URC Round 12 Angry Men

Well 15 angry men really. The international break is over and so it club rugby through to end of season now.

Friday 22nd March 2024

Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Rugby
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ospreys v Munster
Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: BBC Wales, TG4, Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Saturday 23rd March 2024

Hollywoodbets Sharks v Ulster
Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Live on: SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Scarlets v Benetton
Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA / 17.00 SA
Live on: S4C, Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

DHL Stormers v Edinburgh Rugby
DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
Live on: SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Connacht v Emirates Lions
Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Live on: RTÉ, SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Zebre Parma v Leinster
Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma– KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: Sky Italia, RTÉ, Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Dragons RFC v Vodacom Bulls
Rodney Parade, Newport – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: S4C, SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Dragons expected to play their available internationals. Hopefully they start. It’s important we perform in front of our own support, if nothing else.

Dragons are playing in their charity shirt this weekend too. Bit of a strange game to choose in my opinion, but hopefully they do well selling them.

Yeah we, Scarlets, have some back & available.

Glasgow vs Cardiff - Cant see Cardiff winning there. Glasgow by 15.
Ospreys vs Munster - I think Ospreys can edge this. But if they win it will be close. Ospreys by 3
Sharks vs Ulster - Hard one to call. Sharks have been dire but Ulster lack confidence. Ulster by 3
Scarlets vs Treviso - Scarlets have been so dire. Treviso by 14.
Stormers vs Edinburgh - Stormers by 8
Connacht vs Lions - Connacht I reckon because of the home advantage. Probably by 10.
Dragons vs Bulls - The way were playing if we keep the Bulls under 20 it will be a miracle. Bulls by 30.
Zebre vs Leinster - Leinster by 21.

Ulster ought to be interesting, few players with injuries, a few missing for personal reasons, new coach and the Irish scrum coach involved for part of the week too. What we see in South Africa from them is anyones guess.

Sharks: Hendrikse; Masuku, Mapimpi, Hooker, Am (capt); Keyter, Fassi; Mchunu, Mbonambi, Jacobs, Etzebeth, Grobler, Buthelezi, Tshituka, Cronje.

Replacements: Van Vuuren, Nche, Koch, Rahl, Labuschagne, Wright, Bosch, Venter.

Ulster: Addison; McIlroy, Hume, McCloskey, Lowry; Burns, Cooney; Kitshoff, Stewart, O'Toole, Treadwell, Henderson (capt), Sheridan, McCann, Timoney.

Replacements: Andrew, Warwick, Wilson, Izuchukwu, Rea, Doak, Postlethwaite, Reffell.

Dragons: Cai Evans; Ewan Rosser, Joe Westwood, Steff Hughes (captain), Corey Baldwin; Will Reed, Rhodri Williams; Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Chris Coleman, Matthew Screech, George Nott, Dan Lydiate, Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rodrigo Martinez, Luke Yendle, Ben Carter, Harri Keddie, Aaron Wainwright, Dane Blacker, Jared Rosser.

It’s a pretty good bench. Can’t see us doing much, but then the game we will target more will be next week anyway (Zebre H).

neilthom7 wrote:Ulster ought to be interesting, few players with injuries, a few missing for personal reasons, new coach and the Irish scrum coach involved for part of the week too.  What we see in South Africa from them is anyones guess.

Based on what I have seen so far, I'll be honest I don't think Ulster will make the top 8. Sharks do look good in this match but Ulster are just getting bullied at times. They look so low on confidence at times.

Serious questions to be asked about the coaching as well. Think some of these players are playing on borrowed time at this point.

On to Stormers vs Edinburgh.....should be another physical game. Edinburgh are good in that area. Possibly not the most creative of teams.

I still think home advantage should see Stormers through.

wow ok fine try from Stormers.....they really are great to watch when they play like that

nice counter try from Edinburgh. Thought this might turn into a good matchup.

Edinburgh very aggressive in defence. Can they keep this going for 80 minutes in SA. Probably a big ask but fair play to them for setting a early stall out.

another good stormers try.....they look good with quick ball before Edinburgh can organise in defence.

Edinburgh are being stoic in defence. They are under a lot of pressure. Stormers look like they really are pushing for a BP win today to overtake edinburgh and get back into the top 8.

Has almost a cup final feel about this game.

Sucker punch from Stormers.....they look like they are making a statement today.

Again Edinburgh find a score to keep themselves in it just before half time....

Dragons vs bulls up next......im not feeling hopeful with this one

I hate to be harsh but so many Dragons players look out of their depth.....at this point id rather see us building for the future because this current crop is showing why we are bottom of the league.....doubt hardly anyone in that side would get employment elsewhere.....

bench has made a difference. But bulls look to much for us....

Welshmushroom wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Ulster ought to be interesting, few players with injuries, a few missing for personal reasons, new coach and the Irish scrum coach involved for part of the week too.  What we see in South Africa from them is anyones guess.

Based on what I have seen so far, I'll be honest I don't think Ulster will make the top 8.  Sharks do look good in this match but Ulster are just getting bullied at times.  They look so low on confidence at times.  

Serious questions to be asked about the coaching as well.   Think some of these players are playing on borrowed time at this point.

It is a total dog fight for places 6 to 8

I'd say Leinster, Bulls, Munster, Glasgow and Stormers are near definities

but Treviso, Lions, Connacht, Edinburgh, Ulster and Ospreys are all in with a shout
Looking at the fixtures to come I think Ospreys have too much to do and Edinburgh are likely to come up short.

Connacht and Lions have 3 games they should win
Treviso and Ulster could come down to their game at Ravenhill

It is a dog fight for sure.  Probably 6 teams going for 3 spots.  Think 3 wins in the next 6 will probably get you in there.

Ulster - Getting hammered against Stormers next weekend.  Leaves them with 5.  Two of those are inter pros against Munster & Leinster.  They probably need to win the other 3.  Scarlets away is a give me and the other two are at home against Cardiff & Benetton.  Cardiff are out of the run in too so should provide less opposition.  Benetton game probably is going to determine their top 8 status or not.  

Edinburgh - Sharks looked better last weekend so I can see Edinburgh lose this weekend as well.  Scarlets and Zebre at home should be wins.  Cardiff away, Benetton away and Munster at home are games they could win but Cardiff tie is probably the one you want out of those 3 as their season is pretty much over.

Lions - For me they will make the top 8.  They impressed me last weekend.  4 home games out of 6.  I would imagine Leinster and Munster both taking weaker squads for those as well so if they do win those 4 it won't really matter what they do for the remaining 2 away games.  That said they have the Ospreys this weekend and beating them I think will end Ospreys chances of a top 8 finish.  

Connacht - 2 easier games vs Zebre and Dragons should be on the cards.  Its the 3rd win I see could be a problem.  They probably need to win in Benetton this weekend because the other 3 fixtures look a bridge to far.  I think they might miss the top 8.  Lions loss was a bad result for their season.  

Benetton - Only one easier game against the Dragons at home.  Still the SA tour as well vs Sharks and Bulls so can't see them getting anything in those.  Connacht next weekend and Edinburgh both at homes need to be won.  But the Ulster away game could be interesting.  Winning that might be the difference between Ulster or Benetton getting top 8.

Ospreys - I dont think they really stand a chance.  Probably will only win 2 of the next 6 games which wont be enough.

Thanks for the analysis Geoff and Mushroom, very useful if not particularly good news for this Ulster supporter.