Leinster v Ulster at the RDS on Stephen's day

15: Luke Fitzgerald
14: David Kearney
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy
2: Sean Cronin
3: Mike Ross
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Richardt Strauss
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Steven Sykes
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Isaac Boss
22: Eoin O'Malley
23: Andrew Conway

(15-9): P Nelson; C Cochrane, M Allen, C Farrell, S Danielli; J McKinney, P Marshall;
(1-8): C Black, N Brady (capt), A Macklin, T Barker, L Stevenson, N McComb, A Birch, R Diack;
Replacements (16-23): N Annett, J Cronin, T Court, J Simpson, C Joyce, I Porter, S Olding, C Gaston

Ulster are obviously keeping their powder dry for Munster in Ravenhill next week. This could be a hammering....

Very optimistic about this game.

Oh wait this isn't a Ravens match?

5 debutants for Ulster. The issue we have is that we won't have our internationals for the Munster match, and if we're going to target that game to win, that means the U15s have to play on Boxing day.

Thank God the KO is 5:30 - any later and they'd have had to play in their jim-jams and night-time nappies...

I did hear a rumour out of the Ulster camp that they would be fielding a ravens squad. Did not think there would be that many rested though.

The Saffers must have put their foot down over their Christmas dinner

Disappointed O'Malley isn't getting another run out. We don't need Darcy for this game would have made more sense to give McF and EOM more game time.

Interesting there is no OH cover! (McFadden????)

Good to see Conway back in the mix.

Glad Toner is getting another game to keep building momentum.
With the Ulster team they have put out I can see bonus point win here.

Eoin O'Malley covers 10

And 4 debutants on the bench...

Well I'm confidant but I'm not that confidant Pete. Ulster by 5, with small parcel to destroy Reddan by half time.

Was at the A game last Sunday. Conway played much better than Carr

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Eoin O'Malley covers 10

Can O'Malley play 10?

When was the last time EOM played 10?
I know he did in Belvo but for a serious game?

Would have liked to have seen McFadden/EOM again I think that is an opportunity lost

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Eoin O'Malley covers 10

Can O'Malley play 10?

Yep. Not done so though. He did have 2 seasons out with injury, and when he came back he was always at 13. Played 13 with Ireland underage too. But I think he was a 10 in school and can cover 10 12 & 13.

He will only play there if Madigan gets hurt I'd say, and that Uslter side look unlikely to expose any weaknesses.

Ulster really are not that arsed about this one at all!

Any of you Ulster lads coming down for this one?

That supports my claim that O'Malley would be better suited to 12 if he played at 10 considering he works on his defence.

Hmmm wouldn't say that Rory but sure we shall see.

You want Fitz to be a 13 and EOM to play 12 but Schmidt played them the other way around during the RWC.

Yeah I saw that, and I understand why as Fitz is a great defender whereas EOM isn't so much. I just think EOM so far has shown his best qualities to be his quick feet and distribution. But if he wants to play either 12 or 13 he does need to work on his defence.

Yeah big time.
It's a weakness for sure.

Don't understand why he was going high in the Bath game last saturday he always goes low in the tackle

First all Irish Qualified XV we've put out in a good while. Good stuff.

Well if we don't put 40 on the Ulster u20's I'll be quite disapointed. Prob won't be a great game and if the weather is bad it will even the plane. I expect plenty of errors from both teams.

Jeebus christ I'm glad I didn't buy tickets for this! This could be painful viewing! .......ah well as long as BBCNI give the motm award to an Ulster man I'll be happy enough.....

Wow!

There have been stronger sides put out in the British and Irish Cup over the last few seasons for Ulster Ravens!

I make that... 24 first choice players missing through injury or just rested.

No Paddy McAllister, Rory Best, John Afoa, Declan Fitzpatrick, Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller, Pedrie Wannenburg, Willie Faloon, Mike McComish, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Ruan Pienaar, Ian Humphreys, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Luke Marshall, Nevin Spence, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble, Stefan Terblanche, Craig Gilroy, Adam D'Arcy or Jared Payne.

It's gonna be fun on a bun!

Predicted score???

Ulster by 10.

Is this going to be televised?

Yep, BBC NI. Probably RTE as well.

Anyone excited about seeing certain players or combinations??

Yeah, I'm very excited to see how Chris Farrell and Peter Nelson do. Both guys were playing Schools Rugby last year (actually saw Farrell play for the first time in the Schools Cup final in March) and this is a massive opportunity for them.

