Ulster vs. Dragons, Ravenhill, Friday 19:05

Having wept myself into a dry husk at our non-performance against Saracens, I am now ready to dry my eyes, man up and focus on our irresistible march onto Rabo Pro 12 league glory.

I think the team needs to as well. If we can get three wins, I’d put good money on us coming top of the league. The first step is a win over the Dragons and we should aim for another 5 pointer. We need to field the best team we can out of this squad.



Forwards (14)
Mike McComish, Callum Black, Rory Best, Robbie Diack, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Declan Fitzpatrick, Nick Williams, Rob Herring, Ali Birch, Ricky Lutton, Tom Court, Iain Henderson, Neil McComb;

Backs (11)
Ruan Pienaar, Jared Payne, Craig Gilroy, Paul Marshall, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe, Niall O’Connor, Michael Allen, Adam D’Arcy, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave.



Jackson and Trimble rested. Afoa back to NZ. McAllister, Macklin, Muller, Ferris, Doyle, Wilson, Wallace, Marshall, Farrell all injured.

Most contentious decisions to be made in backline. Do we want Olding at 10? He’s much better than NOC, but who then plays 12? Or do we want Pienaar at outside half? Personally, I don't.

Ah, Hubris.

1) Tom Court
2) Rory Best
3) Declan Fitzpatrick
4) Lewis Stevenson
5) Dan Tuohy
6) Iain Henderson
7) Ali Birch
8) Nick Williams
9) Ruan Pienaar
10) Stuart Olding
11) Craig Gilroy
12) Darren Cave
13) Michael Allen
14) Tommy Bowe
15) Jared Payne


16) Callum Black
17) Rob Herring
18) Ricky Lutton
19) Neil McComb
20) Robbie Diack
21) Paul Marshall
22) Niall O’Connor
23) Adam D’Arcy

Although Birch is an out-an-out openside, Diack played there earlier this year, and I might be tempted to start him. Henderson and Williams are beasts in the loose, but we do need a nose-to-the-grindstone backrow player at rucks and breakdowns. (I presume Henry is being rested as well?) Diack would give us more ballast and experience than Birch.

Cave played twelve for us earlier in the season - whichever of him and Allen is a better fit I would start there, and keep Olding for outhalf.

Hubris? Saying we need to get our best team out? Or the obviously tongue-in-cheek references to our "march to glory"?

Bit of column A, bit of column B

Hope the travelling Dragons fans behave better than certain Ulster fans that visted Newport on our last outing.

Should be a good game, working up the courage to watch it

Is this a player management thing, to have Trimble, Henry and Jackson rested?

Because Trimble didn't play a minute of the Six Nations... as much continuity as possible would have been best this week. We've bemoaned the fact our team didn't have much time to gel for the QF, and they're back resting again. I expect all of the rested players will start vs Connacht but this week-

Well, no Heaney so I suspect Pienaar will start at 9 with Marshall on the bench.

So we can either go; 9 Pienaar 10 Olding 12 Cave 13 Payne And we have a guy out of position at 12. Or we can go with 9 Marshall 10 Pienaar 12 Olding 13 Cave, which leaves us with no 9 cover on the bench.

Either way its very bad for the fluency of our backline.

I'd like to see

1. Court
2. Best
3. Fitzpatrick
4. Stevenson
5. Tuohy
6. Henderson
7. Diack
8. Williams
9. Pienaar
10. Olding
11. Gilroy
12. Cave
13. Payne
14. Bowe
15. Nelson

16. Herring 17. Black 18. Lutton 19. McComb 20. McComish 21. O'Connor 22. Allen 23. D'Arcy

I suspect if we were gonna see Olding at 10 or Pienaar at 10 we'd have Heaney in the squad. I think we're going to see O'Connor which isn't great.

You'll win, though I hope not as convincingly as last time.

I just hope the Dragons show some heart and not give up.

AND GIVE CHAVANGA THE BALL !!!!

Fastest player in the NH and he's wasted

munkian wrote:Bit of column A, bit of column B

Hope the travelling Dragons fans behave better than certain Ulster fans that visted Newport on our last outing.

Should be a good game, working up the courage to watch it

Fair enough!

I don't know what "certain Ulster fans" did, but I imagine most Newport fans will behave better, and some won't.

I am concerned that the Dragons will have a significantly better back-row (as a unit as well as inidividuals). With Ferris and Wilson out, resting Henry is a risky decision.

Notch, with sinking heart I suspect you're right about NOC.

