Ulster v Scarlets 2nd December 2011 at Ravenhill KO 7.05pm

Ulster
(15-9): A D'Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg;

Replacements (16-23): N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, R Pienaar, P Jackson, I Whitten

Scarlets:

15-9 Dan Evans, Iongi, Reynolds, Warren, Lamont, Jones, Gareth Davies
1-8 John, Owens, Manu, Reed, Powell, Gilbert, McCusker, Murphy

16-23 Phillips, Iestyn Thomas, Gardiner, Welch, Edwards, Rhodri Williams, Newton, Iolo Evans.

You probs won't get a Scarlets line up until Thursday Rava.

Rumour has it Rob McCusker will be back in contention for us though, which is a much needed boost.

No Pienaar!

He might still be involved Stand even though he's not in the squad, he has been doing some training this week.

Will see if I can find the article....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15936682.stm

There ya go!

Hope springs eternal Dreamer. I would say at best he will get a cameo which imo gives the Scarlets a great chance. Our half backs can really be got at

Yeah but you won't have a better chance of beating us this season I don't think, with all the players we've got missing. You having Pienaar would be a great boost for you and a bit of a blow for us1

How many players will the Scarlets have out? That could be a killer for you. We probably wont play again this season anyway

eeeerm we have Matthew Rees, Rhodri Jones, Tavis Knoyle, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams, John Davies, George North and Liam Williams all with the Wales squad.

Turnbull, Stoddart, Dom Day are all injured.

So that's 11 (although to be fair Stodds has been out for ages and Day wouldn't really be guaranteed a start).

Also add to that Timani, Iestyn Thomas, Rhys Thomas, Damien Welch and Ben Morgan have all played in really physical matches the last 5 weeks, and have the likely hood of back to back matches against Munster, Munster, Ospreys and Dragons to look forward to, some of them are likely to be rested I would have thought.

I can't see us putting out a very strong side at all, but then Nige may surprise me

I didnt expect so many guys to be involved with the Wales team. Doesnt look like a good decision to have an international the week before the heineken cup i have to say. Feeling more optimistic now.

It's possibly one of the most ridiculous and farcical decisions the WRU has made for years (and that's saying a lot).

THis match against you guys should have been ideal preperation for both teams going into the next round of the Heineken.

Instead Ulster will be playing a seriously depleted Scarlets side, and the Scarlets are robbed of the chance to play and train with a full squad going into a huge clash against Munster.

It's a shame for both sides really.

Dont know Dreamer.

we need a serious confidence boost!

The WRU are really rivalling the ERFU when it comes right down to it. Money overrules reality.
Scandalous that the regions are being shafted by their own Union at such a crucial time in their season.

This was their team against the Dragons;

Scarlets: 15 Daniel Evans, 14 Nick Reynolds, 13 Adam Warren, 12 Gareth Maule, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Jones (c), 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Sione Timani, 3 Rhys Thomas, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Phil John.

Replacements: 16 Emyr Phillips, 17 Iestyn Thomas, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Mat Gilbert, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Newton, 23 Viliami Iongi.

It's not so bad for the Scarlets- obviously there are quality players missing, but it's still a handy team. Adam Warren has come through strongly and they have a core of international players in Manu, Timani, Morgan, Stephen Jones, Lamont etc. Then possibly McCusker back as well.

I would pick;

1. Tom Court
2. Rory Best
3. John Afoa
4. Johann Muller (c)
5. Lewis Stevenson
6. Stephen Ferris
7. Chris Henry
8. Pedrie Wannenburg
9. Paul Marshall
10. Ian Humphreys
11. Andrew Trimble
12. Luke Marshall
13. Nevin Spence
14. Craig Gilroy
15. Adam D'Arcy

16. Nigel Brady 17. Callum Black 18. Declan Fitzpatrick 19. Dan Tuohy 20. Willie Faloon 21. Ruan Pienaar? 22. Paddy Jackson 23. Darren Cave

No point picking Luke Marshall he isn't in the HC squad. We need Spence and Cave to play together and hopefully improve.

I'd also play Faloon - he could be a very useful player against Scarlets and Aironi - Wannenberg to the bench for me.
Also Declan Fitzpatrick is doubtful

Won't happen though - Tuohy, Wannenberg will play and Danielli is as likely to start at 15 as D'Arcy

geoff998rugby wrote:Danielli is as likely to start at 15 as D'Arcy

This I don't get. D'arcy drops a high ball in his 22, which is not good enough, so gets slated. However he recovered to catch the next one which was way more difficult.

