La Rochelle v Ulster (if you can’t be arsed to come to the game you can at least look up the TV details yourselves)

[thecrouch]

La Rochelle 1/18 Draw 40/1 Ulster 10/1 - La Rochelle 16 point favourites.

I'd be surprised if La Rochelle don't beat that spread.

[paddybrown]

(15-9): Michael Lowry, Rob Lyttle, Stewart Moore, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale, Ian Madigan, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Rory Sutherland, Rob Herring, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (Captain), Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Andy Warwick, Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Michael McDonald, Billy Burns, Ethan McIlroy.

With Sheridan & McCann on the bench, we at least shouldn't end up with Rory Sutherland playing blindside flanker like we did last week.

[HammerTime]

On the face of it it’s a decent team considering the rotation.

[Big-al]

Clearly a rotated team. Warwick covering TH. Madigan in out of nowhere. I'd probably have left Hendo at home too tbh.

I don't know who Harry Sheridan is.

Could get ugly.

Sheridan is a lock/blindside. Pretty decent decent career, consistent and a good all round game. Sort of like Roger Wilson, solid without flash, hopefully.

Have to say it’s pretty poor management is it not to select Sheridan out of the blue for an away European fixture, after he played Greg Jones for a couple of weeks ahead of both Sheridan & McCann?

Carter is another correctly dropped.

Stewart Moore needs a big performance at 13. He has been defending very poorly this season anytime he was selected there.

[Neill_M]

(15-9): Michael Lowry, Rob Lyttle, Stewart Moore, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale, Ian Madigan, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Rory Sutherland, Rob Herring, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (Captain), Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Andy Warwick, Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Michael McDonald, Billy Burns, Ethan McIlroy.

So Henderson will have to sit out the Sale game under IRFU Player Management, only missed the game in Manchester in current block of games.

[Silverstu]

The following players were not considered for selection due to injury or the IRFU Player Management Programme: Marty Moore; Tom O’Toole; Matty Rea; Sean Reffell; David Shanahan; Jake Flannery; Aaron Sexton; Jude Postlethwaite; Stuart McCloskey; Angus Curtis; James Hume; Rob Baloucoune; and Will Addison.

Where is Marcus Rea? We always struggle the breakdown without him.

Not a bad team for a rotated team though- big ask/opportunity for Harry Sheridan- he's very solid, really high work rate. Could be an interesting match- hopefully a decent performance from us.

[Neill_M]

The following players were not considered for selection due to injury or the IRFU Player Management Programme: Marty Moore; Tom O’Toole; Matty Rea; Sean Reffell; David Shanahan; Jake Flannery; Aaron Sexton; Jude Postlethwaite; Stuart McCloskey; Angus Curtis; James Hume; Rob Baloucoune; and Will Addison.

Where is Marcus Rea? We always struggle the breakdown without him.

Not a bad team for a rotated team though- big ask/opportunity for Harry Sheridan- he's very solid, really high work rate. Could be an interesting match- hopefully a decent performance from us.

Guessing like Cooney, rested for next week.

[allezlesverres]

Though I hate the idea of it, we should have sent a weaker team to SR. This is pretty much our first XV minus cooney and Mccloskey (taking injuries into account). Would have held back Henderson and DV for sure. Probably Sunderland
and Timoney too.

Whatever team we send are going to get hockeyed and the squad will be more depressed by the fact our front liners lost. Better by far to save some firepower for a serious revenge match against Sale which is a season defining game that could have the potential to stop the rot. Lose to Sale at home and any semblance of confidence will be shot.

[thecrouch]

Clearly a rotated team. Warwick covering TH. Madigan in out of nowhere. I'd probably have left Hendo at home too tbh.

I don't know who Harry Sheridan is.

Could get ugly.

Sheridan is a lock/blindside. Pretty decent decent career, consistent and a good all round game. Sort of like Roger Wilson, solid without flash, hopefully.

Have to say it’s pretty poor management is it not to select Sheridan out of the blue for an away European fixture, after he played Greg Jones for a couple of weeks ahead of both Sheridan & McCann?

Carter is another correctly dropped.

Stewart Moore needs a big performance at 13. He has been defending very poorly this season anytime he was selected there.

Yes I think it's a valid question to ask why Sheridan is suddenly deemed the man to pick away to La Rochelle when others have been selected ahead of him in league games.

[Dave]

Clearly a rotated team. Warwick covering TH. Madigan in out of nowhere. I'd probably have left Hendo at home too tbh.

I don't know who Harry Sheridan is.

Could get ugly.

Sheridan is a lock/blindside. Pretty decent decent career, consistent and a good all round game. Sort of like Roger Wilson, solid without flash, hopefully.

Have to say it’s pretty poor management is it not to select Sheridan out of the blue for an away European fixture, after he played Greg Jones for a couple of weeks ahead of both Sheridan & McCann?

Carter is another correctly dropped.

Stewart Moore needs a big performance at 13. He has been defending very poorly this season anytime he was selected there.

Yes I think it's a valid question to ask why Sheridan is suddenly deemed the man to pick away to La Rochelle when others have been selected ahead of him in league games.

I've been calling for his selection. Dan obviously reads the forum. The continual selection of Jones ahead of him is akin to Dan selecting Matty and not Marcus all that time. I'm puzzled by Izzy not getting a look in recently, too.

[StandUp]

Madigan should have been used far more this season. Even at the close of his career, he beats Burns hands down.
This is not the first time that we have questioned the wisdom of McFarlands selections over the last 5 years, but using Jones and Burns recently, when they have clearly underperformed is ridiculous.
Anyone expecting a win against Sale should have a wee rest. It will be brutal (again). The bottom is not yet in sight. If we qualify for the heiny next year, that will be some seriously good fortune.

[allezlesverres]

Anyone expecting a win against Sale should have a wee rest. It will be brutal (again).

I mean, I don't know if anyone is "expecting a win" but we DO have a decent home record, recent events notwithstanding. Of the two games between SR away and Sale at home, I know which we have a better chance of winning. Heck, if we could manage a plucky defeat in either match that might be enough. By putting the front liners out against SR, meaning they might not be available for Sale, we are increasing the risk of getting tanked twice.

[StandUp]

Sale will tank us no matter who we have out.

[Dave]

Sale will tank us no matter who we have out.

Bring back the heady days of plucky defeats.

[Jackie Brown]

How rubbish is Flannery?

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