Ulster v Leicester

[Cracker]

Same team as Friday or will we have any of our injured back? If none return the outlook is not great.

[Dave]

Gilroy maybe. Also Addison but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Dave]

Peter Browne (concussion)
Rob Herring (toe)
Rob Lyttle (knee)
Marty Moore (calf)
Jordi Murphy (ankle)
Tommy O’Hagan (ankle)
Jack Owens (concussion)
Henry Speight (knee)

Any of these potentially back?

[Jackie Brown]

Svdm?

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[LUMBERJACK]

Watched the leicester game this afternoon , we will be roundly hammered I think . They are not that great but position for position they are better across the field with the exception maybe of Henderson.

The have a front five a capacity to think on their feet in broken play and exploit defensive weakness. Very similar to Connaught in many ways . We have none of these.

[launish116]

Was chat on twitter, Moore was passed fit.

[Dave]

Svdm?

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

You offering to watch the farm?

[damianmcr]

Was chat on twitter, Moore was passed fit.

Yes I seen Ruckie say that.

[Dave]

Moore may have fitness issues but he can hold up scrum fairly well. Or least he could at one point.

[Rooster]

Nordi to make an appearance

[BR]

Peter Browne (concussion)
Rob Herring (toe)
Rob Lyttle (knee)
Marty Moore (calf)
Jordi Murphy (ankle)
Tommy O’Hagan (ankle)
Jack Owens (concussion)
Henry Speight (knee)

Any of these potentially back?

No - they're all lower limb or head.

[tigerburnie]

Johnny May out injured, doubts on Denton and Tom Youngs who picked up knocks.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Peter Browne (concussion)
Rob Herring (toe)
Rob Lyttle (knee)
Marty Moore (calf)
Jordi Murphy (ankle)
Tommy O’Hagan (ankle)
Jack Owens (concussion)
Henry Speight (knee)

Any of these potentially back?

No - they're all lower limb or head.

But potentially could be back as well.

Addison was or is back

[Dave]

Johnny May out injured, doubts on Denton and Tom Youngs who picked up knocks.

Is that it?

[UlsterNo9]

Watched the leicester game this afternoon , we will be roundly hammered I think . They are not that great but position for position they are better across the field with the exception maybe of Henderson.

The have a front five a capacity to think on their feet in broken play and exploit defensive weakness. Very similar to Connaught in many ways . We have none of these.

Fear not LJ I have a vision of something very different, I remember us winning in 2004 against the Leicester Pussycats in a game we had no right to win. A team filled with English world cup hereos with a sprinkling of overseas international stars and led by one of the hardest bar steward of the professional game in Martin Johnson. We put them out the gate with a 33-0 win. We had a second row pairing of Mutschin and Frost no worldbeatrs but honest grafters, they like the rest of that team played like men possessed that day...... European games at home have never been a problem for Ulster, we have exceeded expectation in the past and will again I am sure.

As much as I like To'T he can be terrific around the park but if he cannot lock down a scrum he won't make it as a tight head prop. Yes rugby has changed over the years but the winning of the set piece has always been key. If either Moore or Ah You are fit I believe we need to start them at tight head. We cannot afford to continually give away scrum penalties resulting in yards lost or the conceding of points, nevermind the psychological damage that it can do. I'm not laying the demise of our scrum solely at TO'T door but the tight head position is the cornerstone therefore believe we need to start there.

Gilroy was not listed amongst the wounded in last weeks injury update therefore hopefully he will be back to cover wing or fullback. Addison was touch and go last week therefore with a bit of fortune both these guys putting on the shirt would significantly strengthen the backline. If not I would query why we haven't gave Burns a run at fullback, a position he is comfortable in and give McPhillips the out half berth. I think we would be stronger with a 10 McP / 15 Burns than a 10 Burns 15 Nelly.

What this young team does have is guts and dog, the booksmarts hopefully will come as they learn their trade..... guts, dog and a Saturday 5.30pm boisterous Ulster crowd (crowd was terrible on Friday night, no soul) has seen us home in Europe before and may just do again.

As I have said before and restate this season was never going to be about Europe, having said that not losing at home has to be a benchmark any young team should be aspiring to.

Can we win on Saturday, certainly! Will I be bothered if we don't? No, not if we put in a performance only to be beaten by the more streetwise team. I still feel despite the injuries we are not too far away from clicking and giving some team an absolute pasting. Sort the set piece out Ulster.

I'm certainly not mentally accepting a defeat or being roundly hammered before a shot is fired. We may not be the team that we have been in previous years but we should as minimum have a bit of pride in ourselves.