The UAFC

So time for Europe again - its a tough group, Saracens and Toulouse will be favourites to come in the top 2 and make the QF. Its a must win on Sat, as I suspect that given Oyonnax's poor top 14 position - currently 13th - they will not make Europe their top priority if they are sitting with 2 defeats heading into December. Also given its their 1st ever game in the competition with the excitement etc that brings - this trip would have been better in round 6 etc not round 1.

Team wise - something like:

McCall?, Best, Herbst, Tuohy, FVDM, Wilson, Henry, Williams, Pienaar, Jackson, Gilroy, McCloskey, Cave, Trimble?, Nelson/Ludik?

?, Herring, Ross/Lutton, Stevenson/Diack, Diack/Faloon or Reidy, Marshall, Humphreys, Arnold/Nelson?

Will Trimble be available? Are Warwick or Black available - according to Mr Neilly on Sunday both missed the Dragons game due to injury? Ludik to come back in?

As for our opponents - a bit of an unknown, below is their 23 from their last home game:

Wright (Tonga’uiha 59’), Jenneker (Maurouard 59’), Clerc (Pungea 50’) – Robson (Wannenburg 64’), Metz (Power 55’) – Ursache, Ma’afu, Missoup (Cap) (Gunther 69’) – Weepu (Cibray 57’), Robinson (Lespinas 53’) – Taufa, Sheridan, Martin, Ikpefan – Denos

A few familar names there - Stan Wright, ex Leinster, George Robson, Pedrie, Weepu, Nicky Robinson, the lad Sheridan was also at Leinster - didn't get many games, played for the Not Nots before going to France. Soane Tonga'uiha is ex Saints and Pungea and Ursache played for Romania at the RWC, as did Maurie Fa'asavalu for Samoa.

Black appears to have suffered a loss on his close circle

Russ wrote:Black appears to have suffered a loss on his close circle

That is true, and he will be available, as should Trimble, but Ludik has succumbed to the butchers for a bit of reconstruction work on a paw and Warwick has a cracked bake so he also will miss a few weeks

That's a fairly abrasive pack they can field. Maybe not much mobility but I wouldn't fancy indulging in a slug-fest with them.

If we can move them about victory should be a realistic aspiration. If we get drawn into the trenches all bets are off.

Be good to see the Big Man Pedrie again - IF he plays ?

The thing that interested me most last week was a reduction in aimless kicking. It was also interesting to hear what Kiss had to say after the match, no platitudes to speak of, details of what could have been done better. Interesting.

I confess that the selection turned out ok, but I say that, 1) given the result 2) now knowing a bit more in terms of Black having a death in the family & BL having a broken bake, plus one or two other little snippets.

I very much hate the Ulster Way of throwing guys in away from home, how much easier may Mulholland have found things at Spanners? Who knows?

As for this weekend, well at least we know that McCall suddenly is a decent option we knew little of. Result.

Nelson, Trimble, Cave, McCloskey, Gilroy, Jackson, Pienaar, Black, Best, Herbst, Tuohy, VDMerve, Wilson/Diack, Henry, Williams.

You know what, that doesn't look too bad. Marshall, Humphreys, Scholes/Arnold, McCall, Herring, Stevenson, Wilson/Diack.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

After last week's wonderfully disciplined performance, Diack should be given a lovely warm bench to sit on for the first 60 minutes.

BaggyTrousers wrote:The thing that interested me most last week was a reduction in aimless kicking. It was also interesting to hear what Kiss had to say after the match, no platitudes to speak of, details of what could have been done better. Interesting.

I confess that the selection turned out ok, but I say that, 1) given the result 2) now knowing a bit more in terms of Black having a death in the family & BL having a broken bake, plus one or two other little snippets.

I very much hate the Ulster Way of throwing guys in away from home, how much easier may Mulholland have found things at Spanners? Who knows?

As for this weekend, well at least we know that McCall suddenly is a decent option we knew little of. Result.

Nelson, Trimble, Cave, McCloskey, Gilroy, Jackson, Pienaar, Black, Best, Herbst, Tuohy, VDMerve, Wilson/Diack, Henry, Williams.

You know what, that doesn't look too bad. Marshall, Humphreys, Scholes/Arnold, McCall, Herring, Stevenson, Wilson/Diack.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

For me it is very frustrating that we don't see more young lads being blooded more often. Look at O'Connor last year...might not have unearthed him if all the medical jokers weren't actually injured themselves. It was great to see McCall & Mulholland at the weekend but you have to ask why did we not see them earlier in the season?

I am quietly confident about the weekend. The most important thing for me is that we have leaders back, Best, Henry, Pienaar & Jackson. Leadership has been missing big time & talk about SID is only a part of it. We don't seem to have old heads who are capable of stepping into the breach and provide that leadership when the big guns are away.

Allez Ulster

ruckover wrote:After last week's wonderfully disciplined performance, Diack should be given a lovely warm bench to sit on for the first 60 minutes.

I actually thought Robbie gave the 3 instead of 7 early on, calculated risk he got away with.

Do people realise AoC is mexican?

Russ wrote:Do people realise AoC is mexican?

Keep quiet Russ, they still haven't noticed

Rooster wrote:

Russ wrote:Do people realise AoC is mexican?

Keep quiet Russ, they still haven't noticed

Type his name into google and there he is, advertising Nivea for Men

Also in these images it shows our red shirt looking very like the tornip shirt

Wonderful observations Russ.

And ...

I'm waiting on the rest?

Bring Humph On!! wrote:Wonderful observations Russ.

And ...

I'm waiting on the rest?

Just 2 observations for today

Rooster wrote:

ruckover wrote:After last week's wonderfully disciplined performance, Diack should be given a lovely warm bench to sit on for the first 60 minutes.

I actually thought Robbie gave the 3 instead of 7 early on, calculated risk he got away with.

Thought the same at the time (street smarts at last?) and was happy enough - given his performance on Sunday would like to see a back row of Diack, Henry and Williams starting this weekend