Danielli has dropped a number of balls and made loads of errors over the last few weeks but the Ulster management seem to think hes a safer bet at 15? I just don't get that.

D'arcy is no worse in defence and offers way more in attack from 15 than Danielli imo.

ah go on, play Danielli at 15

Actually you know, I'm tempting fate, he might play a blinder.

Play whoever you want!

Feck off dreamer he's useless !

I wouldn't go so far as to say useless, but he was the Scarlets fans fave player when you played us at PyS not so long ago

Seriously though, Danielli can be a useful player, he just looks really short of confidence for me at the moment. If he clicks back into place, he can be really dangerous for us I think.

Under the high ball I actually think D'Arcy is worse than Danielli BUT in just about ever other aspect of the game D'Arcy is superior to Danielli as 15. Neither is a good tackler and whilst Danielli has the bigger boot, D'arcy has the more intelligent one. As for running lines D'Arcy is so far ahead of Danielli it is laughable.

D'Arcy thinks like a 15, Danielli looks what he is - a fish out of water. He hasn't a clue how to play 15 and it shows.

Dreamer - do you know how long Murphy is going to be out for as he looks very promising and is a very good back up for Morgan/Turnbull - I'm assuming that Pugh is still away/recovering with the 7s.

The closer the Oz game gets the more mad it seems that they've arranged it - especially with Gats saying that the players are knackered.

sums up how I feel about the Welsh game Priest!


And no actually not heard anything about Murphy at all, it's all fairly quiet on the injury front with regards to updates really.

D'arcy is way better at 15 than Danielli, I can't work out why he keeps starting.

Other than that every advantage is Ulsters.
We can pick from all our fit players and we're at home.

This should be a win, it is a must win game. Scarlets fans are right to be annoyed at the WRU upsetting thier top 4 chances ( a win away to Ulster would be a boost toward that), but that isn't Ulsters fault and we have to take advantage of it and get a good win on friday. If pretty much the best team we can put out, can't win at home to a weakened Scarlets side, what hopes do we really hold out for the season?

I genuinely think Danielli should be seeing out his contract in the Ravens or as backup in the Pro12. In fairness to him he probably deserves better from the service he has given Ulster but he just doesnt have the legs anymore.

I would love to see Luke Marshall start (by all accounts he played well for Ballymena last weekend) but i agree with Geoff i cant see McL starting him one week out from the HEC. His omission from that is a massive mistake.

I would go with a full strength team but i would be tempted to see Spence at 13 and Cave at 12 purely to give Nevin a bit of extra space to run into.

Stand, Cave isn't a 12 any more than Spence is and I still think Cave is the more polished and intelligent 13.
If P Wallace was fit it would be him and Cave not him and Spence.

For me I would like to see Stevenson get a game in the 2nd Row. Maybe just give Tuohy a wee nudge. I would also start Faloon again. He was one of very few forwards to impress last weekend. I would actually start Ferris on the bench and bring him on in the second half if he is needed. We shouldn't be risking him unnecessarily.

Unfortunately the D'Arcy/Danielli discussion will continue until it becomes the D'Arcy/Terblanche discussion. My opinion hasn't changed. From a defensive point I would have Danielli. D'Arcy was all over the place for Glasgow's try on Friday.

I know we're missing a bucket load of players due to the Wales game but Ulster are missing some key players that have a big effect on the team. Ulster are rightly seeing this as a must win and will be huge favourites but I can still see an upset.
This may be my blindly optimistic way of thinking (Im a bit like that with the scarlets) but I've just put us down for a 1 point win on sportsguru too.

We arent missing that many Overlord. Wallace is injured as is Payne but Pienaar may be back and Afoa will amost definately start. I wouldnt be confident against a full Scarlets side but if you guys are as depleted as it seems i cant see you getting anything.

Rava

i know Cave isnt a 12 but if we are stuck with the Spence/Cave combo i wonder could Cave make a better fist of 12 than Spence who is clearly struggling at 12.

(15-9): A D'Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall;
(1-8): T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg;
Replacements (16-23): N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, R Pienaar, P Jackson, I Whitten

Scarlets:

15-9 Dan Evans, Iongi, Reynolds, Warren, Lamont, Jones, Gareth Davies
1-8 John, Owens, Manu, Reed, Powell, Gilbert, McCusker, Murphy

16-23 Phillips, Iestyn Thomas, Gardiner, Welch, Edwards, Rhodri Williams, Newton, Iolo Evans.

