Scarlets v Ulster 12th September 2015 15:00 Parc y Scarlets

Scarlets have won their last five Guinness PRO12 fixtures since Edinburgh won at Parc y Scarlets on 28th March.

This also represents their only home defeat in the tournament since Boxing Day 2013.

Ulster ended a three game winless streak in the Guinness PRO12 with their 28-6 victory over the Ospreys in Belfast on Friday. The Ulstermen have won three of their last six away games in the tournament.

Scarlets have won just one of their last eight encounters with Ulster in the PRO12: 17-9 in Llanelli on 2 November 2013. Overall the Ulstermen have a won 2, drawn 2, lost 5 record in all competitions at Parc y Scarlets.

At Parc y Scarlets, 3pm.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 2nd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy, Justin Williams (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU)
TMO: J Mason (WRU)

Live on Sky Sports
Read more at http://www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/17800.php#Ai2TBfB6KdSd17AW.99

What's this? A rookie Irish referee (who adores the Cardiff Blues) who's being guided by Welsh assistants against a Welsh side? I cry foul and Godspeed Ulster!!!!!

Scarlets have already started to mount up a decent injury list. Harry Robinson, Jordan Williams, Steffan Hughes, Josh Lewis, Wyn Jones, Rhodri Jones, Will Boyde, Morgan Allen, Rhodri Williams, and Jack Payne all missing out on this fixture, sat on the medics bench.

But given those injuries (and the internationals) we should still be looking to field a pretty decent team, pretty similar to last weekend. There are a few questions about whether it would be best to move Hadleigh Parkes into the centre instead of Reggie, and starting Tom Williams on the wing. After all Reggie is an old man now, and needs to be given a rest after putting in a full shift last week. The debate over Dan Jones or Steve Shingler at fly half is also an interesting one, depending on whether we take the attitude of trying to contain Ulster or trying to take the game to them. Also the decision on who starts at loose head is a tricky one. Rob Evans has picked up a few cards coming off the bench when he avoids them if he starts (maybe he comes on too fired up), but Phil John has been a rock of late and done nothing wrong to justify dropping him.

As for the result, I can't see past Ulster winning it.

As pleased as I was with the Ulster performance last week I won't be expecting more of the same until I see how they turn out on the day. Last season we went from the sublime to the ridiculous in the space of a week at times so fingers crossed we can keep the good start to the season going.

Pete330v2 wrote:What's this? A rookie Irish referee (who adores the Cardiff Blues) who's being guided by Welsh assistants against a Welsh side? I cry foul and Godspeed Ulster!!!!!

Presumably if he adores he Cardiff Blues he'll be doign everything possible to make sure they qualify for the RCC. Which means he wants Ulster to win. You haven't thought this through.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:What's this? A rookie Irish referee (who adores the Cardiff Blues) who's being guided by Welsh assistants against a Welsh side? I cry foul and Godspeed Ulster!!!!!

Presumably if he adores he Cardiff Blues he'll be doign everything possible to make sure they qualify for the RCC. Which means he wants Ulster to win. You haven't thought this through.

But he's a Munster man therefore his hatred for all things Ulster will override his dreams for his beloved Cardiff. Now who's thinking eh?!

Wow are we really going to go down this route on this thread too? Can't you guess just stick to one thread to argue that stuff on and leave this one purely for the game?

Really looking forward to this game. I'm not as confident as you are, Scarlets, on an Ulster win. It's not a happy hunting place for us, and a win would go against the grain of history. As much as Ulster had a good game v Ospreys, the Scarlets had a great game playing away to Glasgow. Winning that game with 11 men at the end is very impressive.
Hoping Paul Marshall is fit. He had a good game v Ospreys, and with a bit of luck he can do the same v Scarlets. Also hoping that Humphs doesn't start. I think Nelson did enough to justify a start this week (unless Jackson is available, as rumoured), and I can at least trust him in defence.
Not sure what was going on with Herbst v Ospreys, but even if it was a bit of Ospreys dark arts (I think it was), he needs to sort it out, and learn how to counter it.
I predict a tight game, and if Ulster can play as well as they did v Ospreys, then we have a fair chance. IF.

