Cardiff Blues v Ulster Friday 17th February, Cardiff Arms Park (kick off 7.05pm):

Ulster Match Day Squad to face Cardiff, Friday 17th February 2012, Cardiff Arms Park (kick-off 7.05pm)
(15-9): S Terblanche; C Gilroy, N Spence, P Wallace, I Whitten; I Humphreys, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, N Brady, J Afoa, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, C Henry (capt), W Faloon, R Diack;
Replacements (16-23): A Kyriacou, P McAllister, A Macklin, T Barker, M McComish, P Marshall, S Danielli, A D'Arcy

Unavailable due to injury: Jared Payne (achilles), Declan Fitzpatrick (neck), Darren Cave (foot), Pedrie Wannenburg (foot), Johann Muller (calf), Ali Birch (knee)

Cardiff XV: 15 Ben Blair 14 Richard Mustoe 13 Gavin Evans 12 Gavin Henson 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Lloyd Williams 8 Xavier Rush 7 Josh Navidi 6 Michael Paterson 5 Paul Tito (c) 4 Cory Hill 3 Scott Andrews 2 Ryan Tyrell 1 John Yapp

Replacaments: 16 T Rhys Thomas 17 Nathan Trevett 18 Ryan Harford 19 Maama Molitika 20 Martyn Williams 21 Richie Rees 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Chris Czekaj

BLUES Rava, BLUES ffs man !!

Muller still injured so Henry will captain the team. Thoughts on a possible starting lineup?

Court
Kyriacou
Afoa
Barker
Tuohy
Diack
Falloon
Henry
Pienaar
Humphries
Whitten
Wallace
Spence
Gilroy
Terblanche

McAllister, Macklin, Brady, Stevenson, McComish, Marshall, Marshall & D'Arcy

After last week I'd play Tuohy or McComb at 6 with Henry and Faloon.

Diack and McCormish should be droped

PenfroPete wrote:BLUES Rava, BLUES ffs man !!

Ulster are playing Auckland in Cardiff on Friday? Wow! Is it on the telly?

Good man Rava -
Doesn't help when you get that fcukwit Jiffy calling them Cardiff, the Scarlets = Llanelli and the Dragons he calls Newport
What chance has 'regionalism' got ?

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

PenfroPete wrote:BLUES Rava, BLUES ffs man !!

Ulster are playing Auckland in Cardiff on Friday? Wow! Is it on the telly?

No, but maybe Belfast v Auckland is

PenfroPete wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

PenfroPete wrote:BLUES Rava, BLUES ffs man !!

Ulster are playing Auckland in Cardiff on Friday? Wow! Is it on the telly?

No, but maybe Belfast v Auckland is

Ahhh. Now I get it. Cardiff is in the province of Blues. Part of which is in a different country to Cardiff...... Makes sense now. Thanks

I don't get it.. the official website for the "Blues" is called Cardiff Blues. No need to get all worked up about someone calling them Cardiff Blues if that is what they are called..

Jenny - the point I'm trying to (rather hamfistedly) make, is that they are CARDIFF BLUES not Cardiff. It's a small but appreciable difference.

Personally, I'd like to see BLUES, DRAGONS, OSPREYS and SCARLETS as the 'official' names and each region to play at least some games away from their HQ

So is saying Cardiff Blues okay, as long as you don't just say Cardiff?

PS - I know Rava personally and I was trying to take da pi$$ out of him

PenfroPete wrote:Jenny - the point I'm trying to (rather hamfistedly) make, is that they are CARDIFF BLUES not Cardiff. It's a small but appreciable difference.

Personally, I'd like to see BLUES, DRAGONS, OSPREYS and SCARLETS as the 'official' names and each region to play at least some games away from their HQ

It's OK Pete. I know exactly what you're at, and I don't envy you the issues that SOME people have with the regions. I was just acting the boll1x with you.

They do still have Cardiff in the official name though. (as do the Dragons have Newport) The Ospreys were the first to drop the geography then the Scarlets. Can the others not get a move on?

Rava wrote:Muller still injured so Henry will captain the team. Thoughts on a possible starting lineup?

