[tag=image]http://f1.thejournal.ie/media/2013/10/j ... 90x285.jpg[/tag][tag=content]We have waited three months for this day.
The incredible effort in Montpellier to deny them even a losing bonus point, the double thrashing of Treviso conceding just three points over the two games and that unforgettable, historic victory at Welford Road in January have all led to this. We all knew as soon as the final whistle blew in Leicester who we would face this weekend and as soon as we heard the name, I think every single Ulsterman and woman had the same unanimous thought.
Revenge.
And once again we enter into the latter stages of the Heineken Cup, the only side to have done so for the past four seasons running, yet this time we enter the quarter-finals in uncharted territory as top seeds. But deservedly so you must say – we took down one of the giants of European rugby in Leicester and the Top14 leaders on their own stamping grounds. The only side to go six from six in the pool stages, we are rightfully top seeds.
This is the first time that the hallowed turf at Ravenhill shall grace a Heineken Cup quarter-final since 1999, and it’s long overdue. We blew one last season with that horrendous defeat to Northampton (ironically at Ravenhill), this year we’d better not mess up the brilliant position we’ve provided for ourselves.
Easier said than done: we all know about Saracens. They receive a heck of a lot of abuse on this forum for their globetrotting ideals and their annoying habits, neither of which I necessarily condone or promote, and I for one believe we have to show our opponents this week a lot more respect than we do. They humiliated us at Twickenham last season, they have top quality players all over the show and they are in great form to boot – they will be by far the biggest test we have had this season so far.
Where they can be beaten, however, is up front. We’ve seen them twice been bullied by a superior French pack against Toulouse, and although they talk themselves up as a strong outfit, in the big games they sometimes do not live up to that billing. If we can get on top at the breakdown and get on the right side of referee Jerome Garces then this game is there for the winning.
Ignore our result last week – it was a case of two eyes on this week, and although that was wrong we have to move on from that. The result will hit our players hard and hopefully jolt them into action this week, and buoyed by the return of Ruan Pienaar and Rory Best for the game, it looks like everything is lining up for us.
This team has a point to prove make no doubt about it. We’ve lost two finals in the last two years, and with Tom Court, John Afoa and Johann Muller leaving at the end of the season it may be the last chance for this team to win some silverware. All the talk was done earlier this week, now all that’s left to be done is for them to bring home the bacon.
And for the fans. The team have done their part by bringing a quarter-final back to Belfast, so this Saturday we shall stand tall, sing loud, sing proud and stand up for our Ulstermen with all we are worth. This is the biggest game we’ve had at Ravenhill since the visit of Stade Francais fifteen years ago, so it’s up to us to get behind the boys and ensure that the result is the same as it was then. As Ian Paisley would say: “No surrender!”
This is our time, this is the year we go from the nearly men to the first team to win every game in the Heineken Cup.
And as William Ernest Henley says in the great poem Invictus:
It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Give ‘em hell boys.
The teams
Just three changes for Ulster from last week’s team, and the return of Ruan Pienaar at scrum-half in place of Michael Heaney is the most notable. Rory Best comes back into the team at hooker in his first start for Ulster since January while there is also a recall for Roger Wilson at blindside flanker with Stephen Ferris dropping to the bench.
Mark McCall makes five changes for Saracens, including having their half-back combination from their game against Wasps switched around with Owen Farrell and Richard Wigglesworth replacing Charlie Hodgson and Neil de Kock respectively. The other four changes all come in the pack, which see Schalk Brits return at hooker in place of Jamie George, James Johnston come in for Matt Stevens at tighthead prop, Billy Vunipola return well ahead of schedule to start at blindside flanker ahead of Jackson Wray and Jacques Burger who starts in the back row instead of Kelly Brown.
Ulster Rugby vs. Saracens
Saturday 5th April, 18:30
Ravenhill
Heineken Cup Quarter-Final
ULSTER RUGBY
15. Jared Payne, 14. Andrew Trimble, 13. Darren Cave, 12. Luke Marshall, 11. Tommy Bowe, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 1. Tom Court, 2. Rory Best, 3. John Afoa, 4. Johann Muller (capt), 5. Dan Tuohy, 6. Roger Wilson, 7. Chris Henry, 8. Nick Williams.
16. Rob Herring, 17. Andrew Warwick, 18. Ricky Lutton, 19. Iain Henderson, 20. Stephen Ferris, 21. Robbie Diack, 22. Paul Marshall, 23. Craig Gilroy.
SARACENS
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 (capt), 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.
Referee: Jerome Garces (FFR)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal, Cedric Marchat (both FFR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)[/tag]
Once more into the breach...
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