Friday 26th August 2016
Teams named for double header at Kingspan Stadium
The coaching staff have named the Ulster squads for Friday's double header at Kingspan Stadium.
Ulster A, sponsored by CD Group, will take on Canada A at 5.15pm and the senior team will host Northampton Saints at 7.30pm.
ULSTER v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Hughes Insurance Academy player, Robert Lyttle, who scored two tries in a late 10-minute cameo appearance last week against Exeter, has been rewarded with selection on the left wing.
The only other newcomer to the backline is Paul Marshall, who will step into scrumhalf after Ruan Pienaar picked up an elbow injury last Saturday. It will be a first Kingspan Stadium appearance for All Black Charles Piutau, who will line out at fullback. Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave are retained in midfield, with Brett Herron at outhalf and Louis Ludik occupying the right wing berth.
Loosehead prop Andy Warwick has been introduced to the starting XV in what is the only change to the forward pack. The Ballymena man will be joined in the front row by captain Rob Herring and Rodney Ah You. Pete Browne and Franco van der Merwe continue their second row partnership, and Robbie Diack, Clive Ross and Roger Wilson are again included in the back row department.
Director of Rugby, Les Kiss, has gone for a 6/3 split of forwards and backs on the bench. John Andrew, Callum Black and Academy player Ross Kane will provide cover for the front row, while Alan O'Connor, Conor Joyce and Matthew Rea are the other forwards selected. Backs Dave Shanahan, Sam Windsor and Jacob Stockdale make up the rest of the match day squad.
Ulster team and replacements to play Northampton Saints, Friday 26th August, Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.30pm):
(15-9): C Piutau; L Ludik, D Cave, S McCloskey, R Lyttle; B Herron, P Marshall;
(1-8): A Warwick, R Herring (captain), R Ah You, P Browne, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Ross, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-24): J Andrew, C Black, R Kane, A O'Connor, C Joyce, M Rea, D Shanahan, S Windsor, J Stockdale.
ULSTER A v CANADA A
A youthful Ulster A squad will be captained by Kyle McCall as they welcome Canada A to Kingspan Stadium.
McCall is joined in the front row by his brother Zack, who will start at hooker. Craig Trenier will play in the number 3 jersey, with Kieran Treadewell and Alex Thompson in the engine room. Ireland 7s star Nick Timoney is named at blindside, with Conall Boomer and Stephen Mulholland occupying the other loose forward positions.
Angus Lloyd and Johnny McPhilips, who have impressed during pre-season so far, have been slotted into the half back roles. Rory Butler and Mark Best are partnered in midfield, with Aaron Cairns, Conor Kelly and David Busby starting in the back three.
Adam McBurney, Tommy O'Hagan, Michael Lagan and Peter Cooper will offer front row options on the bench. Ballyclare second row Alistair Burke and Hughes Insurance Academy players Aaron Hall and Marcus Rea will provide extra cover up front. Fellow Academy players Jonny Stewart and Andy Magrath, plus sub-Academy player Conor Field, are covering the backline.
Ulster A team and replacements to play Canada A, Friday 26th August, Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 5.15pm):
(15-9): D Busby; C Kelly, M Best, R Butler, A Cairns; J McPhillips, A Lloyd;
(1-8): K McCall (captain), Z McCall, C Trenier, K Treadwell, A Thompson, N Timoney, C Boomer, S Mulholland;
Replacements (16-25): A McBurney, T O'Hagan, M Lagan, P Cooper, A Burke, A Hall, M Rea, J Stewart, A Magrath, C Field.
Match preview by Les Kiss:
"I think that our pre-season preparations have been good and there are some really solid things to take forward into the new season.
"This game will wrap up pre-season and the fixture schedule has given some of our young players a chance to play against top Premiership opposition. That experience should stand them in good stead from a development perspective.
"I'm pleased to see Ross Kane get an opportunity for the seniors after injuries to three of our tightheads, and the Canada A game will allow us to get the full squad some much-needed game time against a well-drilled side.
