Ulster vs Saracens - HC quarter final - Saturday, 5th April 6:30pm

First topic message reminder :

Ulster vs Saracens.

Saturday 5th April at 6:30pm

First game at a newly renovated Ravenhill I believe with a new capacity of 18,000.

Ulster are currently 3rd in the Pro12 and won all their pool stages in the HC, including impressive away wins vs Leicester and Montpellier.

They have a few Irish players who were involved in the title winning 6 nations like Best and Trimble. Trimble in particular had a very good tournament.

Close to full strength in terms of their squad.

According to Ulster fans their current form hasn't been great but I take that firmly with a pinch of salt. Their latest result - a loss to Cardiff could shake any sense of complacency.


Saracens are currently the league leaders in the AP with a healthy 7 point gap off 2nd placed Saints. Just 2 losses in the AP in 18 matches which contrasts with their two losses in the pool stages of the HC. Saracens are currently the top try scorers in the AP and were top try scorers in the HC pool stages. Form wise Saracens have been comfortable without really putting in a notable performance.

Notable clashes

Best vs Brits - the Irish hooker vs the flamboyant South African who plays more like a centre - will be key in getting their teams into good positions.

Muller vs Borthwick - skipper vs skipper - both will be key in inspiring their sides.

Jackson vs Farrell - the 2nd choice Irish 10 vs the current England 10 - both will be expected to boss the game and take any opportunities and points on offer



Ulster team

15. J Payne
14. A Trimble
13. D Cave
12. L Marshall
11.T Bowe
10. P Jackson
9. R Pienaar

1. T Court
2.R Best
3. J Afoa
4.J Muller (C)
5.D Tuohy
6.R Wilson
7.N Williams
8.C Henry

16. R Herring
17.A Warwick
18.R Lutton
19.I Henderson
20.S Ferris
21.R Diack
22.P Marshall
23.C Gilroy






Saracens team



15. Alex Goode
14. Chris Ashton
13. Duncan Taylor
12. Brad Barritt
11. David Strettle
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Schalk Brits
3. James Johnston
4. Steve Borthwick ©
5. Mouritz Botha
6. Billy Vunipola
7. Jacques Burger
8. Ernst Joubert

16. Jamie George
17. Richard Barrington
18. Matt Stevens
19. Eoin Sheriff
20. Kelly Brown
21. Neil de Kock
22. Charlie Hodgson
23. Chris Wyles


Thoughts?

rodders wrote:This will be heroic if we can do this - every Ulster player is a hero....apart from Payne but that's ok we still love you Jared   .

Earls for 13

Ferris has changed the buzz in this game. He is two men. Hes shakin it tup.  Love it.

Great defence.

If you crossed Burger with the incredible Hulk you'd have Stevie Ferris...

rodders wrote:This will be heroic if we can do this - every Ulster player is a hero....apart from Payne but that's ok we still love you Jared   .

I just read on the social networking grape vine that when Goode sat up on the sideline, the first person to go and shake his hand was Jared Payne. That's him reconciled...

Nooooo Tommy!  

GunsGerms wrote:

rodders wrote:This will be heroic if we can do this - every Ulster player is a hero....apart from Payne but that's ok we still love you Jared   .

Earls for 13

Hey Earlsy did well today ...Johne Murphy would have got a hat trick though....

Im sure Henderson coming on will only serve to reduce the physicality of the match, umm kind off

Play smart Ulster. Be cool. Wait for and take the chances.


Hendo with 1F. Ja, that will cause a wee bit of mayhem to feed off. Grand.

i think that should be a penalty to sarries.

Come on OH make one kick

Sounds like a touch judge fell asleep for a second there.

Well if Farrell had kicked that I'd have been really impressed considering the din in the background.

good call nathan. no effort to catch that one

nice of the fans to be booing whilst he's taking his kick...

Whats the argument? He made no attempt to catch it and the guy chasing was in front.

Think you need to be a bit quicker on the whistle there boss instead of having tired players running 60 yards, luckily Farrell is bottling it for us

I've got goosebumps and a lot more respect for Ulster, I hope you pull through here. All the best for the rest of the game.

The crowd getting to Owen Farrell!!!!

Ja, good call in the end ref. In fairness.

Another miss???!!!???

Unbelievable - not happy with the jeering though, that's not ravers tradition.

Woooooooooooooooooooooo!

Feick sake. Farrel made the past 15 kicks for England
. Missed4 today.

Unbelievable defence!!!!

Good work Cave!

Great defence from Ulster - what do Sarries have to do?

Cumbrian wrote:Whats the argument? He made no attempt to catch it and the guy chasing was in front.

cant just wave your hand at it. have to be seen to be trying to catch it.

henry has form for mistakes in the red zone.....vs england for example...

Farrell is having a shocker.

Sweet Mother Of Divine Jeebus.

Trimble is a f**king legend!

great D by Ulster there.

What an amazing biut of defending, all credit to these defenders putting their absolute all into this game. Agreee with Rodders though silence for kicks is a Ravenhill tradition no matter what the fans think about the decisions. Ah now Trimble too how many more of our top players we going to lose

Commentator just saying that Trimby took a knock to the bonce, was out cold and then woke up and carried on!   

This is pretty impressive by Ulster...

Absolutely mind blowing defence and passion from the Ulstermen. Stunning effort.

Andy off. Gave everything. Like he does.  

Come on Ulster!!!

great passage of play.

Trimble off. Thank Frick.

rodders wrote:Trimble is a f**king legend!

Unbelievable player I have always said it.

The result may not be the perfect opening for the new stadium but my god you couldnt ask more from these players.

This is a blydi nail-biter and I'm not a Sarries or Ulster fan first and foremost.

Ashton in again.

Golden wrote:The result may not be the perfect opening for the new stadium but my god you couldnt ask more from these players.

Well I'd have asked Payne not to drop Goode on his noggin but I suppose I'm a bit of a perfectionist ....   

Shoite Ashton scores....

heartbreaking, the largest Tinkywinky on the field scores again

Farrel has given you a bit more of a chance though to be fair.

But then an amazing cross field kick and 3-0 in tries.

Also, loving the swear filter!

Ahead of the kicker.

Bollix.

Try given. How long's left?

Gibson wrote:Ahead of the kicker.

lol, how can you tell that!

rodders wrote:

Golden wrote:The result may not be the perfect opening for the new stadium but my god you couldnt ask more from these players.

Well I'd have asked Payne not to drop Goode on his noggin but I suppose I'm a bit of a perfectionist ....   

Shoite Ashton scores....

These players! as in the ones still on the pitch