I'm exited to see the backs in general, this backline has been playing very good rugby in the British and Irish Cup for the Ulster Ravens.

Also pleased to see Callum Black make his belated debut at loosehead and looking forward to how he and Macklin cope with an all Irish international front row. Could be ugly.

Also hoping to see signs Chris Cochrane can step up to this level.

McLaughlins hands were tied really. He has the following players injured- Declan Fitzpatrick, Mike McComish, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Nevin Spence, Luke Marshall and Jared Payne.

The following players he is required to rest under the IRFU Player Management Programme- Rory Best, Stephen Ferris, Tom Court, Andrew Trimble. Along with Wallace they'll be off to a training camp with the national side after this and so are unavailable for the Munster game as well.

Then he has 4 days between playing Leinster at the RDS and Munster at Ravenhill.

So the strongest team he can out out is;

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Andi Kyriacou
3. John Afoa
4. Johann Muller
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Pedrie Wannenburg
7. Willie Faloon
8. Chris Henry
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Ian Humphreys
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Ian Whitten
13. Darren Cave
14. Stefan Terblanche
15. Adam D'Arcy

I'd be amazed if that isn't our team for Munster at home or something very close to it at least. So we've basically wrapped those 15 players in cotton wool and put together an XV for Leinster that doesn't include any of those players, or the injured or Irish international players of course.

So yeah, when you factor in the 26 players that are either rested, injured or part of the IRFU Player Management Programme... it's far and away our strongest team!

As a Leinste fan do you not feel let down by the Ulster team,
this is supposed to be a Derby one of the Biggest games in the, instead it's Leinster V Ulster Ravens.

I really don't like the Christmas Deries anymore, it's never the full bloodied Derby that you want, If Ulster even played there NIE players it might be passable, but have all the Irish internations and all the NIQ players rested at the same time, is a little insulting to fans who paid to watch the game.

It is a bit frustrating I guess particularily when our team has full internationals in it too.

It's not their fault they have so many injuries though and that has had an effect I think.

From a Leinster perspective I am looking forward to seeing more of Toner as I think he is really coming on, I want him to really dominate this game and put his stamp on it.

I am hoping O'Malley comes on for Darcy nice and early too and we get to see that McF/EOM partnership working again.

I'd really like Fitz to bag himself another try or two also but can see him getting subbed for Conway early on. He needs to be scoring more tires and without sounding too disrespectful, this is an opportunity to do just that.

Notch-
What do you make of Marshall?
Like that fella Black also he could be something.

Kingshu wrote:As a Leinste fan do you not feel let down by the Ulster team,
this is supposed to be a Derby one of the Biggest games in the, instead it's Leinster V Ulster Ravens.

I really don't like the Christmas Deries anymore, it's never the full bloodied Derby that you want, If Ulster even played there NIE players it might be passable, but have all the Irish internations and all the NIQ players rested at the same time, is a little insulting to fans who paid to watch the game.

Players have to rest sometime. The priority for Ulster, the only priority, is beating the Leicester Tigers on the 13th January. Everything else is secondary to that. The Pro12 is now seen as a way of developing players.

The fixture list is rigged so that the only full-blooded derby in Ireland is Leinster vs Munster. Can you remember the last time those two sides played over the Christmas break when all the internationals are away at an Ireland training camp and provinces are resting players with an eye on sealing that all-important Heineken Cup group qualification? Neither can I.

No doubt the fans are short-changed over Christmas, but thats the reality of modern rugby in Ireland.

Notch wrote:Yeah, I'm very excited to see how Chris Farrell and Peter Nelson do. Both guys were playing Schools Rugby last year (actually saw Farrell play for the first time in the Schools Cup final in March) and this is a massive opportunity for them.

I'm exited to see the backs in general, this backline has been playing very good rugby in the British and Irish Cup for the Ulster Ravens.

Also pleased to see Callum Black make his belated debut at loosehead and looking forward to how he and Macklin cope with an all Irish international front row. Could be ugly.

Also hoping to see signs Chris Cochrane can step up to this level.

McLaughlins hands were tied really. He has the following players injured- Declan Fitzpatrick, Mike McComish, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Nevin Spence, Luke Marshall and Jared Payne.

The following players he is required to rest under the IRFU Player Management Programme- Rory Best, Stephen Ferris, Tom Court, Andrew Trimble. Along with Wallace they'll be off to a training camp with the national side after this and so are unavailable for the Munster game as well.

Then he has 4 days between playing Leinster at the RDS and Munster at Ravenhill.