Court
Kyriacou
Afoa
Barker
Tuohy
Diack
Falloon
Henry
Pienaar
Humphries
Whitten
Wallace
Spence
Gilroy
Terblanche

McAllister, Macklin, Brady, Stevenson, McComish, Marshall, Marshall & D'Arcy

I don't see why Stevenson and D'Arcy will.should be dropped. I expect the players to make way will be Callum Black, and then Mike McComish and Ian Whitten. Other than that same team as last week with Spence moving to 13.

Agree with Notch. Stevenson and Barker in 2nd row I feel would be a good option, with Tuohy at 6. D'Arcy at 15.

Erm... anywaaaaaaaay...

We are not going to get by with a backrow as poor as the one that (got out-) played at home aginst the (Wherever) Dragons. Neither Tuohy nor McComb has been fantastic in the back-row, however, and I am really coming to appreciate just how much we rely on Pedrie.

Henry will help a lot, and he'll bring more leadership than Afoa.

I think Ulster will have too much for Cardiff in this game and win by about 10 points

I don't think shoving a second row in the blindside shirt is the answer. If Henry is at 8, he'll have less responsibility for the breakdowns than he would at 6 or 7. Which seems counter-productive as he's our best breakdown forward!

His remit will be scrapping for everything.

Cardiff Blues, you can shorten it to last name blues, but not to first name Cardiff.

I wonder if they did just use Blues on advertising would the NZ team only up a court case against them?

I think Stevenson should start also, D'arcy at fullback. Barker I feel sorry for, having played a lot a of games last season, and playing well in them, he finds himself down teh peaking order getting very few games. I'd start Stevenson and Barker with big T on the bench.

If we can will this game it would go a long way to wards the playoff spots, we're a point ahead of Cardiff, but the blues have a game against NGD in hand. A win wiould see us put a bit of a gap between us. A loss and they'll be harder to catch.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

PenfroPete wrote:Jenny - the point I'm trying to (rather hamfistedly) make, is that they are CARDIFF BLUES not Cardiff. It's a small but appreciable difference.

Personally, I'd like to see BLUES, DRAGONS, OSPREYS and SCARLETS as the 'official' names and each region to play at least some games away from their HQ

It's OK Pete. I know exactly what you're at, and I don't envy you the issues that SOME people have with the regions. I was just acting the boll1x with you.

They do still have Cardiff in the official name though. (as do the Dragons have Newport) The Ospreys were the first to drop the geography then the Scarlets. Can the others not get a move on?

Precisely, but leave all the being a wee boll!x to Rava. He's the master
I believe the issue with the Cardiff Blues is historically 2-fold.
A) when they previously played at the Arms Park it was written in the deed of gift (way back when) that any team playing rugby there had to play in Blue
B) as you alluded to, Auckland have the rights to Blues on it's own

With Newport Gwent Dragons - I believe originally the Newport RFC fans said they'd boycott the region if it didn't have Newport in the title. When the region started the chant was 'Newport, Newport' but slowly over time that has changed to 'Dragons, Dragons'

Blues will have to improve on their performance against Connacht, but with hopefully another big crowd at CAP (they have upped teh limit this week to 9,000) should really give the team a boost.

It'll be ineteresting to see if they play Tom James in the centre again. I hope not, for me that didn't really work last week.

Would love the Blues to get a win and start building a really positive vibe for their season.

Shovey - surely a draw would suit the Scarlets ?

From a Scarlet pov - yes it would, but form a Welsh pov, I want a Blues win (and they are my 2nd region after all )

There's a nice little rugby buzz in the 'Diff at the moment, especially coming off the back of Wales' performances. Blues should do their absolute best to build on this, especially as two of their players performed so well for Wales on the weekend. Add them playing at CAP - perfect time to get a real surge of positivity into the region and team

Ulster are a tough side though, it'll be hard for the Blues. They need to step up another level for sure.

Definitely Dreamer - would you be interested in going to the 'Ball' again on Friday, seeing as they are your "second region" ? I believe another one of the "Coven" was looking to go too. I may be able to sort out some tickets

ha, less of this "Coven" talk please!

And diolch for the offer, but I'm heading back West to Scarlet country this weekend, so shall have to give it a miss this time.

Have a grand time

When I was a little child my best friend was called Phoebe-Anne. I called to see if see could come out to play one summer evening.

