[tag=image]http://www.shawlandsacademy.glasgow.sch ... rriors.jpg[/tag][tag=content]Things don’t stay secret for very long around here do they?
As we’ve known for the best part of three months, Neil Doak will be Mark Anscombe’s long-term successor as head coach at the Kingspan Stadium, while Les Kiss will return from the World Cup next summer as Ulster’s new Director of Rugby. So far the partnership hasn’t worked too badly, there seems to be a better work rate in training, and certainly the players appear to be a lot happier with the current set-up than what was there before.
Of course, those last three points are up for debate, but the blip in Parma aside, I’d take our start to the season quite happily. Still, none of the games so far have even come close to the test we’re facing tomorrow in the Pro12’s form team in the Glasgow Warriors. And I must admit, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Gregor Townsend and what he’s achieved at the Scotstoun Stadium over the last few seasons.
This is a side that, only a couple of seasons ago, were mid-table quality and would occasionally give teams a bit of a scare at their old stamping ground of Firhill, but were never real play-off contenders. Yet the acquisitions of the likes of Roussow de Klerk, Josh Strauss and Sean Maitland have really boosted their credentials, and their start to the season has certainly reflected their desire to be amongst Europe’s greatest.
Yet for their superb domestic form, they’ve never transferred it to the biggest stage in the Heineken Cup. Last season was hoped to be the year they finally became a force to be reckoned with on both fronts, however it never turned out to be as, ironically, back-to-back defeats to the Cardiff Blues were their eventual downfall in a pool containing Toulon too.
Speaking of Toulon, this week’s game is a healthy reminder that we come up against Europe’s big spending galacticos in a couple of weeks ourselves. In fact, this week’s game is our dress rehearsal ahead of our opening Soupa Doupa Cup match against Leicester next week and we can’t fluff our lines. So far the performances haven’t been spectacular and we’ve been grinding out ugly results, so we need to improve drastically if we’re to be competitive in Europe’s new premier competition.
That’s for next week though, of course. This week we have a lot more imminent matters to focus upon, because as we all know, Glasgow are possibly the best team in the Pro12 at the moment and are slicing through teams at will. They have threats all over the park, and no matter where you look they will cause us problems. So forget Leicester and Toulon, we have a lot of work to do simply to avoid embarrassing ourselves tomorrow night against an incredibly formidable opponent in the Scots.
Whoever chooses the team is now up for debate I guess, but the Ulster hierarchy have elected to make three changes to the side that shut out Edinburgh last week. With Paddy Jackson ruled out, Ian Humphreys is the man to replace him at fly-half, the only change in the backs. Up front, Andrew Warwick is restored at loosehead prop, while Roger Wilson is replaced by Nick Williams number eight.
If you thought our rotation was bad, there’s twelve changes in all for Gregor Townsend and Glasgow. The back three has two changes to that which defeated Treviso as Sean Maitland and Peter Murchie are recalled at wing and full-back respectively to be joined by former Ulsterman Tommy Seymour. In the centre Mark Bennett returns to the 13 shirt with Peter Horne continuing at inside centre. There is a new half-back partnership as Finn Russell is partnered by Henry Pyrgos. Only Josh Strauss maintains his place in the scrum as there are seven changes up front. Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown and Euan Murray form a new front row, with Tim Swinson and Leone Nakarawa making up the new second row behind them. Rob Harley and Chris Fusaro join Strauss, who captains the side, in the back row.
Three huge games in three weeks and it starts with a win at ‘Spanners this weekend before venturing to Welford Road next Saturday. Maybe, as some suggest, we should put the Soupa Doupa on the backburners and instead focus solely on the Pro12, making this the most important game of the three, and by association more or less a must-win game. However, a good win this weekend and who knows?
Three wins from three isn’t impossible…
Ulster Rugby vs. Glasgow Warriors
Saturday 11th October, 17:05
Kingspan Stadium
Guinness Pro12 – Round 6
Live on Sky Sports 4
ULSTER RUGBY
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Andrew Trimble, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Tommy Bowe, 10. Ian Humphreys, 9. Paul Marshall; 1. Andrew Warwick, 2. Rory Best (capt.), 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 4. Alan O’Connor, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 6. Robbie Diack, 7. Chris Henry, 8. Nick Williams.
16. Rob Herring, 17. Callum Black, 18. Bronson Ross, 19. Lewis Stevenson, 20. Roger Wilson, 21. Michael Heaney, 22. Stuart Olding, 23. Craig Gilroy.
GLASGOW WARRIORS
15. Peter Murchie, 14. Sean Maitland, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. Peter Horne, 11. Tommy Seymour, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Henry Pyrgos; 1. Gordon Reid, 2. Fraser Brown, 3. Euan Murray, 4. Tim Swinson, 5. Leone Nakarawa, 6. Rob Harley, 7. Chris Fusaro, 8. Josh Strauss (capt.).
16. Dougie Hall, 17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18. Zander Fagerson, 19. Jonny Gray, 20. Adam Ashe, 21. Niko Matawalu, 22. James Downey, 23. Sean Lamont.
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 114th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll, Paul Haycock (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Murray White (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)[/tag]
Match Preview: Ulster Rugby vs. Glasgow Warriors
Moderator: Moderators
