KINGSPAN ULSTER v TOYOTA CHEETAHS

RAVESPAN STADIUM
Friday 1st September 2017 19:35pm

Team: Please see in comments
Ref, TMO etc: See above

I'll have a wee guess at the starting XV, shouldn't be difficult really.

1. McCall
2. Herring
3. Herbst
4. AOC
5. Browne
6. Deysel
7. Henry
8. Coetzee
9. Cooney
10. Leali'ifano
11. Piutau
12. McCloskey
13. Patterson
14. Trimble
15. Ludik

Obviously 11 and 15 will probably be reversed despite evidence against doing it.

A few selections to debate

13- Bowe may get the shirt (I wouldn't pick him)
2- Andrew had better form at the tail end of last season
5- Diack looked strong against Wasps

Have to say I'm a bit worried about this game... If its goes badly it may be very bad

13 could be Cave as well if he achieves fitness and would be the best choice but Bowe at 13 isn't what we need in a competitive game. Very likely to happen mind you as that's where it looks like they'll try to force him in. I didn't think of Andrew and should have, definitely looked good last season. Diack........I'll never be a fan but he could be a bench spot.

Going to be interesting to see how Cheetahs fit in to the new comp, will they be competitive?

I think the Cheetahs will thump most teams and get thumped by a couple

I think they'll beat us on opening night. Match fit with all their combinations and calls well practiced and fully functioning versus Ulster, faltering in the preseason, new combinations and calls, missing players who played 20 minutes with the IRFU etc.
If I were a betting man I'd put some hard earned moolah on the Cheetahs.

The word is Cooney and Reidy available this week

Treadwell and Marshall next
I am assuming Stockdale as well

Pete330v2 wrote:I think they'll beat us on opening night. Match fit with all their combinations and calls well practiced and fully functioning versus Ulster, faltering in the preseason, new combinations and calls, missing players who played 20 minutes with the IRFU etc.
If I were a betting man I'd put some hard earned moolah on the Cheetahs.

Agreed. Far too much disruption - Gibbes and Peel's first competitive game. Lions unavailable, half of the Ireland tourers unavailable. Lealifano having just arrived.

The only way I think we'll win is if the occasion gets to the Cheetahs.

Ironically, given all the gnashing of teeth and wailing about tour back row, it may well be one of our strongest units. Missing both first choice second rows, four centres, first choice out-half and the captain.

Also, we're not Kingspan Ulster, thank you very much.

Ulster Rugby.

Don Alfonso wrote:Also, we're not Kingspan Ulster, thank you very much.

Ulster Rugby.

Yes I'm well aware of that, it was a little joke re: Toyota reference for the Cheetahs thank you very much.

Pete330v2 wrote:

Don Alfonso wrote:Also, we're not Kingspan Ulster, thank you very much.

Ulster Rugby.

Yes I'm well aware of that, it was a little joke re: Toyota reference for the Cheetahs thank you very much.

Yeah, I know.

Well i thought it was funny Pete, don't forget about BT Sport Go Ulster

I like that better - it's like one of those mental Japanese cartoon titles.

Come and watch Godspeed UltraBrave Warrior Ulster!

Super Fun Crazy-Time Ulster Go!!!!

Non commercially it's more Afrikaans Presbyterian Born Again Ulster

Good Luck to the Nordie Saffers!

Am worried about 2 things:

1. The Cheetah Girls don't know how chilly it can be in Belfast.
2. That they may have discontinued the Cheetah Girls: http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/Gallery.aspx?CID=151

Surely not.

George Carlin wrote:Am worried about 2 things:

1. The Cheetah Girls don't know how chilly it can be in Belfast.
2. That they may have discontinued the Cheetah Girls: http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/Gallery.aspx?CID=151

Surely not.

Might save the lasses for home games. Don't want multiple cases of hypothermia every away game.

Ulster Rugby team to play Toyota Cheetahs, Friday 1st September at Kingspan Stadium, kick-off 7.35pm:

(1-8): Kyle McCall, Rob Herring, Wiehahn Herbst, Robbie Diack, Alan O'Connor, Jean Deysel, Chris Henry (captain), Marcell Coetzee;
(9-15): John Cooney, Christian Lealiifano, Louis Ludik, Stuart McCloskey, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Charles Piutau.