Her mum answered the door and I asked very politely,

"Can Phoebe come out to play?"

Her mum said,

"No, I can't come out but my daughter Phoebe-Anne can!"

I didn't know that was her mum's name but it was a fairly precious response to an 8 year old.

The story always comes to mind when we play this particular region.

Sale Sharks can be Sale or The Sharks...no problem.
Leicester Tigers can be Leicester or The Tigers....no problem.
Similarily with Glasgow Warriors, Edinburgh Gunners and many more. The problem lies with the people who named the club not the people who use that name.

If you don't want it calling Cardiff then don't have it in the name.

My team would be

Court
Kyri (did rightly against Dragons)
Afoa
Stevenson
Tuohy
Henry
Faloon
Diack (i still remember when....)
Pienaar
Humph
Gilroy
Wallace
Spence
D'arcy
Terblanche

McAllister, Brady, Macklin, Barker, Marshall, Whitten, Danielli.

MrsP wrote:When I was a little child my best friend was called Phoebe-Anne. I called to see if see could come out to play one summer evening.

Her mum answered the door and I asked very politely,

"Can Phoebe come out to play?"

Her mum said,

"No, I can't come out but my daughter Phoebe-Anne can!"

I didn't know that was her mum's name but it was a fairly precious response to an 8 year old.

The story always comes to mind when we play this particular region.

That reminds me of a time that I asked for a bus ticket to derry at the Europa bus station.... ....

not quite the same MrsP. Cardiff would be Cardiff RFC, that's completely different from the Blues/Cardiff Blues.

As a Welsh poster when I see people referring to the team Cardiff, I don't think of the Blues, I think of the Welsh premiership rugby club.

It would be helful if the Blues dropped it form the name though, just to make it easier for people outside of Wales if for nothing else!

The Blues will never drop their precious CARDIFF title from the name. Iv never met one Cardiff fan who has suggested otherwise

Really, Jimmy? I have, and quite a few actually

rugbydreamer wrote:Really, Jimmy? I have, and quite a few actually

Glad to here it. Did these people make a recommendation to the Cardiff Blues board of directors?

roddersm wrote:

MrsP wrote:When I was a little child my best friend was called Phoebe-Anne. I called to see if see could come out to play one summer evening.

Her mum answered the door and I asked very politely,

"Can Phoebe come out to play?"

Her mum said,

"No, I can't come out but my daughter Phoebe-Anne can!"

I didn't know that was her mum's name but it was a fairly precious response to an 8 year old.

The story always comes to mind when we play this particular region.

That reminds me of a time that I asked for a bus ticket to derry at the Europa bus station.... ....

Or the time in the early 80s when I got off a train in Lisburn and asked the man in the shop for 20 Major in a Dublin accent......

"We don't sell those" OK Can I have 20 Rothmans then?
"We don't sell those" But there they are on the shelf

Being about 18 and never having been north of the border it took me a while to cop on..... But once I did, I turned it into the Monty Python cheeseshop sketch.

Fair play to the guy he kept it up until I had named practically everything in his shop and got bored.

Wasn't there a touring team who made that mistake recently?

They thought they were to play the Cardiff Blues when in fact they had arranged the fixture with Cardiff RFC.

Oooops!

I think the main problem with identity seems to lie with the Welsh fans themselves and how they view regionalisation rather than with the fans from other countries. When they refer to the region as Cardiff they are probably trying to make a point whereas when everyone else use that name they are just shortening the full name with no other agenda.

I would never call The Scarlets, LLanielli. Not least because it so blooming difficult to spell!

Do you think there are many who will go because it is at the Arms Park?

It would be helpful if Cardiff and Llanelli dropped their records in the Heineken Cup to be honest; or if the Blues and the Scarlets simply traced their Heineken Cup record to the first season they competed as full regions. Because they both trace their Heineken up debuts back to a time period before the formation of the regions. Both are in the elite "100 club"- teams that have played over 100 games in the Heineken Cup.

So when they say, as far as the ERC are concerned, that Cardiff and the Blues are the same entity... well it confuses me.

Jenifer,

I'm sure the good Lisburn shop keeper was just looking after your health!!!



Ah, the bad old days eh?