"It goes without saying that the Saints will provide us with a massive challenge. They have a very experienced team that is full of internationals, but it's exactly the type of fixture that we need at this stage and it will be another good test for some of our young players."
http://www.ulsterrugby.com/fixtures/151 ... 7_xIWD2bIU
Andrew Trimble has bit between teeth as he becomes Ulster’s wing commander 
Les Kiss’s new captain admits pressure is on province after too many near misses
“It’s important that our skillset, our fitness levels, our game awareness, everything moves up,” says Ulster’s Andrew Trimble Inpho/Presseye
Like most frontline Irish players, Andrew Trimble has plenty to consider and aspire to this season. There are Ulster’s opening forays in the Guinness Pro12 and the European Champions Cup, an exceptional November window featuring Tests against New Zealand in Chicago and Dublin, and then the remainder of Ulster’s campaign either side of the Six Nations, and all topped off with a Lions tour to New Zealand.
So, naturally, he’s taken on the Ulster captaincy as well.
Of course, it’s a hell of an honour for a player entering his 12th season with his native province, and someone has to do it. Rory Best managed it on top of captaining Ireland as well. But it was no surprise either when he stepped down as Ulster captain.
Still, it was somewhat surprising that Trimble would succeed him, albeit as joint captain with Rob Herring (who also assumed the role during the Test windows while Best was away last season). After all, wing is not the most obvious place, nor easiest, to be a captain, as Trimble admits himself.
Easy decision
“It certainly was an easy decision for me to make. To be honest, it wasn’t something I’d been targeting or looking forward to. It’s something I wasn’t sure if my role would be suitable for – that sort of responsibility. But it’s amazing how when Kissy [Les Kiss] suggested it, I was 100 per cent keen to do it and really up for it.
“Rob Herring is the same and hopefully the two of us can be on the same page. The leadership structure is different for us moving forward and I think it will be good for us.
“There’s a lot of leadership throughout and we’re introducing the concept of everyone taking responsibility and standing up. ‘Leading each other’ is the way Kissy phrased it and certainly it’s something a lot of us can get behind. I think that’s one of the ways we will get to the next level.”
Ah yes, the next level. For Ulster that means silverware, which has eluded them since their sole league title a decade ago.
For the last four seasons, Ulster have reached the Pro12 playoffs, losing the final in 2013 when forced to relocate the final to the RDS.
Nine ventures
There was also one European Cup semi-final defeat in 2011, in tandem with three quarter-final defeats, as well, of course, as the loss to Leinster in the 2012 final – all in a four-year period from 2011.
Commendably consistent in many respects, but just three wins and nine defeats in knockout rugby gnaws at them.
So the pressure is on again.
“You could say that alright. The last few years we have been consistently banging on the door and not getting anywhere. We’ve been getting ourselves into positions where we can capitalise or take advantage of an opportunity, and not quite getting over the line.”
“It’s something we need to look at and address, and find ways of getting around that. But it’s going to require an awful lot of mental strength and believing we are good enough to win something.”
While Trimble makes this sound like a mental issue, he admits there’s more to it than that, not least the quality of opposition. After all, five of those defeats have been to Leinster (four at the RDS), one to Northampton (away) one to Glasgow (away) and two to Saracens (one away).
“At the same time, every team in the league is going to get better this year. It’s important that our skillset, our fitness levels, our game awareness, everything moves up. That mental ability to deal with the big occasion has to move up with that.”
Horizon
Looming large on the horizon are the All Blacks, as they do, and Trimble was part of the 45-man Ireland squad that had a two-day camp earlier this week, with Joe Schmidt focussing their primary attention on that first meeting in Chicago on November 5th.
These were the “the really basic building blocks,” according to Trimble.
“Our exits, getting out of our 22, our defence and looking at the South Africa tour, a couple of errors we made and things we need to get ironed out.”
There was plenty of footage. “The All Blacks are a side that can play 10 different ways and they’re not a side that’s easy to prepare for.
