Caaaardiff Blues v Ulster Sat 3rd Dec 5:15pm Sky Sports 3

[Neill_M]

Fair to say, things are not good right now. A defeat on Saturday would see Ulster fall into the Parker Pen spots.....

In related news the Blues have signed a couple of lads on short term deals as injury cover - former player Nicky Robinson and Samoan International scrum half Pele Cowley. Big Nick didn't feature for the Blues last week, unsure if that was due to injury etc. Our Georgian friend was sent off in the AW Cup 2 weeks ago, so should be banned for this one in theory....

Team news for Ulster - do we expect a similar side to the one due to play Zebre?

C Piutau, T Bowe, L Ludik, L Marshall, J Stockdale, B Herron, R Pienaar, K McCall, R Herring , W Herbst, P Browne, F van der Merwe, C Ross , C Henry, S Reidy

Replacements: J Andrew, C Black, A Warwick, D Tuohy, R Diack, P Marshall, C Gilroy, R Lyttle

Or will the likes of Cave, McCloskey, Rodney and Roger also be available for selection? Don't expect any of the Irish players to be available - any that aren't broken will probably be back for the 2 defeats by Clermont...

[firebell53]

Jackson and Henderson to play. Plus a few more returning from injury added to squad.

[thecrouch]

Jackson will surely be rested.

Which means we're goosed.

[BaggyTrousers]

Jackson will surely be rested.

Which means we're goosed.

He's only had a wee bit of rugby over the last 4 weeks, likewise Hendy, I very much doubt Firebell would announce it were it not so.

I certainly hope so, for I'm going to the bloody game and had assumed no internationals & no chance.

My optimism status has raised from "none" to "slight", perhaps on the "faint" side of "slight".

[thecrouch]

Jackson will surely be rested.

Which means we're goosed.

He's only had a wee bit of rugby over the last 4 weeks, likewise Hendy, I very much doubt Firebell would announce it were it not so.

I certainly hope so, for I'm going to the bloody game and had assumed no internationals & no chance.

My optimism status has raised from "none" to "slight", perhaps on the "faint" side of "slight".

Played most of the game against the All Blacks and all of the game against Australia.

He'll be rested.

Unless UR have agreed to drop Jackson for the super duper cup games instead, but I doubt we'd have the wit to ask that question.

[ruckover]

I think he'll perhaps be rested for one of the SDC games.

[Neill_M]

I think he'll perhaps be rested for one of the SDC games.

If that's the case, might as well be the away game in Montferrand - two hopes of winning that one - Bob and ...

[Dave]

He doesn't need rested. He probably has the highest fitness levels of any player in Ireland.

[thecrouch]

He doesn't need rested. He probably has the highest fitness levels of any player in Ireland.

Hardly matters, IRFU have jobsworths who will insist he only plays a certain number of fixtures within an specific period of games.

[Jackie Brown]

Will Tuohy be involved?

[ColinM]

Will Tuohy be involved?

Should be, its only half an hour down the road from Bristol

[Russ]

Will Payne be there?

[thecrouch]

We are in trouble lads, we are entering the pointy end of the season and we have a tough run coming up.

Look at our upcoming games:

Cardiff away
Clermont Home
Clermont away
Connacht Home
Leinster away
Scarlets away
Exeter away
Bordeaux home

Ok, the super duper cup games don't matter really but taking a beating will dent morale even further. Looking at those league games though and based on what we've shown to date it is not unrealistic to think we could lose all of these.

Come the start of january we could be in complete free fall.

[Dave]

Will Payne be there?

Out til February

[Russ]

Will Payne be there?

Out til February

Given his injury it'll be longer than that