Pro12 Round 8; Ulster vs Edinburgh

First topic message reminder :

Well, the Pro12 picks up at Ravenhill on Friday night under the shadow of the impending test matches and it's because of those this match is pretty hard to call right now. Ulster are heavy favourites on form, but there's a joker in the deck; a lot will depend on what players are released from their respective national squads for the weekend

Ulster are missing 14 players from their regular squad- either to Ireland duty or injury- and a number of niggling injury worries has meant players we might normally expect to get back haven't been released.

Ulster XV & replacements to face Edinburgh, RaboDirect PRO12, Friday 2nd November, Ravenhill (7.05pm):
(15-9): R Andrew; C Cochrane, J Payne, P Wallace, C Gilroy; R Pienaar, P Marshall;
(1-8): C Black, N Brady (capt), J Afoa, L Stevenson, N McComb, S Ferris, M McComish, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-23): N Annett, R Lutton, A Macklin, R Diack, N Williams, N O'Connor, S Olding, P Nelson.

Unavailable for selection (14):
Rory Best, Tommy Bowe, Tom Court, Darren Cave, Chris Farrell, Declan Fitzpatrick, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall, Paddy McAllister, Johann Muller, Andrew Trimble, Dan Tuohy.

There's an element of rotation with Jared Payne moving to outside centre to allow Ricky Andrew to make his full Ulster debut at fullback and Roger Wilson making his first Ulster start in four years- the impressive Nick Williams will surely enjoy wreaking havoc form the bench in the second half. Whilst Ulsters depth has improved tenfold in recent times, this is a much weakened side- even if it does have a spine of experience (Brady, Afoa, Ferris, Wilson, Pienaar, Wallace, Payne).

However, Edinburgh themselves are missing 10 to the Scottish squad- Geoff Cross, David Denton, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen, Ross Rennie, Nick De Luca, Lee Jones, Greig Laidlaw, Matt Scott and Tim Visser are all taking part in preparations for Scotlands clash with New Zealand on the 11th November. Stuart McInally and Grant Gilchrist have been released to face Ulster this weekend.

Edinburgh team:

1 Yapp
2 Titterell
3 Nel
4 Gilchrist
5 McAlipne
6 Cox (Capt)
7 Grant
8 McInally
9 Leck
10 Hunter
11 Brown
12 King
13 Houston
14 Jones
15 Tonks

Subs Walker, Jacobson, Niven, VDV, Watson, Rees, Fife, Visser jnr

The absence of 21 players to either Scotland or Ireland plus injuries gives both teams a fairly unfamiliar look, with the honours likely to go to the side who adapts best.

Chris Leck did a good impression of a turnstile there...

The sexy rugby coming out now!

I think the decision was made before the ball was lost RDW.

Great try lads.

WOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!! Gilroy is a genius!

Mike Blair wouldn't have missed that tackle!

Its approaching the watershed SJE. Wait and see what we come up with after.

Oh pienaar baby.

Pienaar can do no wrong in an Ulster shirt!

So that's 3 tries we've lost in 6 minutes

Shoite! Stevenson down!!

Great try Brown! Shoite defence there lads....

2nd try for Tom Brown.

Hmmmm Stevenson down. But don't worry afoa singlehandedly holds up 3 defenders. Good response and strength from Brown to get over there.

Flip Diack into second row!

Stevenson is a big loss. All of a sudden we're a bit short of second rows, what height are you rodders?

Ah Rodders.

Stevenson could hardly walk, let alone tackle just then!

er smaller than Marsh.... might need to get Rava in there.....

Feic we're in crisis lads!

Kidney talking a load of gumph.....

"Ideally it (selection) will be on form, BUT some combinations just work together"

Good to see Kidney will be going with the tried and tested which have faired so well in the last little while!!

Ferris doesn't look right at all imo....

Next score wins this one I think! Come on lads!

Ah Gilroy!! You madman!

First game for a month Rodders!

I hope that a penalty doesn't couxt as your next score edinburgh rodders!!

Looks like you were right about Ferris...

Flip Ferris is gone! Looks in big trouble!

Lee Jones contender for worst kick of the season

Gee that was a shocker wasn't it!

Big shame seeing Ferris injured again - he's too good a player to be injured so much!!!

Edinburgh still in it - let's hope we remember how to tackle...

At least it's not the Knee again... I think

Again Edinburgh mistakes leading to us under pressure - when's the lat time a ref gave away a penalty for too many dummies? Shouldn't be happening.

Terrible call from Brady, should have taken 3 points there...

Wilson!!!!!Yesssss!!!!!!!

Once again soft tries in the first half are gonna lose us this game! 4 last week - 3 this week, can't keep doing it

New safa's coming on! He looks pumped!

he's a big lad...

he's a big lad...

So big there's an echo!

haha yup! games getting pretty exciting

Could do with getting some ball!

Really wish Pieenar hadn't just been a blood injury - he's been the difference this game (just like last time! )

Hope those changes don't disrupt us too much!

This totally sums up our season - we'd be leading just now if it wasn't for those mega-soft 2 tries in that first half

Go on sparky son!

Yesssssssss!!!!!!!!!! I you Jarod!!!!!!!!!

Tell you what - Jared Payne is a cracking player!

He has been just amazing all season RDW.

I concur!

This could be a long 10 minutes!

Aw jees thought Gilroy was away there!

McComb's had a cracking game.

Brilliant break by Rees. Edinburgh have done some good stuff tonight.