Replacements (16-23): John Andrew, Callum Black, Rodney Ah You, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Peter Nelson, Darren Cave.

Why is Bowe starting if Cave is fit? McCloskey/Cave is a potentially very strong midfield. Maybe cause Cave hasn't gotten any game-time. Delighted McCall gets the nod ahead of Black. Glad to see Rea on the bench as well. That doesn't look like a Kiss call.

Just out of curiosity what will the weather be like for the game and do Ulster use a synthetic pitch?

Don Alfonso wrote:Glad to see Rea on the bench as well. That doesn't look like a Kiss call.

Maybe more to do with no more Clarke

yappysnap wrote:Just out of curiosity what will the weather be like for the game and do Ulster use a synthetic pitch?

Not on your nelly, Ulster have a beautiful grass turf! Weather looks to be pleasant enough.

Is rugby on plastic turf a different game? When I watch it, it always looks more like rugby league

marty2086 wrote:

Don Alfonso wrote:Glad to see Rea on the bench as well. That doesn't look like a Kiss call.

Maybe more to do with no more Clarke

Excellent point. Suspect that's nail on head.

Toyota Cheetahs

15 – Sergeal Petersen
12 – Rosko Specman
13 – William Small-Smith
12 – Ali Mgijima
11 – Makazole Mapimpi
10 – Clayton Blommetjies
9 – Shaun Venter

1 – Charles Marais
2 – Jacques du Toit
3 – Johan Coetzee
4 – Justin Basson
5 – Reniel Hugo
6 – Paul Schoeman
7 – Henco Venter
8 – Niell Jordaan (Captain)

Substitutes

16 – Torsten van Jaarsveld
17 – Ox Nche
18 – Tom Botha
19 – Rynier Bernardo
20 – Gerhard Olivier
21 – Tian Meyer
22 – Cecil Afrika
23 – Ryno Benjamin

Missing a few players too due to Internationals- Rhule, Venter and Mohoje.

toml wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Just out of curiosity what will the weather be like for the game and do Ulster use a synthetic pitch?

Not on your nelly, Ulster have a beautiful grass turf! Weather looks to be pleasant enough.

Is rugby on plastic turf a different game? When I watch it, it always looks more like rugby league

Just thinking that's what the cheetahs will be more used to, hard dirt pitches and plastic pitches. Their helter skelter style may struggle to begin with.

Everyone's off the floor quicker on plastic, I dont think rucks last as long, but that's just my opinion

The only real loss there is Venter. Otherwise a decent squad. I am very interested to see how the Cheetahs pack will perform, they aren't renowned for dominating set piece.

Biltong wrote:The only real loss there is Venter. Otherwise a decent squad. I am very interested to see how the Cheetahs pack will perform, they aren't renowned for dominating set piece.

Their pack's hitherto uncelebrated renown will be kindled on Friday - after all the Cheetahs have:
1. a pack of 8 forwards
2. they're South African
3. and they have an Ox on the bench

... more than enough to handle Ulster.

Piutau and Ludik reversed as usual as expected but hey, that's Les for you. Bowe included despite his failings at 13 but that seems to be where his future is deemed, strange when Cave is head and shoulders the better 13 and fit. Is this going to be another season of head scratching for us?

Excited to see how Lealiifano gets on. The guy is a wizard and thanks to the Aussie franchises tanking this year should be a lot fresher than most other players who have just put in a full Super Rugby season.

Looking at that list of players for Ulster, I reckon the vheetahs aregoing to struggle

Biltong wrote:Looking at that list of players for Ulster, I reckon the vheetahs aregoing to struggle

Not so sure Biltong, we have a winger at centre, a winger at fullback and a full back/centre on the wing. I think our backline was selected using a lottery system. I mean even Munster have an Ulster centre playing at centre.

On the Munster subject, how come they are allowed to have Conway while we have to continue resting Stockdale?

Robbie Diack, Jean Deysel, Marcell Coetzee, Christian Lealiifano, Louis Ludik, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Charles Piutau.

These are all class players the Cheetahs squad can't match easily

Biltong wrote: Robbie Diack, Jean Deysel,  Marcell Coetzee, Christian Lealiifano, Louis Ludik, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Charles Piutau.