“It’s an even more daunting task when you’ve got to play them twice, so it didn’t surprise me or any of the boys that there was a lot of homework squeezed into two days. And it’s really important that we go away and have thoughts on how we’re going to beat them and how we’re going about winning that game, approaching that game.”
Schmidt’s ability to de-mystify the All Blacks and come up with a game plan almost yielded a famous win the last time the countries met in November 2013.
“It’s important that we have an appreciation of how good this team is, but as well as that they are just 15 guys on a pitch and it’s important that we know that if we perform as well as we can – as we did a few years ago when we did everything but beat them – who’s to say we can’t increase that performance level another one or two per cent?”
“It’s good to have that balance. To be daunted or just to have the right amount of respect for your opposition but at the same time have a good level of self-belief and know how good we can potentially be.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/p ... -1.2768744
Trimble ready to play captain's role
'Easy decision' for winger to become Ulster’s co-skipper
David Trimble’s first priority is to nail down a regular starting place in the Ulster team. Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
He had suggested it at the end of the last season but it still came as something of a surprise when Rory Best relinquished the Ulster captaincy duties, yet Andrew Trimble didn't think twice when asked to take over.
The experienced winger will share the responsibility with hooker Rob Herring but, as Trimble admits himself, he has a job on his hands to just get into the starting XV.
The competition for places in Ulster's back three is among the best in Europe, especially with the arrival of the mercurial former All Black Charles Piutau.
Jared Payne, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy, Louis Ludik, Jacob Stockdale, Piutau and Trimble will all compete with Piutau for starting berths, while Academy winger Robert Lyttle is also one to watch out for this season.
The captaincy dynamic should be fascinating, with Trimble fighting for his spot and Best assured of his place at hooker ahead of Herring. On the face of it, it seems like a unusual sub-plot, but Trimble is already seeking as much advice as he can.
"It certainly was an easy decision for me to make," Trimble said. "It wasn't something I'd been targeting or looking forward to.
"I wasn't sure if my role would be suitable for that sort of responsibility, but it's amazing how when someone suggests it to you - (Les) Kissy suggested it - I was 100pc keen to do it and really up for it.
"I've been pestering Rory for advice and information, basically just on how to be more like Rory really! The captains I've looked up to in the past - Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Rory, Johann (Muller) - it isn't easy to fill their shoes or try to emulate them.
"It's important to know that over the last few years, I'm obviously doing something right. My leadership style is maybe different to them, that's fine because I feel that it's maybe just as effective leading by example or providing a different angle on it."
Trimble has also become an important voice in the Ireland squad in recent times and earlier this week at Carton House, the focus on the upcoming two Tests against New Zealand was ramped up.
The All Blacks picked up where they left off after the World Cup by crushing Australia last weekend but having missed out on the heartbreaking defeat in 2013, Trimble is determined to be involved this time around.
"We looked at what they're doing at the minute, we were looking at what they did a year ago," the 31-year old explained. "The All Blacks are a side that can play 10 different ways and they're not a side that's easy to prepare for.
Daunting
"It's an even more daunting task when you've got to play them twice, so it didn't surprise me or any of the boys that there was a lot of homework squeezed into two days.
"It's really important that we go away and have thoughts on how we're going to beat them and how we're going about winning that game, approaching that game.
"The All Blacks are going to be playing plenty of games between now and then, so hopefully we'll be able to get a bit of an idea and go from there.
"From an Ulster point of view, whenever there's a fear factor, whenever you feel you're going away from home and everything has to fall into place for you to get a result or hang in there that produces a big, big display.
"It's important that we have an appreciation of how good this team is, but as well as that they are just 15 guys on a pitch and it's important that we know that if we perform as well as we can - as we did out here (the Aviva) a few years ago - we did everything but beat them out here, and who's to say we can't increase that performance level another 1 or 2pc.
"It's good to have that balance. To be daunted or just to have the right amount of respect for your opposition, but at the same time have a good level of self-belief and know how good we can potentially be."
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/g ... 96769.html
Ireland U20 star McPhillips and new signing Lloyd paired at half-back in Ulster side to face Canada A
The northern province are playing two games in Kingspan Stadium tonight. Ruan Pienaar will sit out the fixtures with an elbow injury.
