Match Preview: Ulster Rugby vs. Scarlets

[ADM]

[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... go.svg.png[/tag][tag=content]We seem to be in one of those moods.

You know one of those moods where we always grind out the victory even though we play like drains for the entire game? Yeah, I think we’re in one of those. First Treviso were subject to a late flurry of tries that put the gloss on what up to then was a poor performance, and then last week we somehow managed to cling on against a hapless Edinburgh side despite being down to thirteen men. It’s nerve wracking, if not convincing.

Still, in spite of our abject play we’re still putting wins on the board, and we’ve now reached a season-high second place due to both the Ospreys and Leinster experiencing a slump in form. However now we face three tricky Welsh opponents in the Scarlets tomorrow, the Dragons in Newport and Cardiff back at the Kingspan – all without the banned Stuart McCloskey, whose ruling upon by a Welsh citing commission has already been widely discussed this week.

The Scarlets arrive in Belfast for the second time this season with what can only be described as a wretched away record – six losses and one draw is all the men from Llanelli have mustered so far this season. New head coach Wayne Pivac has, on paper, improved this side with astute signings such as Hadleigh Parkes, Regan King and Michael Tagicakibau, however the Scarlets’ mind-set when on their travels is not impressive.

Let’s not forget we’ve already disposed of them once at the Kingspan already this season – a relatively comfortable bonus point triumph in the Champions’ Cup that was then offset by a disappointing loss in the Welsh valleys a week later – as well as coming back from a seemingly impossible position to snatch a bonus-point draw at the Parc y Scarlets on the opening day. Overall we marginally edge the head-to-head against the Scarlets, but that will count for nothing tomorrow.

There are still ever present reminders that the Scarlets are a very real threat to any team when they can get their game going. Last weekend against Munster the Welsh side should easily have won, and but for their own defensive capitulation, and Rob McCusker’s stupidity at a late maul, they would’ve. Instead they allowed Munster back into the game and eventually had to settle for a third (yes, third!) draw of the season.

But it wasn’t too difficult to see that Wayne Pivac has coached these guys very well. Hadleigh Parkes has settled very quickly in Llanelli, while their pack is heavily focused on the strong work their impressive back row get through – led by the experience of John Barclay, the Scarlets are a formidable team at the breakdown, and based on how we competed against Edinburgh in that area last Friday, it could be an issue again tomorrow.

However, roared on by the home crowd at the Kingspan, you would like to believe that a win is the likely outcome for tomorrow’s game. As I’ve mentioned, our play may not be great, but our form is good and once a team is winning it tends to be quite difficult to stop them, even if they aren’t quite operating at 100%. And I for one am fully expecting four points on the board as we continue our rise up the table.

At least four points anyway.

Team news
Ian Humphreys makes his 100th appearance for Ulster in a team that also sees the return of Dan Tuohy as one of three changes to the team that defeated Edinburgh last weekend. Luke Marshall comes in at inside centre to replace the suspended Stuart McCloskey in the only changes in the backs while Tuohy returns in the second row to partner Franco van der Merwe. Clive Ross is selected at openside ahead of Mike McComish. Mike Stanley could make his first start for the province should he come off the bench, while there is also a return from injury for Rory Scholes.

George Earle is the only change for the Scarlets from last week's draw with Munster, replacing the injured Johan Snyman in the second row. There is the possibility of Pro12 debuts for prop Rhys Thomas and lock Jack Payne should they be introduced off the bench.

Ulster Rugby vs. Scarlets
Friday 27th February, 19:35
Kingspan Stadium
Guinness PRO12 – Round 16

Live on BBC2 NI

ULSTER RUGBY
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Craig Gilroy, 13. Darren Cave, 12. Luke Marshall, 11. Michael Allen, 10. Ian Humphreys, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 1. Callum Black, 2. Rob Herring, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 4. Dan Tuohy, 5. Franco van der Merwe, 6. Roger Wilson (capt.), 7. Clive Ross, 8. Nick Williams.

16. John Andrew, 17. Andrew Warwick, 18. Bronson Ross, 19. Lewis Stevenson, 20. Mike McComish, 21. Paul Marshall, 22. Mike Stanley, 23. Rory Scholes.

SCARLETS
15. Jordan Williams, 14. Harry Robinson, 13. Regan King, 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 11. Michael Tagicakibau, 10. Steven Shingler, 9. Aled Davies; 1. Phil John, 2. Ken Owens (capt.), 3. Peter Edwards, 4. George Earle, 5. Lewis Rawlins 6. Aaron Shingler, 7. James Davies, 8. John Barclay.

16. Ryan Elias, 17. Rhys Thomas, 18. Jacobie Adriaanse, 19. Jack Payne, 20. Rob McCusker, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Adam Warren, 23. Kristian Phillips.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 4th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Kieran Barry, Dermot Blake (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (IRFU)[/tag]