlwaine, etc any day - much better than all of them

Ferris is not playing further delays - I have to say I seriously wonder.
I'd settle for him playing any rugby this year for anybody

8 games left after this - for someone out of the game as long as Ferris, you would assume he would need 4/5/6 games for other teams whether AIL or Ravens, before he would even be considered for Ulster 1st XV. So... I'd say he would only be in contention for our last few league games if anything.

I imagine Anscombe is not the type to be sentimental about Ferris and will make him work hard to earn a place.

Is there a chance this game will get postponed?
Are the Scarlets already there in Belfast?

Just thinking flights & high winds either arriving or leaving...

If winds are as they predict...it wont be a spectacle..or even playable at all

Possible postponment to tomorrow?

Its been pushed back from 7:05pm to 7:15pm. Have the forecasters gotten super accurate? A particularly forceful gust forecast for 7.10pm? Weird

Haha!!
Yes..they are accurate!
But worse weather than last ...u cant play rugby in that....nice valentines night in the stand too!!

Game will be subject to a pitch inspection this afternoon

Sounds like this one may get canned..... the weather up this way is apocalyptic....

rodders wrote:Sounds like this one may get canned..... the weather up this way is apocalyptic....

All those romantic evenings at rain soaked Ravenhill will be ruined now  

Games off and what I have heard it was not even a close decision.
It could not have been played on an hour ago and more rain is forecast

Balls, its off.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/ulster-rugby-match-against-scarlets-at-ravenhill-called-off-due-to-waterlogged-pitch-30010727.html

The pictures show its pretty bad, they are apparently looking into playing it tomorrow but forecast isn't much better and can't see the pitch recovering enough in 24 hours to be playable

Its one thing re-arranging the game for tomorrow, but magically creating a BBC NI slot is unlikely. TV coverage may be doubtful.

clivemcl wrote:Its one thing re-arranging the game for tomorrow, but magically creating a BBC NI slot is unlikely. TV coverage may be doubtful.

Red button? Doubt it will get the go ahead tomorrow, but fingers crossed.

According to someone on Scarlets, it's the fault of Pro12. Didn't know they had God like powers   

Hearing now that the game won't be played tomorrow.

Munchkin wrote:Hearing now that the game won't be played tomorrow.

I bet Roger Lewis is behind the failed pitch inspection, and postponement of the game, after all it was a WRU appointed ref. Cheap trick to make us bankrupt by having to pay to travel back and fore.   

Really disappointed that the game is off but not at all surprised. It's a shame- Jackson, Marshall and Henderson could have really used the game time.

But it's not a shame in terms of the quality of the rugby that would have been played in this weather. We'd probably have been treated to a 6-6 draw.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Hearing now that the game won't be played tomorrow.

I bet Roger Lewis is behind the failed pitch inspection, and postponement of the game, after all it was a WRU appointed ref.  Cheap trick to make us bankrupt by having to pay to travel back and fore.     

   ... and with Ulster not being great playing in the wet, I would say also the IRFU   

Disappointing for the Scarlet fans that have travelled, but hope they have a great time in Belfast, and manage to lift their mood a bit.

Notch, sadly a 6-6 draw would have been a better result for the Scarlets than if we play back end of the season on a dry pitch.

It wont be played tomorrow.

Whoever came up with that one was well wide of the mark

[quote="ScarletSpiderman"][quote="Munchkin"]Hearing now that the game won't be played tomorrow. [/quote]

I bet Roger Lewis is behind the failed pitch inspection, and postponement of the game, after all it was a WRU appointed ref.  Cheap trick to make us bankrupt by having to pay to travel back and fore.     [/quote]

Love it