Inpho
IRELAND UNDER 20 out-half Johnny McPhillips starts alongside new signing Angus Lloyd as Ulster pit their A squad into pre-season action against Canada A at Kingspan Stadium this evening (17.15).
McPhillips played a crucial role in guiding Ireland to the World Rugby U20 championship final during the summer, while 23-year-old Lloyd made the move to Belfast after impressing for Trinity.
20-year-old lock Kieran Treadwell also starts the game with two McCall brothers – Kyle and and Zack – named in the front row as Adam McBurnery is held among the replacements.
Ulster A (v Canada A): D Busby; C Kelly, M Best, R Butler, A Cairns; J McPhillips, A Lloyd: K McCall (capt), Z McCall, C Trenier, K Treadwell, A Thompson, N Timoney, C Boomer, S Mulholland.
Replacements: A McBurney, T O’Hagan, M Lagan, P Cooper, A Burke, A Hall, M Rea, J Stewart, A Magrath, C Field.
The senior side will face Northampton (19.30) immediately after the A game and the starting XV features Charles Piutau, starting for the first time in Belfast.
The All Black is joined in the back three by academy player Rob Lyttle who scored twice in a brief 10-minute cameo against Exeter last weekend.
Presseye/Simon King/INPHO
Paul Marshall starts at scrum-half alongside Brett Herron with Ruan Pienaar nursing an elbow injury. Academy prop Ross Kane is among the replacements as Les Kiss takes his side towards the start of the season with just one fit tighthead.
Ulster (v Northampton): C Piutau; L Ludik, D Cave, S McCloskey, R Lyttle; B Herron, P Marshall: A Warwick, R Herring (capt), R Ah You, P Browne, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Ross, R Wilson.
Replacements: J Andrew, C Black, R Kane, A O’Connor, C Joyce, M Rea, D Shanahan, S Windsor, J Stockdale.
http://www.the42.ie/ulster-a-team-canad ... 4-Aug2016/
'The All Blacks can play 10 different ways and they're not easy to prepare for'
Andrew Trimble and Ireland switched onto the task of beating New Zealand earlier this week.
JOE SCHMIDT’S IRELAND squad gathered at Carton House last Sunday and got through two days of preparation for November.
The All Blacks came up more than once or twice.
The mindset under the Kiwi head coach has always been about taking things one game at a time. For this meeting in their Maynooth base, Ireland’s focus was on Schmidt’s native land.
There was work on Ireland’s exiting, their defence, and more. There were reviews of several elements of the South Africa tour too, but the All Blacks were clearly in focus. Chicago on 5 November is only around the corner.
“We looked at what they’re doing at the minute, we were looking at what they did a year ago,” says wing Andrew Trimble when asked about Ireland’s early analysis of Steve Hansen’s side.
“The All Blacks are a side that can play 10 different ways and they’re not a side that’s easy to prepare for. It’s an even more daunting task when you’ve got to play them twice, so it didn’t surprise me or any of the boys that there was a lot of homework squeezed into two days.
And it’s really important that we go away and have thoughts on how we’re going to beat them and how we’re going about winning that game, approaching that game.
“The All Blacks are going to be playing plenty of games between now and then, so hopefully we’ll be able to get a bit of an idea and go from there.”
The Kiwis romped to a six-try, 42-8 victory over Michael Cheika’s Wallabies last Saturday to give Schmidt and Ireland plenty of fresh food for thought.
With Australia in Wellington this weekend for the second Bledisloe Cup clash, there will be many Irish eyes glued to the TV as they look to pick out hints of even the slightest chink in the All Blacks’ imposing armour.
Trimble mentions the “daunting” nature of looking towards two meetings with New Zealand this year, while there is an obvious excitement at the opportunity too.
Schmidt’s reputation for being able to identify and ruthlessly target opposition weaknesses faces its greatest test yet, but the head coach will stress to his players the need for confidence.
