Sat Jan 21 8pm Ulster v Sale BT Sport 2 / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / FloRugby

[Bart S]

I am hoping the ireland squad announcement will have a positive impact on ulster vs Sale :-

Stockdale - a much needed confidence boost for the guy which he now needs to repay.

Hume, Timoney and Tredwell will know they have not been good enough but a big performance against one of the top English teams will put them in the frame for a squad place when the inevitable injuries hit others.

Timoney and Tredwell did pretty well for Ireland previously but their recent form has not been good enough and they don't have the credit in the bank. They need to look at how someone like Gavin Coombes has reacted to being dropped.

In Tredwell's case if he can't get a guaranteed start ahead of limited players like Al O'connor then he can't really complain. He needs to show more as a starter and not just an impact player. Unless you are someone like Will Skelton you need to prove you will be a decent backup starting option and not just an impact option off the bench.

[justinr73]

Tredders needs to give himself the chance of an eye-catching line break, rather than just going for the sideways, low one yard carry every time.

I could be wrong, but we don’t seem to be using him in the lineout as much these days. I think it was at home to Clermont last year when he won loads and stood out a mile.

[Neill_M]

Ulster Rugby team to play Sale Sharks, Heineken Champions Cup Round 4, Saturday 21 January at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 8pm), live on BT Sport:

(15-9): Michael Lowry, Rob Lyttle, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Andy Warwick, Tom Stewart, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Sam Carter, Harry Sheridan, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

[Neill_M]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom O’Flaherty, 13. Sam James, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob Du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Ewan Ashman, 3. James Harper, 4. Josh Beaumont, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Jono Ross, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc Du Preez

Replacements:

16. Tommy Taylor, 17. Bevan Rodd, 18. James Harper, 19. Rouban Birch, 20. Sam Dugdale, 21. Raffi Quirke, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Tom Roebuck.

[thecrouch]

Sheridan starting is a big call. Has he leapfrogged McCann?

[CIMANFOREVER]

Where's Sutherland? Are we serious about qualification?
Tredders must be what Eddie J terms a"finisher" lol
Tough on Madigan imo. Deserved nothing to be benched for the best Ulster 10 display this season

[So It Is]

Sheridan starting is a big call. Has he leapfrogged McCann?

Its hard to know under Dan McF.

I'm shocked he hasn't picked Greg Jones . . . . Jordi brought in from the cold after scratching his Brennan for most of the season also.

Very little in the way of consistency in selection as always.

[allezlesverres]

Will ravenhill turn up this week? Atmosphere was brutal v Munster.

The crowd have definitely been more reserved but it's a chicken and egg scenario. The crowd need something to celebrate, other than stockdale catching a high ball. We aren't like the soccer fans who have nothing to celebrate save occasional throw ins and corners. We are used to seeing Ulster occasionally play well and when they do, ravenhill is always deafening. If Hume shoots out after the kick off and smashes the catcher into next week, the crowd will cheer til they're hoarse all match.

[justinr73]

More significantly perhaps, you’d think the vocal chords will be well lubricated come 8pm tomorrow night.

[HammerTime]

Won't argue. The days when Fez crunching people created an atmosphere by himself. That hit on the fullback (where he drove him 20 yards up the field) on his comeback had the place bouncing after it.

[HammerTime]

Where's Sutherland? Are we serious about qualification?
Tredders must be what Eddie J terms a"finisher" lol
Tough on Madigan imo. Deserved nothing to be benched for the best Ulster 10 display this season

He's trying to have an impact bench coming on rather than trying to blow away a team with your best 15. We don't have the squad to do that but could potentially have a 15 if they could get their sh!t together.

[jean valjean]

Can't see where we are going to dominate this game given the Selection. Could be a low scoring affair with whoever wants it more coming out on top. Sale are the one English side at the minute who will guarantee to show up physically; but a win will bring a close to a difficult chapter of the season.

[DavenportSharky]

Not so confident this time round. We lost our 2 first choice props when they smashed into each other after 6 seconds of the Toulouse game and then Wiese saw red so is also out. Tom Curry injured and Akker Van der Merwe back home in SAfrica. These are major weaknesses. 17 of the 23 are products of Sale academy. Ashman is hopeless at throwing in at the moment so Ulster may well profit in the lineout. Shame not to see Will Addison out there. Hope it’s a good match and that your recovery doesn’t start quite yet!

[CIMANFOREVER]

Will ravenhill turn up this week? Atmosphere was brutal v Munster.

The crowd have definitely been more reserved but it's a chicken and egg scenario. The crowd need something to celebrate, other than stockdale catching a high ball. We aren't like the soccer fans who have nothing to celebrate save occasional throw ins and corners. We are used to seeing Ulster occasionally play well and when they do, ravenhill is always deafening. If Hume shoots out after the kick off and smashes the catcher into next week, the crowd will cheer til they're hoarse all match.

You're optimistic ref Hume Allez. Marshall yes...

[CIMANFOREVER]

Where's Sutherland? Are we serious about qualification?
Tredders must be what Eddie J terms a"finisher" lol
Tough on Madigan imo. Deserved nothing to be benched for the best Ulster 10 display this season

He's trying to have an impact bench coming on rather than trying to blow away a team with your best 15. We don't have the squad to do that but could potentially have a 15 if they could get their sh!t together.

Hasn't worked so far Hammer. I'd be going full metal jacket from the start and throw the kitchen sink at it, with really nothing to lose. Other vacuous metaphors are available....