Jimmy - I haven't a clue sorry I didn't ask! just got chatting to some Blues fans on the terracing last week at the game v Connacht and they were a bit annoyed that the fans kept chanting Cardiff. They want it taken out of their teams name, can't see it happening any time soon though.

ha, it confuses everyone I think, Notch!

Don't think the Scarlets would have had many fans left mind if they'd dropped all of Llanelli from their history though, twas pretty crucial they kept it, if only from a marketing perspective and to appease the fans (plus, we were a region before anyways )

MrsP - you bet there will be many that go, 8,000 turned up against Connacht, and they're increasing the limit to 9,000 for this one, so they should get that to. Blues fans have been crying out for games at CAP for a couple of seasons now, tis up to them to make the most of it now they have the opportunity of going there again.

And the only people I know that refer to the Cardiff Blues as just Cardiff are those who are still completely anti-regionalism. Can see how that confuses it more for other people though!

I don't see how it confuses anyone as Cardiff RFC don't play in the RABO?

Or those who are not Welsh?

I think one of the funniest things that's happened to me on here is being accused of wumming for referring to the Blues as Cardiff. Plain ignorance (on my part)! From that point on I was always very careful to refer to Cardiff as the Blues.

Er... I need to go and lie down now

That's what I mean. When a Welsh fan calls them Cardiff they are trying to make a point but the rest of us just do it in the same way we call the Tigers Leicester at times. No agenda at all.

Notch wrote:It would be helpful if Cardiff and Llanelli dropped their records in the Heineken Cup to be honest; or if the Blues and the Scarlets simply traced their Heineken Cup record to the first season they competed as full regions. Because they both trace their Heineken up debuts back to a time period before the formation of the regions. Both are in the elite "100 club"- teams that have played over 100 games in the Heineken Cup.

So when they say, as far as the ERC are concerned, that Cardiff and the Blues are the same entity... well it confuses me.

It seems even Cardiff Blues themselves are confused.
From their website, one page states 100 european appearances the other states 61;

http://www.cardiffblues.com/rugby/europe.php
http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/5650.php

then why refer to Cardiff then, Rodders?

I know posters from other countries don't have an agenda, just don't think it hurts when its pointed out that the team they are talking about aren't playing Cardiff, they're playing the Cardiff Blues/Blues.

Or you may come a cropper like Notch did and be called a wum!

rugbydreamer wrote:And the only people I know that refer to the Cardiff Blues as just Cardiff are those who are still completely anti-regionalism

I call the Cardiff, Llanelli and Newport superclubs by what they are. Its like Wigan Warriors or Leeds Rhinos...I can still call them 'Wigan' and 'Leeds'

I am all for regionalism. Its just a shame we dont have any in Wales yet

Dreamer,

I meant will many go because it's at CAP rather than CCS?

Are the 2 very far apart or are there folk who just wont go to CCS?

Same with me Notch, its easier to tie a team to their location. Blues is more confusing because its so ambigious.

Ospreys, Scarlets and Dragons are a bit more distinctive and logical at least.

MrsP - aha I get you now. Tis only a 20 min walk from CAP to CSS, so yes, many many more will go because its at CAP not CCS. if you belive the rumours, there's been about 3K or so fans that have refused to go and watch the Blues simply because the games are at CCS.

After a few seasons of complaining they've finally got their wish to be playing some games back at CAP.

rugbydreamer wrote:then why refer to Cardiff then, Rodders?

Because everyone outside Wales is more likely to be talking about AUCKLAND BLUES than Cardiff RFC when we are talking about provincial/regional rugby. So if someone says Blues I rely on the context to know which top-level team they are talking about. If they say Cardiff, there's no confusion, because Cardiff Blues are the only Pro team with Cardiff in their name. Simple

I think I'll continue calling them Cardiff Blues, as that is what I've always known them as. As long as you stick Blues at the end of it, then is it alright?

Notch wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:then why refer to Cardiff then, Rodders?

Because everyone outside Wales is more likely to be talking about AUCKLAND BLUES than Cardiff RFC when we are talking about provincial/regional rugby. So if someone says Blues I rely on the context to know which top-level team they are talking about. If they say Cardiff, there's no confusion, because Cardiff Blues are the only Pro team with Cardiff in their name. Simple

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