A 'fan' called the Welsh barmaid an English 'c u next Tuesday' after being asked not to push in and then tried to fight me and call me all sorts of homophobic names when I told him to watch his manners.

Anyways, here's the likely Dragons squad

Dragons squad: T Prydie, D Evans, R Wardle, W Harries, J Dixon, A Tuilagi, P Leach, L Robling, S Jones, W Evans, J Evans, A Coundley, O Evans, H Gustafson, S Parry, E Dee, N Buck, D Way, R Sidoli, A Coombs, A Jones, T Faletau, D Lydiate, J Groves, D Waters, N Cudd


No Chav, but he wouldnt be used properly anyway

One fan shouldn't tar the rest of us. I could tell you of experiences with all sorts of bad behaviour from fans, including the Dragons, over the past few seasons but they are so few that they aren't even worthy of being called a minority.

I really would like to see Heaney getting more game time. He is a better scrum half than Marshall. We need a win and we need a bonus point so the strongest team possible would be ideal. We dont have anything else to play for but top spot and a home semi final.

Not only is Heaney pretty good and Marshall adequate, Piennar needs a weekend on the sofa badly!

Did NOC not play at 12 for the Ravens a few times this year.

Could we see

9) Ruan Pienaar
10) Stuart Olding
11) Craig Gilroy
12) NOC
13) Darren Cave
14) Tommy Bowe
15) Jared Payne

NOC and Olding could swap positions at times, with ball Olding at 10, witout ball NOC at 10?

Theres bad behaviour then theres abusing female bar staff and calling a Welsh person English

Worst thing was his mates did nothing which makes them worse, never seen anything like it at a rugby match.

We will take a beating. I might not watch.. I might no even check the score..

I might go for a walk until next season starts.

munkian wrote:Theres bad behaviour then theres abusing female bar staff and calling a Welsh person English

Worst thing was his mates did nothing which makes them worse, never seen anything like it at a rugby match.

I've heard mixed reports of away fans in Ulster colours letting the side down this year, and I've seen first hand some prize idiots popping up at away games. Always disappointing to hear of anyone acting this way never mind a fan of your own team. Unfortunately it's something thats gonna happen once rugby crosses over from being a minority sport with a small fanbase who traditionally value respect for opponents and camaraderie to a mainstream sport who draw new fans from all backgrounds, many of whom are new to the sport of rugby and would have grown up attending other spectator sports.

And thats definitely something which has happened in Northern Ireland, where Ulster have become very popular and have attracted a lot of new people to Ravenhill who wouldn't normally attend rugby games. Thing is, traditionally rugby has been able to have a drinking culture without negative consequences as fans tend to be friendly, harmless drunks. I'm seeing a lot more people who have a drink at the rugby and cause problems. Very much a minority, but they are there.

I know the feeling young guns but I'm going to make the effort to watch it through my fingers and tirades of swearing.

The Ospreys will win the League again anyway, the Irish are bottlers

Court, best, lutton, Tuohy, Stevenson, henderson, Diack, Williams, Pienaar, Olding, Gilroy, Allen, Cave, Bowe, Payne

Herring, Fitz, Black, McComb, McComish, Marshall, D'arcy, Nelson

Notch wrote:friendly, harmless drunks.

That's me to a tee.

Notch wrote:

munkian wrote:Theres bad behaviour then theres abusing female bar staff and calling a Welsh person English

Worst thing was his mates did nothing which makes them worse, never seen anything like it at a rugby match.

I've heard mixed reports of away fans in Ulster colours letting the side down this year, and I've seen first hand some prize idiots popping up at away games. Always disappointing to hear of anyone acting this way never mind a fan of your own team. Unfortunately it's something thats gonna happen once rugby crosses over from being a minority sport with a small fanbase who traditionally value respect for opponents and camaraderie to a mainstream sport who draw new fans from all backgrounds, many of whom are new to the sport of rugby and would have grown up attending other spectator sports.

And thats definitely something which has happened in Northern Ireland, where Ulster have become very popular and have attracted a lot of new people to Ravenhill who wouldn't normally attend rugby games. Thing is, traditionally rugby has been able to have a drinking culture without negative consequences as fans tend to be friendly, harmless drunks. I'm seeing a lot more people who have a drink at the rugby and cause problems. Very much a minority, but they are there.

I agree Notch , I wasn't tarrring you all with the same brush, seen Ulster play down the Dave a fair few times and the real fans are always very passionate and up for a laugh. This James Blunt in question was legless and part of a big crowd in fancy dress - he didnt know what country he was in let alone what game he was watching I imagine

I just don't want rugby ending up like football

Naturally Ulster will target five points at home. Hopefully we front up though aye. I'll be streaming it. Sure Captain Coombs will fire the boys up and hopefully we won't lie down this time.

