Heineken Cup is back - Ulster vs Castres

[promsandwich]

Castres form is good, but so is ours ( in fact I don't think it could be better than unbeaten ). Most of our wins have been based on forward supremacy. Can we maintain same? I hope so, but there are two possible problems. First, Big Nick has been immense so far this year and without him we lose his ability to go forward and his ability to suck in opposition defenders thereby creating space for others. Second, our front row has been a total weapon so far but the Frenchies take scrummaging as a matter of national pride and as good as we are, if TC gets injured, the support cast is not at the same level.

Anyway, that's the panic out of me. Now the positives - we are as good 1 to 15 as I can remember in recent years and in most of those positions we have players that are at or close to the top level. We are at home. Even with poor teams we have been hard to beat at home. We should win. 5 points might be asking for too much but 4 are a necessity!

[AyeYerMa]

Big Nick is named in the "Uncle Tom Cobley" squad.

[mikerob]

FORWARDS (16):
Rob Herring, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Neil McComb, John Afoa, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, Callum Black, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Stephen Ferris, Mike McComish, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

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

[mikerob]

So 4 to drop out.

Heaney
One of Brady/Herring
A second row... probably McComb
If Williams is fit, a back row, Henderson or McComish.

[fuzzylogic]

by promsandwich » Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:24 am

Castres form is good, but so is ours

Lost 2 won 1 in the last 3 games.

Do you know what good form is?

[Yoda]

FORWARDS (16):
Rob Herring, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Neil McComb, John Afoa, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, Callum Black, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Stephen Ferris, Mike McComish, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

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

Back line almost picks itself, Heaney to drop out.

Brady, McComb and Williams/McComish to drop out of forwards

Court
Best
Afoa
Muller
Tuohy
Ferris
Henry/McComish
Williams/Henry
Pienaar
Jackson
Trimble
Wallace
Cave
Bowe
Payne

Herring, Black, Macklin, Stevenson, Henderson, P Marshall, L Marshall, Gilroy

[Cornerfleg]

No NOC????????

[Windeos]

Do you know what guys.... if I were the cowboy I'd start with Marshall & stick Pienaar on the bench.

I know it's crazy and people may laugh but it would send a great message to the squad that if your performing well and playing you keep the shirt, which is what cowboy has been preaching.

I'm not trying to say Small Paul has been outstanding but it's a situation where it could really rally the squad and give the players on the fringes a real lift and incentive to keep pushing the big boys.

We could then unleash Pienaar around the 50min mark to control the rest of the game and get Pienaar in the team to start versus Glasgow.

I'd also give Gilroy a start over Trimble. He's waited and made a good impact in limited minutes the last 2 games so give him a start with Trimble on the bench, but that's just me.

A bench of Herring, Black, Macklin, Stevenson, Henderson, Pienaar, L Marshall & Trimble would be a big boost when they come on to freshen everything up and run Castre into the ground.

Just my two cents

[Rooster]

Looks like McCombe is an afterthought in that list stuck in between the hookers and props ?

[ColinM]

Problem with keeping Marshall in situ Windy, is that its a fairly paltry gesture to beagle lasting only a week as everyone knows the pecking order. If does what you say, then he's going to have to stick by it for the rest of the season if P is playing well and we know thats absurd, like playing McFadden when BOD is fit.

[Cornerfleg]

That theory has worked and worked well for guys like McComish, Allen, Marshall etc and I doff my hat at MA not throwing the likes of Chad and Touhy straight back into the starting team ... but this is the Hieny we're talking about - and this is St P ... there is a difference.

Ruan has not been sitting scratching his hoop on an IRFU jolly, or extracting splinters form his ass or recovering from an injury ... he's up to match fitness.

[promsandwich]

by promsandwich » Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:24 am

Castres form is good, but so is ours

Lost 2 won 1 in the last 3 games.

Do you know what good form is?

Castres 16 Clermont 13

Have you heard of Clermont, they are rather good

[Cornerfleg]

Leinster - 6 Connacht - 34


So where Leinster ... any idea what team they had out or any other factors?

[bazzaj]

I cant imagine Williams is fully fit after a rib injury.
I assumed the way he went off that its normally at least 3 weeks for ribs to heal.
Not sure if its worth the risk of further injury at this stage of the season.

[Russ]

When is the Castres team announced?

Do you not think it would be better for us to be reactionary to them given our lack of first choice number 8s, rather than proactive?