STEPHEN FERRIS IS BACK IN AN ULSTER SHIRT TOMORROW NIGHT!!!
But anyway, of course I'm joking about the result, and I feel like I’ve written this preview before somehow…
Oh yes, exactly one month ago we sat in exactly the same position as we did now and we were preparing to face the Scarlets in our second Welsh game in a row. Expectations were high too, we had some of our Irish contingent back and we had already defeated the Ospreys a week previous.
Well, let’s just say that match was a wash out shall we?
And since then things have been going rather swimmingly for Ulster (don’t worry, there’s more water-related puns to come!) as we’ve climbed from fifth up to third in the table, and other results have also gone our way – with tomorrow’s opponents downing Munster a couple of weeks ago we now have the chance to close the gap between us and the men from Limerick to just three points.
As Leinster have proved season after season, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and right now Ulster are finishing strongly. Putting aside the rather fishy video business with Saracens and the whole Nick Williams incident, Ulster are sitting very pretty right now. With just three mid-table opponents between now and the Heineken Cup quarter-final to navigate, we should realistically be looking at three wins.
OK, the team may not be as strong as it was whenever the original game was meant to be played, but we should still beat the Scarlets. Although they sit in sixth position in the league and had an impressive win over Munster last time out, when you look at their squad they do not boast the same quality that we have, and as BR said, questions will be asked should we not be able to put them away tomorrow night.
Still, complacency could be an issue – sixth in the table is still good, and although the top four may be out of the visitors’ grasp, with the Heineken Cup being decided by position next year, they are grappling for every point they can get. Don’t forget, we were pretty much humiliated at the Parc y Scarlets in November, so this is definitely a potential banana skin.
Congratulations are in order for Roger Wilson who makes his 150th appearance for Ulster at blindside flanker as Mark Anscombe makes four changes to the side that put four tries past the Dragons a couple of weeks ago. Luke Marshall drops out of the team with a head injury giving Stuart McCloskey his first start for his province as the only change in the backs, while up front John Afoa returns from New Zealand to start at tighthead prop and Robbie Diack moves to the second row in place of Iain Henderson who is away on international duty. Nick Williams comes straight back into the team at number eight. And of course, the aforementioned Stephen Ferris is on the bench for the first time in fifteen months.
Simon Easterby makes three changes to the side that defeated Munster at the Parc y Scarlets, all of which are forced due to international call-ups. With Jonathan Davies gone it means Gareth Maule graduates from the bench to outside centre while there are two changes in the front row as Emyr Phillips and Samson Lee drop to the bench having been released by Wales late and are replaced by Kirby Myhill and Jacobie Adriaanse. Rob McCusker captains the side from 8.
From here on out we will face a match every week (providing we keep winning!) so now is the time to knuckle down and prepare for a long hard battle until the end of May. As long as the results keep going in our favour we will be in the mix of things at the end of the season, however these next three games are must-wins for building momentum.
It should be plain sailing. Emphasis on should.
Ulster Rugby vs. Scarlets
Friday 14th March, 19:05
Ravenhill
RaboDirect Pro12 – Round 14 replay
ULSTER RUGBY
15. Jared Payne, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Darren Cave, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Rory Scholes, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 1. Callum Black, 2. Rob Herring, 3. John Afoa, 4. Johann Muller (capt.), 5. Robbie Diack, 6. Roger Wilson, 7. Sean Doyle, 8. Nick Williams.
16. Niall Annett, 17. Tom Court, 18. Ricky Lutton, 19. Lewis Stevenson, 20. Stephen Ferris, 21. Michael Heaney, 22. Craig Gilroy, 23. Ricky Andrew.
SCARLETS
15. Jordan Williams, 14. Kristian Phillips, 13. Gareth Maule, 12. Olly Barkley, 11. Frazier Climo, 10. Aled Thomas, 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Phil John, 2. Kirby Myhill, 3. Jacobie Adriaanse, 4. George Earle, 5. Johan Snyman, 6. Josh Turnbull, 7. John Barclay, 8. Rob McCusker (capt.).
16. Emyr Phillips, 17. Rob Evans, 18. Samson Lee, 19. Richard Kelly, 20. Sione Timani, 21. Aled Davies, 22. Josh Lewis, 23. Adam Warren.
Referee: Neil Hennessy (WRU, 19th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, Gary Glennon (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Wayne Sheridan (IRFU)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (IRFU)[/tag]