So the strongest team he can out out is;

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Andi Kyriacou
3. John Afoa
4. Johann Muller
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Pedrie Wannenburg
7. Willie Faloon
8. Chris Henry
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Ian Humphreys
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Ian Whitten
13. Darren Cave
14. Stefan Terblanche
15. Adam D'Arcy

I'd be amazed if that isn't our team for Munster at home or something very close to it at least. So we've basically wrapped those 15 players in cotton wool and put together an XV for Leinster that doesn't include any of those players, or the injured or Irish international players of course.

So yeah, when you factor in the 26 players that are either rested, injured or part of the IRFU Player Management Programme... it's far and away our strongest team!

Why are we forced to rest our Irish players but Leinster still have theirs available?

Would have liked one of McGrath/Hagan to start hopefully theyll get some reasonable game time. Id say the bench will be used fairly early. Could we be looking at the 3rd 50+ point game in a month?

WillyGilly wrote:

Notch wrote:Yeah, I'm very excited to see how Chris Farrell and Peter Nelson do. Both guys were playing Schools Rugby last year (actually saw Farrell play for the first time in the Schools Cup final in March) and this is a massive opportunity for them.

I'm exited to see the backs in general, this backline has been playing very good rugby in the British and Irish Cup for the Ulster Ravens.

Also pleased to see Callum Black make his belated debut at loosehead and looking forward to how he and Macklin cope with an all Irish international front row. Could be ugly.

Also hoping to see signs Chris Cochrane can step up to this level.

McLaughlins hands were tied really. He has the following players injured- Declan Fitzpatrick, Mike McComish, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Nevin Spence, Luke Marshall and Jared Payne.

The following players he is required to rest under the IRFU Player Management Programme- Rory Best, Stephen Ferris, Tom Court, Andrew Trimble. Along with Wallace they'll be off to a training camp with the national side after this and so are unavailable for the Munster game as well.

Then he has 4 days between playing Leinster at the RDS and Munster at Ravenhill.

So the strongest team he can out out is;

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Andi Kyriacou
3. John Afoa
4. Johann Muller
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Pedrie Wannenburg
7. Willie Faloon
8. Chris Henry
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Ian Humphreys
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Ian Whitten
13. Darren Cave
14. Stefan Terblanche
15. Adam D'Arcy

I'd be amazed if that isn't our team for Munster at home or something very close to it at least. So we've basically wrapped those 15 players in cotton wool and put together an XV for Leinster that doesn't include any of those players, or the injured or Irish international players of course.

So yeah, when you factor in the 26 players that are either rested, injured or part of the IRFU Player Management Programme... it's far and away our strongest team!

Why are we forced to rest our Irish players but Leinster still have theirs available?

Leinster are resting a few and will probably rest more for their next game. THey just have more depth than us is all. Have to say i feel slightly underwhelmed by our team but i am interested to see how Nelson, Cochrane, Farrell and Macklin get on. Less interested in McComb at 6.
I appreciate that the provinces (well Ulster anyway) have to essentially pick a game and target it but had i known i was paying £27 quid for a ravens game i might not have bothered. I wont be doing it again. That being said a few pints and i will enjoy myself anyway.

We're not forced to rest anybody for specific games Willy.

The players have a certain number of minutes which is set by the IRFU. They can't exceed that number. The coaches choose which games they play and which they miss.

Let's wait and see what teams Munster and Leinster put out for their away games before we stick the boot in. As much as I have some sympathy with traveling fans I have to say after the last few years this isn't a big surprise.

Team versus Munster last year;

1. Bryan Young
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Declan Fitzpatrick
4. Tim Barker
5. Ryan Caldwell
6. TJ Anderson
7. Willie Faloon
8. Robbie Diack

9. Paul Marshall
10. Paddy Wallace

11. Simon Danielli
12. Luke Marshall
13. Ian Whitten
14. Tommy Seymour
15. Jamie Smith

Replacements (16 - 23); A Kyriacou, T Court, BJ Botha, N McComb, C Henry, I Porter, P Jackson, D McIlwaine

Neither Stephen Ferris or Andrew Trimble played in either match last year; Paddy Wallace only played out of position and Tom Court was limited to a bench role. Of the remaining big names Rory Best, BJ Botha, Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller and Pedrie Wannenburg only started one game each.

So it's not like this is a new thing.

Could be a bonus point win for Leinster.

Maybe not a new thing notch but you cant really compare that team last year to this one. This is massively more inexperienced. Im just saying that i wouldnt have paid what i paid for essentially a Ravens game. Like i mentioned though there is enough there to keep me interested.