[quote="ScarletSpiderman"]Wow are we really going to go down this route on this thread too?  Can't you guess just stick to one thread to argue that stuff on and leave this one purely for the game?[/quote

Don't you understand a what a sense of humour is these days ?

Pete330v2 wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Wow are we really going to go down this route on this thread too?  Can't you guess just stick to one thread to argue that stuff on and leave this one purely for the game?

Don't you understand a what a sense of humour is these days ?

[/quote]

Well if this place descending to mods cursing at posters, and non stop Irish/Welsh bitching is humour, then no I don't understand humour anymore.

The two teams and their supporters certainly have a big rivalry these days. There's always drama when Ulster roll into town .

mikey_dragon wrote:The two teams and their supporters certainly have a big rivalry these days. There's always drama when Ulster roll into town .

At least Sanjay and Trimble are both missing so that's one normal flare point taken out the equation. Just The issue of Shingler Mawr's shoulder injury last season as a possible personal grudge amongst the players.

McShingler is in the Llanelli RFC team again, so looks like Dan Jones starting with Aled Thomas on the bench.

Trimble's not missing unless there's news of an injury I've not heard about. I've love how Sanjay seems to transform AAT to Even Angrier Andrew Trimble so it's a shame he will be missing. We'll know by lunchtime what the match day squads will be so I will make my uneducated call on the outcome then and get it entirely wrong as usual.

Oops, I forgot the Irish dropped him. That's a bit of a kick in the nuts for us.

Games like this really show how a £3.5m payroll compares to a £5.5m payroll. The depth of Ulster's squad will be way too much for the Scarlets.

(15-9): Louis Ludik, Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Rory Scholes, Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall; (1-8): Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (Captain), Wiehahn Herbst, Peter Browne, Franco Van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Willie Faloon, Nick Williams; Replacements (16-23): John Andrew, Callum Black, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold, David Busby.

Ulster team announced, no Trimble or Tuohy. Trimble has a hip injury, Tuohy injured too? No mention of why he is unavailable

There you go SS, Trimble missing after all, yet another injury
That's still a damn good Ulster backline and I've no concerns at all about the pack. You Scarlets fans are hopefully in for a treat with Stuart McCloskey coming to display his skills at Parc y Scarlets

Steff Evans, Hadleigh Parkes, Reggie King, Gareth Owen, Mikey Tagicakibau, Dan Jones, Aled Davies;
Phil John, Emyr Phillips, Pete Edwards, Tom Price, Lewis Rawlings, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay (C)
Bench: Myhill, Evans, Taylor, Earle, Pitman, Hardy, Thomas, T Williams

So only change is Rhodri Williams and Hardy in, due to a head injury.


Pete - can I delete last post apologising about saying Trimble was out, and make it look like I was in the know.

Pete330v2 wrote: You Scarlets fans are hopefully in for a treat with Stuart McCloskey coming to display his skills at Parc y Scarlets

As long as he doesn't show off his tip tackle trick we'll be ok.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:McShingler is in the Llanelli RFC team again, so looks like Dan Jones starting with Aled Thomas on the bench.

Any Scarlets fans know why McShingler has been dropped? Talk was that he would be Priestlands replacement at 1st choice 10 but he has suddenly slipped to 3rd choice at best. Any rumours going around at PYS?

Seagultaf wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:McShingler is in the Llanelli RFC team again, so looks like Dan Jones starting with Aled Thomas on the bench.

Any Scarlets fans know why McShingler has been dropped? Talk was that he would be Priestlands replacement at 1st choice 10 but he has suddenly slipped to 3rd choice at best. Any rumours going around at PYS?

I haven't heard anything to provide any reasoning for it, yet. It won't be too long before there are accusations of being lazy on the training paddock or a bad attitude, as those are usually what gets thrown out when people get dropped.

He simply hasn't shown enough, and Stephen Jones has been pleasantly suprised by Dan Jones' ability.

Strong Ulster side,so no excuses.
Pity about Trimble. Hopefully nothing too serious.
Great to see Scholes back, as well as Arnold. Really looking forward to seeing how Busby manages.
Good to see Ulster keeping faith in Nelson. Fully deserves his start.

Of course I want an Ulster won, but winding Chunky up will be the cherry on top

Munchkin wrote: winding Chunky up will be the cherry on top

At least you admit your a wind up merchant.