“I think it’s important that you have a bit of balance,” says Trimble.
“From an Ulster point of view, whenever there’s a fear factor, whenever you feel you’re going away from home and everything has to fall into place for you to get a result or hang in there, whenever there’s that fear factor – that produces a big, big display.
“It’s important that we have an appreciation of how good this [New Zealand] team is, but as well as that they are just 15 guys on a pitch.
It’s important that we know that if we perform as well as we can – as we did out here [the Aviva Stadium] a few years ago – we did everything but beat them here and who’s to say we can’t increase that performance level another 1% or 2%.
“It’s good to have that balance. To be daunted or just to have the right amount of respect for your opposition but at the same time have a good level of self-belief and know how good we can potentially be.”
Having switched into Ireland mode for the early part of the week, Trimble is now back into his provincial mindset with Ulster and enjoying his new role as co-captain, alongside hooker Rob Herring.
It’s a vital season for the northern province as they finally look to get over line and win the Guinness Pro12.
Director of rugby Les Kiss has opted for a co-captaincy model as a means to ensuring a greater spread of leadership in the squad, with the hope being that not having a single figure at the top of the triangle – in former captain Rory Best – will result in other leaders emerging.
Trimble is of the belief that this new modus operandi can be one part of Ulster securing the trophy that has eluded them for too long.
“It certainly was an easy decision for me to make,” says Trimble of taking on the co-captaincy.
“To be honest, it wasn’t something I’d been targeting or looking forward to. It’s something I wasn’t sure if my role would be suitable for that sort of responsibility, but it’s amazing how whenever someone suggests it to you – Kissy suggested it – I was 100% keen to do it and really up for it.
The leadership philosophy or structure is different for us moving forward and I think it will be good for us.
“There’s so much leadership in our team and I think it will be good that we all step up and take responsibility, even just back three, centre partnership, halfbacks.
“There’s a lot of leadership throughout and the idea is that two of us are doing the job, but we’re introducing the concept of everyone taking responsibility and standing up. ‘Leading each other’ is the way Kissy phrased it and certainly it’s something a lot of us can get behind.
“I think that’s one of the ways we will get to the next level.”
http://www.the42.ie/andrew-trimble-irel ... 6-Aug2016/
Team news for Ulster trip
Thirty players are making the trip over the Irish Sea for the final pre-season match of the summer against Ulster.
The Saints are heading to Belfast to play the Pro 12 semi-finalists on Friday evening (KO 7:30pm) with a starting lineup that contains a mix of the two teams which played at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend.
With no live TV coverage from the Kingspan Stadium - highlights will be on SaintsTV later in the weekend - supporters can stay up-to-date through the Saints’ official Twitter (
http://www.twitter.com/SaintsRugby) and Facebook (
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialNorthamptonSaints) accounts.
The club has also confirmed that Tom Stephenson sustained a broken tibia and fibula in last Saturday’s win over Rotherham, and after a successful operation has begun his rehabilitation work with the Saints’ medical team.
Meanwhile Christian Day will miss the start of the Aviva Premiership campaign after an operation on a ruptured bicep.
There is good news regarding Calum Clark, however, who is now training fully with the club’s squad.
SAINTS TEAM TO PLAY ULSTER
Pre-Season Friendly
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Friday, August 26th, 2016
Kick off 7:30pm
15 Ben Foden
14 Ken Pisi
13 Luther Burrell
12 Harry Mallinder
11 Ahsee Tuala
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Alex Waller
2 Dylan Hartley
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Michael Paterson
5 James Craig
6 Tom Wood (capt)
7 Jamie Gibson
8 Louis Picamoles
Replacements
Campese Ma’afu
Mikey Haywood
Paul Hill
Courtney Lawes
Jordan Onojaife
Reece Marshall
Lewis Ludlam
Sam Dickinson
Nic Groom
JJ Hanrahan
Howard Packman
George Pisi
Juan Pablo Estelles
Tom Collins
George Furbank
http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/news ... ster-trip/
Video Interview..... http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/37090867