It's not really, when you consider last year we had no injuries and this year we have a few.

The tight five is actually very experienced for us. Only Adam Macklin hasn't been a regular first choice at Pro12/Premiership level. Wallace and Jackson- the two Paddys- are both injured so not options at 10 and our main outhalf is rested. The two areas that are very weak are the centres- where we have lots of injuries unfortunately- and the backrow.

Seymour and Smith are more experienced than Nelson and Cochrane, but the latter two players are much higher thought of- this would have been one of the last games our coaches deemed the other two lads good enough to start before they were shown the door.

Notch

Where are Faloon, Pienaar, Terblanche, Afoa, Whitten this time. None of those guys have played much rugby recently and would have benefited from gametime which would also have benefitted the team.

Im sorry but you cannot argue that the team being put out isnt massively weaker than the one which went to Munster last season. It seems they may be worried about injuries to the above 5 is the only logical reason they arent playing but Faloon and Terblanche arent even first choice although Whitten obviously might be.

Interesting to see the turnover of the ulster team 7 out of the 23 for that game against munster have moved on.

I though Gaston would have been above Cochrane and Nelson in the pecking order?

I think it would be careless to ask those guys to play 2 games back to back in four days when we are targeting them to play (and win) in the next four successive weeks against Munster, Edinburgh, Leicester and Clermont.

Thats a tough run. We need to prioritise the Heineken Cup tbh. I can pretty much guarantee Terblanche and Faloon will start next week from that.

I think whats smart about it is he's keeping the combinations from the Ravens together. These lads are used to playing with each other.

Golden, Nelson and Cochrane have outperformed him for the Ulster Ravens in recent weeks.

Standulstermen wrote:Notch

Where are Faloon, Pienaar, Terblanche, Afoa, Whitten this time. None of those guys have played much rugby recently and would have benefited from gametime which would also have benefitted the team.

I agree Stand...jeebus Faloon still can't get a game. I'm massively disappointed with that side, McGlaughlin is really taking the p*ss here. I knew we would field a weakened side and prioritise the Munster game but to just wave a white flag like that is not on...people are paying money to watch this. I know players need to rest and there are a lot of injuries but he could have put some more experienced players on the bench at least and pretended he wanted to get something from the game.

Leinster could put 100 points on that side and how damaging would that be to those young guys?

Some of these guys I played rugby with at school.. this team could potentially get slaughtered. I mean this is established professionals and internationals against newcomers. I don't think I have ever seen such a weak side for Ulster?

Interested to see Nelson however.

rodders, surely the fact he's not playing is encouraging for him? Given it looks like all of the players who are actually wanted to play next week are rested.

roddersm wrote:Leinster could put 100 points on that side and how damaging would that be to those young guys?

Jonny Wilkinson has said the tour from hell where Australia put 70 points on England was one of the biggest learning experiences of his career. Everything is what you make of it.

I would say a win which is handled badly could be more damaging to a teams development than a loss which is handled well.

We'll see Notch....as has been stated above a few who played in the thumping by Munster last year have left the club..so obviously that experience wasn't a great one from a development point of view.

I agree with the tactic of fielding a weaker side and prioritising the Munster game but to send out a side with only three guys who are even near the 1st XV and a load of inexperienced guys to be slaughtered is just wrong in my opinion.

It's potentially damaging to some of the young guys and its disrespectul to the fans who have bought tickets for this, thankfully I'm not one of them.

The reason Seymour and McIlwaine left was they felt they weren't getting enough gametime and could advance their careers elsewhere so it seems silly to point to one of the games they actually started as a factor in them leaving!

Fair point Notch!....ok you know a lot of these ravens guys.....can we win this one?.....

Like Notch i wouldnt be overly critical of McLaughlin (i think there are a good few who will be) but i do think the likes of Pienaar could handle this game or at least a part of this game and play against Munster.

I am still very excited about the prospect of seing some of the younger guys and what they can do against a good looking Leinster team. One thing i would say (and im not supporting this) but might the Rabo take a look at this and accuse Ulster of not taking the league seriously? I know Wolves were sanctioned in the EPL but im not sure what rules are in place in the Rabo. I hope of course that nothing comes of it.

If i were to be critical of anything it would be the scheduling as Ulster and Connacht are always forced to play the big Two in such a short turnaround. Surely these fixtures could be rotated to mean that Leinster and Munster would clash over Christmas the odd time?