Like the look of that Scarlets team, that's a really, really exciting backrow, although big asks for both Murphy and McCusker coming straight back in from injury and Murphy getting his first pro12 start I think.

Not the strongets of benches mind, but am glad the likes of Welch and Timani are getting a rest (even if a couple of them are on the bench). Hope that works out for us in the long run when we play Munster next weekend.

I expect us to get a put up a lot of fight, but Ulster to win by about 6.

No Danielli in the 22 is interesting and imo the right call. Fair play to McL on that one. I really want to see Luke Marshall get gametime but bearing in mind he isnt in the HEC squad and he could probably use 80 mins its right.

I still worry over our midfield. We really need to see a change of emphasis at 10 and lots of front foot ball finding Cave and Spence running onto the ball.

Pienaar back in the squad is great news but is anyone else baffled by our backrow selections. Faloon out again after probably being our most impressive forward last week. Im sure McL has his reasons but it just seems baffling.

Like the look of that Scarlets team, that's a really, really exciting backrow, although big asks for both Murphy and McCusker coming straight back in from injury and Murphy getting his first pro12 start I think.

Not the strongets of benches mind, but am glad the likes of Welch and Timani are getting a rest (even if a couple of them are on the bench). Hope that works out for us in the long run when we play Munster next weekend.

I expect us to get a put up a lot of fight, but Ulster to win by about 6.

Echo, cho, cho, co, o.

ha yep, a lovely bit of copy and paste, Glas

I'm excited about this match now. The Scarlets are going to Ravenhill on the attack! Ulster have started their best team to get some real game time in before the HC resumes, and have Pienaar on the bench. Tasty!

Yep, but I'm missing it going to my soddin work's do, might be able to catch the first 15 mins but that's it.

Turn up fashionably late, the food won't be on time and if its a buffet who cares?

ha maybe. Or ya know, someone could send me text updates

Aye OK, just remind me that's all!

Are there still tickets available for this does anyone know?

will do Glas!

Really gutted for Faloon. I wouldn't be surprised to see him away at the end of the season.

Whitten is the logical choice for outside backs cover so I assume this is the reason Danielli is out.

I would assume Pienaar will get on the pitch at some stage. Should we take bets as to what position that might be?

Rodders, you will be able to get tickets nae bother mate. You might even be able to pay at the gate. You should give the ticket office a call. (028 9049 3222)

Rava is right there is no way this is a sellout. Tickets will still be available at the gate

Ok nice one guys. Think I might head down for this one.

Looks a pretty good backline - especially considering who we're missing - hopefully Reynolds can do well. Worried about our pack - McCusker and Murphy both coming back from injury - a very inexperienced back 5 worried about how Powell will show up (he's not even on the Scarlets website Squad page - but Daf Jones is still there!)

I'm going to Echo, cho, cho, co, o... what Dreamer said and say clos(ish) game but Ulter to win by 6

It'll be the game of the season, that's for sure.

Really disappointed with the Falloon issue. He desperately needs a run of games to get some form. Playing him once in a while and expecting miracles is ridiculous! I think he'll be moving on next summer which is a real real shame!

McL and the brain trust best have a decent back up coming in, and I hope it's IQ'd, I woulnd't mind Ruddock from Leinster.

Regarding the team, happy with the back 3, would like to see Cave and Spence swapped and bursting with joy to see Ruan there! SUFTUM!

I honestly think we should be looking at a bonus point against that Scarlets team, or at least i would say that had are form been better. really i would like a 10-15 point win (no disrespect to scarlet who have been hamstrung by the wru) with hopefully a bonus point although i wouldnt bet on it

Nigel has played his cards wisely though Stand. He's gone for his heaviest back row, with some front five dogs on the bench to come on early in the second half. The back line is full of youngsters, the type you don't need to discuss game plans with, the type where the joy of just playing what's in front of them hasn't been coached out yet. And Stephen of course, who will have a major point to prove as he has not yet actually retired from international rugby.

It's not how many tries Ulster should manage, but will they be able to keep the Scarlets from scoring more?

Its Kevin Keegan rugby.

No excuses this time. We are at home, with our first choice pack.

Yes our lack of depth in the backs has been exposed a bit but we have three players missing, that is all. We can not raise our voices in any form of complaint. We just need a win.

Scarlets are dangerous, they could sneak it if we don't take point scoring opportunities. They have a few handy finishers. We could still be playing at Firhill and not have scored.

Ohhhh I could crush a grape