We did better against the Turks. May even have beaten them if our 'home' game was ACTUALLY a home game.

They don't like it up em

munkian wrote:We did better against the Turks. May even have beaten them if our 'home' game was ACTUALLY a home game.

They don't like it up em

We do though, unfortunately. It'll take more than the Turk match to make me believe we've gotten over our new-found appeite for a bit of prison-style shaming. Still, at least this one won't be in our own, formerly prison-shaming free, back door. I mean yard. Jebus, it's happening to me too.

On a side note dragons fans.. We were rumoured with a cheetahs centre but Montpellier have moved for him.. No chance now.

Though there are few young up and comers in the region

Dixon is very good but only 18. Hughes is also very good and still young but injury prone.

Smith, tuilagi, leach.. Non are going to win you a game.

Ulster by 20

Ulster by a lot more than 20 I fear another tonking on the cards.

I know we have signed 4 new players of late but until we get (not how though) some quality in our front 5 then we won't worry anyone to much away from home.

I agree.Can see a 30/40 pointer coming our way sadly.

Leach has potential

Make or break game for Ulster here. The players will have to dig deep to put that HEC disappointment behind them. Dragons have a real chance here to pull off an upset.

I really hope we can put in a storming performance to build some momentum heading into the playoffs but I'd settle for 4 points here for sure. The 6 day turnaround is a big ask.

Pienaar, Payne and Cave are looking out of sorts. Williams isn't 100% and there's no Muller, Afoa or Henry. This could be a tough on alright.

Big game needed from the tight 5 and young Olding who has looked excellent in the centres ths year. Hopefully Tommy can put his hand up for the Lions too.

I'm guessing we've seen the last of NOC if D'arcy is preferred on the Bench?

Leach is good and Jack Dixon could be very good, but I don't think they're a good centre pairing. They're too similar. I'd love to see Dixon with Adam Hughes at outside centre, but that'll have to wait until next season now.

Payne is out according to the newsletter. In truth there rarely is a better time to play us as Leinster game aside, we have been dire.

Mulligan reporting it will be Nelson and olding in at full back and centre eith Pienaar and Marshall at half back. Seems to hint at Diack at 7. We still have a team well capable of winning well if our backrow can deal with lydiate and faletau.

I hope for the fans sake we get some kind of reaction from last week

Team would appear to be:

Court, Best (C), Lutton, Stevenson, Tuohy, Henderson, Williams, Diack, Marshall, Pienaer, Gilroy, Olding, Cave, Bowe, Nelson

Rested: Jackson, Trimble, Henry
New injuries: Muller, Payne

Looks a good team Geoff, but Nick Williams at openside?? Seems an odd call to me.

What's up with Payne?
There is now depth at Ulster...enough to be confident of a result in this one...but as we have seen loose too many of the first choice players and they struggle a bit.
However this is a blessing in disguise, these young fellas coming through need the game time... They will be the backbone in years to come.

Just realized its Diack at openside and Williams at 8, my mistake.

Artful you are ok its the way I posted it:

6 Henderson
8 Williams
7 Diack

I dont think Payne has ever fully recovered from his groin strain to be honest.

Nelson is a really exciting prospect - streets ahead of D'Arcy and Andrew

geoff998rugby wrote:
I dont think Payne has ever fully recovered from his groin strain to be honest.

Yeah that makes sense Geoff, he seems to grimace a fair bit and some of his toe poke kicks ahead have been pretty lame. Still has shown flashes of brillance but hasn't looked quite right recently.

Good to see Nelson get a run. Pienaar and Cave don't look themselves lately either.

This has been, by some distance, the most frustrating season I can remember in terms of injury.

And I am seriously concerned now. If there's not a significant bounce-back from the Saracens game, I can see us struggling to win, never mind the bonus point.

Don Alfonso wrote:This has been, by some distance, the most frustrating season I can remember in terms of injury.

Yet we reached the Heino QF, topping our pool and not only have a Rabo QF place almost wrapped up are in a good position for a top 2 finish. We've finally beaten Leinster, not once but twice.

Nelson, Allen, Olding, Henderson, Marshall, and Jackson have all established themselves in the senior team with the latter 3 plus Gilroy having made their bow on the international stage. Diack has been back to his best and Williams has been an inspired signing. Trimble has probably played the best rugby of his career and Best has been touted as a potential Lions captain. Chris Henry hasn't done bad either.

