Saints v Ulster

[mea97mb]

Preliminary squad up, Macklin and DF out. Who is the back-up to Afoa, is Lutton a TH?

Ulster will go in search of their 50th Heineken Cup win when they face Northampton Saints in Friday's crucial Pool 4 clash at Franklin's Gardens (kick off 8.00pm).

Head coach Mark Anscombe has added Ruan Pienaar, Chris Henry and Paddy Wallace to his 27 man preliminary squad as they prepare for the first versus second encounter.
Kiwi duo Jared Payne and Nick Williams are also named after being rested for Sunday’s trip to Scarlets.

Experienced hooker Nigel Brady, development prop Ricky Lutton and outside back Michael Allen come in to provide the Ulster management team with further options.

Stephen Ferris, Lewis Stevenson, Declan Fitzpatrick and Adam Macklin remain sidelined through injury.

Ulster go into the game with 9 points from the opening two rounds of the competition, 3 more than their opponents. A win on Friday would give them a very strong position before the return fixture at Ravenhill next week.

Ulster squad to face Northampton Saints, RaboDirect PRO12, Friday 7th December, Franklin’s Gardens, (KO 8.00pm):

Forwards (16)
Rob Herring, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Ricky Lutton, Callum Black, Tom Court, John Afoa, Neil McComb, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Iain Henderson, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Mike McComish, Roger Wilson, Nick Williams.

Backs (11)
Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Paddy Wallace, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Michael Allen, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11005.php

[CIMANFOREVER]

Smug mode... Ravens coming home to roost at Tighthead- so either Lutton gets thrown to the lions (is he not a loosie as well?) or poor old TC if JA goes down. Utter Ballix. Least we know the score with Macklin now.

[breakdown]

Lutton can play on either side. Deccy Fitz injured again?

I think DHumph better spend a while in the SH looking for an IQ tighthead if Macklin isn't getting a look in

[Ringer]

Lutton can play on either side. Deccy Fitz injured again?

I think DHumph better spend a while in the SH looking for an IQ tighthead if Macklin isn't getting a look in

The clue is in the line "Stephen Ferris, Lewis Stevenson, Declan Fitzpatrick and Adam Macklin remain sidelined through injury"

Macklin has been injured for the past month. He's young guy learning from a world class tight head and will get plenty of opportunities for game time once fit

[breakdown]

What is the point in Deccy Fitz though? I dont mean to be harsh and when fit he is a good player but surely as he isn't on a central contract its pointless paying a guy who maybe only makes the match day squad around 15 times a year, and it's not like he's got time left on his side to get over his injuries, hes late twenties... Surely the money can be better spent elsewhere?

[ruckover]

One back to drop out - Allen
One hooker to drop out - Brady
Two lock/flankers to drop out - McComb, McComish

[LeinsterLad]

I thought your man Black was superb against Scarlets, haven't seen much of him in the past. Hows he rated up North? Possibly pushing Court? He actually reminded me a lot of Northamptons Tonga'uia with his incredibly illegal angle of driving inwards, but had similar effect of slaughtering his opposite number and if you get away with it, well, it's fair game.

[breakdown]

IMO Black should be starting vs Saints and really pushing Court for a starting place. Certainly a better technical scrummager than Court but not as effective around the park, which is probably why MA would consider Court first choice.

Againts Mujati I would pick Black because he could get under him easier than big Tom could and with the Saints scrum a key to their game plan if we can disrupt that early on then all the better

[ColinM]

I thought your man Black was superb against Scarlets, haven't seen much of him in the past. Hows he rated up North? Possibly pushing Court? He actually reminded me a lot of Northamptons Tonga'uia with his incredibly illegal angle of driving inwards, but had similar effect of slaughtering his opposite number and if you get away with it, well, it's fair game.

Really not much in the call now LL, Black and Court have both been pushing each other hard all season, such that whichever one comes off the bench seems to lift his game. It really is great to see such competition in a crucial position, with Paddy Mac to come back again too.

[Thelaw]

I thought your man Black was superb against Scarlets, haven't seen much of him in the past. Hows he rated up North? Possibly pushing Court? He actually reminded me a lot of Northamptons Tonga'uia with his incredibly illegal angle of driving inwards, but had similar effect of slaughtering his opposite number and if you get away with it, well, it's fair game.

Really not much in the call now LL, Black and Court have both been pushing each other hard all season, such that whichever one comes off the bench seems to lift his game. It really is great to see such competition in a crucial position, with Paddy Mac to come back again too.

If I was Paddy Mac I'd be hitting the weights big time!! For me it has to be Black to start on Friday night

[Scranner]

What is the point in Deccy Fitz though? I dont mean to be harsh and when fit he is a good player but surely as he isn't on a central contract its pointless paying a guy who maybe only makes the match day squad around 15 times a year, and it's not like he's got time left on his side to get over his injuries, hes late twenties... Surely the money can be better spent elsewhere?

Isn't he recovering from concussion following on from an earlier concussion? Wouldn't imagine he's out by choice. Maybe you didn't "mean to be harsh" but the guy got injured playing for Ulster. Give the guy a break.

[BaggyTrousers]

I thought your man Black was superb against Scarlets, haven't seen much of him in the past. Hows he rated up North? Possibly pushing Court? He actually reminded me a lot of Northamptons Tonga'uia with his incredibly illegal angle of driving inwards, but had similar effect of slaughtering his opposite number and if you get away with it, well, it's fair game.

Well observed Sir, Black is one of a few players threatening the old order. I have been hugely impressed with him since his arrival but last season he had injury problems & didn't get too many games as he also had PaddyMac to push past.

As Sir Nez Rouge Ferguson & our beloved leader, Declan Kidney both say, one man's injury is another man's opportunity & Callum has taken his superbly and there is now not much more than a feg paper between him & Tom Court. TC probably has more of an all-round game being pretty spry around the field but Black appears to me to be rapidly becoming a more destructive scrummager, legal or otherwise.

One of his most impressive moments this season was our home game v Castres he came on as a sub and shortly after Chris Henry got a yellow. Castres never moved our 7 man scrum neither did they get out of their half for those 10 minutes. Wee Black is a nugget & only 26, with a fair wind and an Irish coach who sees past Munster for forwards, Black could shortly be backing up Cian Healy.

It will be a tight call for Friday as are one or two others but I expect Maaaaaaaaaak to go with experience in most if not all the tight calls. I expect both can do a job but suspect that perhaps the shorter man Black might cope better with Mujati. I'd like Court to come on when his game might be better suited but I'm not sure the Cowboy will see it that way - and lets be honest, he knows best.

[Big-al]

Watched the the sports segment on UTV. The Ulster pack doing lineout training was
1.Court
2.Best
3.Afoa
4.Tuohy
5.DIACK
6.Henderson
7.Henry
8.Wilson


Johann Muller wasn't anywhere to be seen? Lets hope his hand is fine.

[Snipe Watson]

Suggests to me that Robbie is being used to cover 4-8.

[Cornerfleg]

A Demi-Brady ????