Ulster vs Saracens - HC quarter final - Saturday, 5th April 6:30pm

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Ulster vs Saracens.

Saturday 5th April at 6:30pm

First game at a newly renovated Ravenhill I believe with a new capacity of 18,000.

Ulster are currently 3rd in the Pro12 and won all their pool stages in the HC, including impressive away wins vs Leicester and Montpellier.

They have a few Irish players who were involved in the title winning 6 nations like Best and Trimble. Trimble in particular had a very good tournament.

Close to full strength in terms of their squad.

According to Ulster fans their current form hasn't been great but I take that firmly with a pinch of salt. Their latest result - a loss to Cardiff could shake any sense of complacency.


Saracens are currently the league leaders in the AP with a healthy 7 point gap off 2nd placed Saints. Just 2 losses in the AP in 18 matches which contrasts with their two losses in the pool stages of the HC. Saracens are currently the top try scorers in the AP and were top try scorers in the HC pool stages. Form wise Saracens have been comfortable without really putting in a notable performance.

Notable clashes

Best vs Brits - the Irish hooker vs the flamboyant South African who plays more like a centre - will be key in getting their teams into good positions.

Muller vs Borthwick - skipper vs skipper - both will be key in inspiring their sides.

Jackson vs Farrell - the 2nd choice Irish 10 vs the current England 10 - both will be expected to boss the game and take any opportunities and points on offer



Ulster team

15. J Payne
14. A Trimble
13. D Cave
12. L Marshall
11.T Bowe
10. P Jackson
9. R Pienaar

1. T Court
2.R Best
3. J Afoa
4.J Muller (C)
5.D Tuohy
6.R Wilson
7.N Williams
8.C Henry

16. R Herring
17.A Warwick
18.R Lutton
19.I Henderson
20.S Ferris
21.R Diack
22.P Marshall
23.C Gilroy






Saracens team



15. Alex Goode
14. Chris Ashton
13. Duncan Taylor
12. Brad Barritt
11. David Strettle
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Schalk Brits
3. James Johnston
4. Steve Borthwick ©
5. Mouritz Botha
6. Billy Vunipola
7. Jacques Burger
8. Ernst Joubert

16. Jamie George
17. Richard Barrington
18. Matt Stevens
19. Eoin Sheriff
20. Kelly Brown
21. Neil de Kock
22. Charlie Hodgson
23. Chris Wyles


Thoughts?

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh nooooo. What a let down ending.

  to the players. Superb effort.

Great defence from Sarries there, but also a great game from Ulster being down to 14.

Cari wrote:

quinsforever wrote:will the ulster players please stop appealing for penalties everytime somebody farts. jeez

Is that an offence now?!   

offensive vs offence. sensibilities vs laws. geddit?

its unmanly

S*d it.

Hard luck Ulster. Ye were magnificent. Gutted. Cant talk.

I've never been less happy to see Kelly Brown win a game

good game, but farrell's profligacy with boot made it more exciting than it should have been after payne went off.

Arggg gutted,

Would have been one of the most impressive performances I have seen if they had managed it

Glad that's over! Awesome stuff from Ulster but well done in the end to Sarries for getting through to the semis at Twickenham.

Fair play to the Sarries for hanging on, it certainly wasn't plain sailing.

Congrats Sarries, Ulster is a very difficult game away.

Ulster can be dead proud of that effort, so close in the end.

Ulster missed kicks too Quins.

Ulster were far superior, especially considering they were down to 14. Considering their budget busting team Saracens don't look too impressive and should count themselves very lucky they've got through.

Just unbelievable will and belief to play for 14 men for 75 minutes and put in a performance like that. An absolute performance to be proud of Ulster

Shoite. Well done sarries.

Gutted, what a phenomenal effort - best Ulster performance of the season so couldn't ask anymore.

we've still got the league and we'll be back next season.

SUFTUM.

That was the only way Saracens would win, playing against 14 men.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Ulster missed kicks too Quins.

to be fair not to the extent of Farrell, i think he was something like 2/6 which is very poor for him

The pantomime villains are through. To be fair, they were in a no win situation here. Win and everybody says they were playing against 14 men, lose and they are humiliated. It would have helped if Farrell hadn't left about a thousand points on the pitch. Bit worrying that from an English point of view to be honest.

Payne is really feeling the pain. He's facing his team mates.  Good man. Put it in the locker.

Tense game.