A loss against the millionaires of Ulster won't exactly be an embarrassment.

Munchkin wrote:Strong Ulster side,so no excuses.
Pity about Trimble. Hopefully nothing too serious.
Great to see Scholes back, as well as Arnold. Really looking forward to seeing how Busby manages.
Good to see Ulster keeping faith in Nelson. Fully deserves his start.

Great to see so many academy players in the backs hopefully the likes of Arnold, Scholes and Busby can show what they can do its just a pity its not the same in the forwards

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Munchkin wrote: winding Chunky up will be the cherry on top

At least you admit your a wind up merchant.

A loss against the millionaires of Ulster won't exactly be an embarrassment.

Pretty sure neither Rory Mcilroy or Daniel O'Donnell are playing.

#TopBantz

I forgot about Browne. He was decent last week. Showed great speed, good hands and timing.
Scholes has bags of potential and Arnold has impressed so far. We do indeed have talent coming through the ranks. As you say, Marty, we need to see more forwards coming through. Hopefully the extra IRFU money goes some way to helping that happen.

Scarlets will be absolutely murdured up front with 2 lightweight 2nd row and a lightweight back row too. They will need to have their backs firing on all cylinders if they even want to have a chance to win this.

I think if that money went towards a new forwards coach it would be money well spent

VinceWLB wrote:Scarlets will be absolutely murdured up front with 2 lightweight 2nd row and a lightweight back row too. They will need to have their backs firing on all cylinders if they even want to have a chance to win this.

Pivac seems very keen on this mobile 5 back row pack of forwards approach. Maybe he thinks this is the team to play on the hard grounds we get this time of the year. George Earle has looked very good when I have seen him play,in the past, surprised to see him benched again.

Seagultaf wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:Scarlets will be absolutely murdured up front with 2 lightweight 2nd row and a lightweight back row too. They will need to have their backs firing on all cylinders if they even want to have a chance to win this.

Pivac seems very keen on this mobile 5 back row pack of forwards approach. Maybe he thinks this is the team to play on the hard grounds we get this time of the year. George Earle has looked very good when I have seen him play,in the past, surprised to see him benched again.

The bench looks like it's got the heavy weights of the pack ready to come on against tiring legs. Earle, pitman and rob are all pretty bulky

Sad to see Trimble out again hope he gets over this injury hit period.

I can very much imagine that those expecting an Ulster win and without much stress will be confounded by a game which is close and from an Ulster point of view, one we can easily lose. Issues over the breakdown, indiscipline, number 10 and goal kicking were dealt with well against the Ospreys in a pretty strong performance, but they are waiting in the background to trip us up at some point. Drop our level a little bit and we'll see what happens. Fair play to everyone in the team and especially last week for providing a platform for Nelson to ease himself into the position, we'll need the same again.

As for Sky Sports micing up Stuart McCloskey, I think it is pointless frippery which adds nothing. Like the RefCam its 'innovative' and also adds nothing to our understanding of how the game is going; whatever would we do without shaky pictures of a players chest while he's getting told off? They will not be broadcasting it live to avoid leaking tactical information or, well, 'industrial language' should things go wrong on the pitch but I don't like anyone having recordings of our teams back line calls.

Referee didn't seem to know that you give the penalty from where the ball lands, not where it was kicked. Oh dear, not holding out much hope for him.

Somebody forgot to tell the Scarlets fans they were playing today.

Wtf. Nick Williams.

See? Indiscipline. Breakdown. Lack of game management.

Whoever this touch judge is has made 3 calls against Ulster in the last 2 minutes.

McCloskey resembles what Henderson would look like if he was a centre. An absolute animal.

Scarlets are frequently yards offside.

McCloskey is a good player, probably a future Ireland international (unless he has a Welsh granny).

Very far offside right before that strip again. Luke Marshall can't hold on to anything.

Faloon you clown

We've created overlaps and holes and then put the pass on the ground or knocked it on. There are chances to attack and we're not taking them.

Don't know why they're looking at this and not the one on McCloskey before it which was much worse- same result.

That seems extremely harsh, no?

This is far to sloppy from Ulster. They need some leadership and direction here. A darn good half time talking needed

I don't understand what that penalty is for at all