Match Preview: Ulster Rugby vs. Ospreys

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ADM
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Match Preview: Ulster Rugby vs. Ospreys

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[tag=image]http://1.1.1.2/bmi/upload.wikimedia.org ... spreys.gif[/tag][tag=content]It’s been a long time since we were preparing for a competitive match and, personally, it’s great to be back!

So what to catch up on? Burt Bakarat (real name Joe Barakat) has arrived with some fresh ideas to bring to the team, a raft of squad-fillers arrived to bolster our ranks during the World Cup, and Angry Andy Trimble has been made just that little bit angrier by being excluded from Joe Schmidt’s World Cup squad.

We’ve got two pre-season friendlies under our belt now and this is where things get serious. No messing about anymore, no room for experimenting, the Ospreys are in town and we need to get our domestic campaign off to the perfect start by picking up an early four points against a play-off rival at home.

Being at home first up is perfect for us as it’s where we’re strongest – we haven’t lost at the Kingspan in the Pro12 since May 2014 when Leinster won off the back of Tom Court’s red card. And in a league as tight as the Pro12 it is crucial that we keep that home record intact in order to stand the best chance of reaching the play-offs next May.

However, we know the Ospreys will not be pushovers. They only had one pre-season match which might work against them but when you factor in that it was a 33-16 win away to Saracens then maybe it wasn’t such a wasted pre-season.

The Ospreys are also traditionally good starters too, boasting a record of five wins on the opening day of the season since 2008. They also have some good form to carry over from last season having won six of their last seven matches, while they also have something of a decent record at the Kingspan too – they’re the only Welsh side to win in Belfast since April 2010, having beaten us then and also in February 2013.

We, however, hold the recent advantage having won three of our last four encounters with the Ospreys – our 31-20 defeat at the Liberty Stadium last year the only blemish. The Ospreys have also lost a lot more players to the World Cup than we have, so this will be a real test as to whether our mid-strength side is as good as their second string side (and you’d like to hope we are).

So bring on the new season! The signings have been made, the stadium’s ready and all the preparation has been done as we get ready to have another crack at potential glory this season. 22 games for us to navigate, all of which start tomorrow night, hopefully with a convincing win that will set us up nicely for the year ahead.

Let’s go!

Team news
Andrew Trimble starts for Ulster after being left out of Ireland’s World Cup squad earlier this week – he’s joined in the back three by Louis Ludik and Craig Gilroy. Luke Marshall and Stuart McCloskey are the centres, while an absence of fly-halves means Peter Nelson makes his debut at 10 outside Paul Marshall. Rob Herring captains the side in a front row that also includes Andy Warwick and Wiehahn Herbst while Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe are the second row partnership. Roger Wilson returns from injury and Nick Williams from suspension to both start in the back row alongside Willie Faloon.

Tom Grabham will be the unenviable man with the task of marking Trimble on the wing – he’s in the back three with Dan Evans and Kristian Phillips. Jonathan Spratt and Ben John are the centres, and it’s a 50th Ospreys cap for scrum-half Tom Habberfield who operates with Sam Davies as half-backs. Marc Thomas, Sam Parry and Dmitri Arhip continue in the front row, while captain Lloyd Ashley is joined by debutant De Kock Steenkamp at lock. Joe Bearman, Lloyd Evans and Gareth Delve are the back row.

Ulster Rugby vs. Ospreys
Friday 4th September, 19:35
Kingspan Stadium
Guinness PRO12 – Round 1

Live on BBC2 NI and BBC2 Wales

ULSTER RUGBY
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Craig Gilroy, 13. Luke Marshall, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Andrew Trimble, 10. Peter Nelson, 9. Paul Marshall; 1. Andrew Warwick, 2. Rob Herring (capt.), 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 4. Dan Tuohy, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 6. Roger Wilson, 7. Willie Faloon, 8. Nick Williams.

Replacements: 16. John Andrew, 17. Ricky Lutton, 18. Bronson Ross, 19. Peter Browne, 20. Clive Ross, 21. Sean Reidy, 22. David Shanahan, 23. Sam Arnold.

OSPREYS
15. Dan Evans, 14. Kristian Phillips, 13. Jonathan Spratt, 12. Ben John, 11. Tom Grabham, 10. Sam Davies, 9. Tom Habberfield; 1. Marc Thomas, 2. Sam Parry, 3. Dmitri Arhip, 4. Lloyd Ashley (capt.), 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 6. Joe Bearman, 7. Lloyd Evans, 8. Gareth Delve.

Replacements: 16. Scott Otten, 17. Nicky Smith, 18. Cai Griffiths, 19. Rory Thornton, 20. Dan Baker, 21. Sam Underhill, 22. Brendon Leonard, 23. Ashley Beck.

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 32nd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher, Brian MacNeice (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eugene Ryan (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)[/tag]
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