Isn't Ashton level with the Heineken Cup record tries in a tournament now? Nice to see The Splash again He's really enjoying his rugby.

That is 4 Nathan two of which were 2 pointers. Ulster missed 3 penalties.

Motm should have been Bowe. Incredible player. Are you watching Zebo?

Golden wrote:Farrells really had a shocker

Redeemed himself in the end . created the last try and kicked it. Then defensively sound.

A win is win. But that one should have been better.

Sloppy game.

madmaccas wrote:Ulster were far superior, especially considering they were down to 14. Considering their budget busting team Saracens don't look too impressive and should count themselves very lucky they've got through.

in what way were Ulster far superior?

Absolutely gutted, my nails are gone. What a F*cking game though.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Ulster missed kicks too Quins.

but not as many, and certainly not as easy.

I think we can all agree that the new Ravenhill is a quality place to play a game of rugby

LeinsterFan4life wrote:That is 4 Nathan two of which were 2 pointers. Ulster missed 3 penalties.

Farrell missed 4 penalties didnt he?

Reminded me of the Wales France World Cup game. 14 men should never have had a chance but you wouldn't have called it undeserved if they had managed a win.

Saracens were far too undisciplined. Farrell will be a very relieved man.

Absolutely gutted, my nails are gone. What a F*cking game though.

All the best to Saracens - you couldn't help it that the referee gave you the game. Hopefully Farrell won't bottle it against Clermont the way he did tonight.

madmaccas wrote:Ulster were far superior, especially considering they were down to 14. Considering their budget busting team Saracens don't look too impressive and should count themselves very lucky they've got through.

A hungry ASM await.

Gutted.

Payne was unlucky, as was Best but I think most of those Ulster players will go off that field with enhanced reputations irrespective of the result. Superhuman effort against such a strong and physical side.

Trimble once again showed what an immense player he is.

Rugby Fan wrote:Reminded me of the Wales France World Cup game.

Except there a case could be made it was a red, here that was never a red.

Cyril wrote:Tense game.

Isn't Ashton level with the Heineken Cup record tries in a tournament now? Nice to see The Splash again :)He's really enjoying his rugby.

Its a cahnt.

Oh, I think 1 of them was a conversion.

madmaccas wrote:Ulster were far superior, especially considering they were down to 14. Considering their budget busting team Saracens don't look too impressive and should count themselves very lucky they've got through.

3 tries to nil.

But yes they did well considering they had 14 men. But were not superior . not by any measure

VinceWLB wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:Reminded me of the Wales France World Cup game.

Except there a case could be made it was a red, here that was never a red.

both were reds. blame the red mist. blame the IRB. cant blame the referees for interpreting the laws as they are told to do so.

rodders wrote:Payne was unlucky, as was Best but I think most of those Ulster players will go off that field with enhanced reputations irrespective of the result. Superhuman effort against such a strong and physical side.

Trimble once again showed what an immense player he is.

Trimble has always been one of my favourite players. No one can ever question his commitment and work ethic. Really happy that he is being given some recognition.

The backlash that Ulster are going to dish out on the Rabo could be brutal. Would hate to be the next team heading to Ravenhill.

Thats as far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

Gibson wrote:Thats a far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

Well that limited team just beat Ulster...

Heartbroken for Ulster - heroes performances all round.

I wouldn't spend too long debating the red card - it was the harshest sanction, to be sure, but it looked ugly.

I cannot fancy Sarries against either Munster or Clermont.

nathan wrote:

Gibson wrote:Thats a far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

Well that limited team just beat Ulster...

14-man Ulster and were lucky to do so.

Gibson wrote:Thats as far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

Not so sure Gibson, Tigers gave them a good run today and had they not have been at home, probably would have lost.

I think Sarries can beat ASM.

Ulster were robbed. Gutted for you.

Munster v Clermont final.

Munster to win.

Good luck to Leinster tomorrow.

Gibson wrote:

nathan wrote:

Gibson wrote:Thats a far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

Well that limited team just beat Ulster...

14-man Ulster and were lucky to do so.

it was 3 tries to nil, Ulster were lucky that Farrell had an off day with his kicking.

Gibson wrote:Thats as far as that limited team go. ASM will ate them.

gibbo, thats uncharacteristically unobjective of you. Leicester got very close today to winning at ASM.

Sarries have them at twickenham, and Sarries are runaway leaders in the AP presently. And Leicester were missing several key players. I don't really like Sarries, or the way they play, but they can definitely beat ASM at HQ.