These are all class players the Cheetahs squad can't match easily

You forget the Ulster way of making a pigs ear out of a silk purse

marty2086 wrote:Toyota Cheetahs

15 – Sergeal Petersen
12 – Rosko Specman
13 – William Small-Smith
12 – Ali Mgijima
11 – Makazole Mapimpi
10 – Clayton Blommetjies
9 – Shaun Venter

1 – Charles Marais
2 – Jacques du Toit
3 – Johan Coetzee
4 – Justin Basson
5 – Reniel Hugo
6 – Paul Schoeman
7 – Henco Venter
8 – Niell Jordaan (Captain)

Substitutes

16 – Torsten van Jaarsveld
17 – Ox Nche
18 – Tom Botha
19 – Rynier Bernardo
20 – Gerhard Olivier
21 – Tian Meyer
22 – Cecil Afrika
23 – Ryno Benjamin

Interesting to see Mark Robson's strangulated pronunciation of the Cheetahs 10-12-13

Pete330v2 wrote:

Biltong wrote: Robbie Diack, Jean Deysel,  Marcell Coetzee, Christian Lealiifano, Louis Ludik, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Charles Piutau.

These are all class players the Cheetahs squad can't match easily

You forget the Ulster way of making a pigs ear out of a silk purse

Do think it's a weird selection in some places.

Looking forward to the match tonight, start 20h30 our time

Biltong wrote:Looking forward to the match tonight, start 20h30 our time

It'll be more than half over by that time here so we'll know the result before you

Hahaha

brennomac wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Toyota Cheetahs

15 – Sergeal Petersen
12 – Rosko Specman
13 – William Small-Smith
12 – Ali Mgijima
11 – Makazole Mapimpi
10 – Clayton Blommetjies
9 – Shaun Venter

1 – Charles Marais
2 – Jacques du Toit
3 – Johan Coetzee
4 – Justin Basson
5 – Reniel Hugo
6 – Paul Schoeman
7 – Henco Venter
8 – Niell Jordaan (Captain)

Substitutes

16 – Torsten van Jaarsveld
17 – Ox Nche
18 – Tom Botha
19 – Rynier Bernardo
20 – Gerhard Olivier
21 – Tian Meyer
22 – Cecil Afrika
23 – Ryno Benjamin

Interesting to see Mark Robson's strangulated pronunciation of the Cheetahs 10-12-13

He should just do what Hugh Dan, Scotland's Gaelic speaking match commentator does - Glasgow's Fijian prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa just became "Jerry" for commentary purposes. There were about a dozen examples of that.

George Carlin wrote:

brennomac wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Toyota Cheetahs

15 – Sergeal Petersen
12 – Rosko Specman
13 – William Small-Smith
12 – Ali Mgijima
11 – Makazole Mapimpi
10 – Clayton Blommetjies
9 – Shaun Venter

1 – Charles Marais
2 – Jacques du Toit
3 – Johan Coetzee
4 – Justin Basson
5 – Reniel Hugo
6 – Paul Schoeman
7 – Henco Venter
8 – Niell Jordaan (Captain)

Substitutes

16 – Torsten van Jaarsveld
17 – Ox Nche
18 – Tom Botha
19 – Rynier Bernardo
20 – Gerhard Olivier
21 – Tian Meyer
22 – Cecil Afrika
23 – Ryno Benjamin

Interesting to see Mark Robson's strangulated pronunciation of the Cheetahs 10-12-13

He should just do what Hugh Dan, Scotland's Gaelic speaking match commentator does - Glasgow's Fijian prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa just became "Jerry" for commentary purposes. There were about a dozen examples of that.

I think they'll just stick with numbers

What a joy it is to watch Coetzee and Deysel bursting through would-be tacklers. Look at what we have been missing.

That yellow card has killed the Cheetahs

Well, it was an interesting contest.. before that soft yellow card given to cheetahs flanker.

Well it cost the Cheetahs 19 points

Vintage Cheetahs: Great attack...revolving door defense...

The aggression from Deysel and Coetzee - may all young Ulster forwards in the academy try and follow their example.

Yeah they are both monsters

Biltong wrote:Yeah they are both monsters

What kind of monsters you ask?...Sharks...or ex-sharks