In the background Ravenhill is being developed and ticket sales are through the roof.

I'd say without doubt this has been Ulsters best season in the pro era by a long way and we still have another month to go. All this with Ferris, Muller,Wilson and Bowe barely featuring.

In fact I'd go as far to say that Ulster are NOT in crisis

Rodders, man, if I could bottle you and take you with me, I would.

If we lose tomorrow evening, I may be straight on the phone afterwards to you for some Samaritans-esque soothing.

If we lose tomorrow I won't be answering the phone Don ....

Looks like we're starting Darren Waters at openside. I didn't even know he was back from injury.

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/dragons/10346229.Dragon_Darren_Waters_gets_a_chance_to_stake_his_claim/

munkian wrote:We did better against the Turks. May even have beaten them if our 'home' game was ACTUALLY a home game.

They don't like it up em

Or if someone had told Will Harris that there are 14 other men in the team and he didn't need to try and win the game on his own everytime he got hold of the ball.

I honestly think the Dragons, if they play that way again, could suprise Ulster. And I think Ulster are one of those sides that can be caught off guard against lesser opposition. But I do wonder if the HEC game last weekend may have just fired Ulster up even more to take the league.

I don't know if Ulster can be caught off guard against lesser opposition, however we are on our worst run of the season, and in last 5/6 games only the Leinster game was a good one.

Due to this i'd say Dragons stand a decent chance.

Also for all I said that Dragons need to make improvements or they will be in the same position next year as this (as the teams above appeared to be pulling away), they look to be improving the squad, are Dragons fans optismistic for next season?
Fair play to Dragons strengthing I still think it will be tight at the bottom next year, but Dragons shouldn't be 9 points of the pace next year.

(15-9): P Nelson, T Bowe, D Cave, S Olding, C Gilroy, R Pienaar, P Marshall;
(1-8): T Court, R Best (c), R Lutton, I Henderson, D Tuohy, R Diack, M McComish, N Williams;

Replacements: (16-23): R Herring, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, A Birch, N O’Connor, M Allen, A D’Arcy.

I'm quite confused at the sidelining of Lewis Stevenson, I think he's been excellent this season. He's very unlucky not to be getting more minutes. Apart from McComish who is a bit of a passenger, its a pretty good team. Never do know what Ulster are going to turn up since January.

If the team that beat Leinster turns up it will be a long evening for the Dragons. If the team that played our last three home games turns up we may still win but its by no means guaranteed and it will be frustrating to watch.

According to the team announcement on www.ulsterrugby.com Payne picked up a slight ankle knock. Not too worried about that then, he'll probably be back next week I imagine along with Jackson, Henry and Trimble.

Dragons team to face Ulster
Tom Prydie, Will Harries, Pat Leach, Jack Dixon, Ross Wardle, Dan Evans, Jonathan Evans; Aaron Coundley, Sam Parry, Nathan Buck, Andrew Coombs (c), Rob Sidoli, Dan Lydiate, Darren Waters, Toby Faletau.

Replacements:
Hugh Gustafson, Nathan Williams, Dan Way, Adam Jones, Jevon Groves, Wayne Evans, Steffan Jones, Andy Tuilagi.

Great to see Darren Waters playing again, a right hard nut and very good player. I think that backrow is as strong as any you would find in the Rabo.

I am going to find out why Stevenson suddenly seems to have been sidlined.

I would much sooner see him in and Henderson in the backrow.

I fear Lydiate and Falateau could do us some damage.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Dragons team to face Ulster
Tom Prydie, Will Harries, Pat Leach, Jack Dixon, Ross Wardle, Dan Evans, Jonathan Evans; Aaron Coundley, Sam Parry, Nathan Buck, Andrew Coombs (c), Rob Sidoli, Dan Lydiate, Darren Waters, Toby Faletau.

Replacements:
Hugh Gustafson, Nathan Williams, Dan Way, Adam Jones, Jevon Groves, Wayne Evans, Steffan Jones, Andy Tuilagi.

Glad Coundley is playing and Afoa is not. Be interesting to see if he does well again this week. Dixon and Leach have been looking pretty good as a midfield aswell.

theskippingpig wrote:Great to see Darren Waters playing again, a right hard nut and very good player. I think that backrow is as strong as any you would find in the Rabo.

Is Cudd injured, being rested, or just deemed unrequired for this game? As he has seemed to add a bit of a poacher to the Dragons backrow, as the side the have been named seem to be very hard tackling (Coombs, Lydiate, Waters, Faletau) but not so good with the stealing of ball.