5 reasons why we will win on Saturday

[bazzaj]

The Tigers have some star names and quality but I dont feel its a collective quality.
This is nowhere near some of the Tigers side of the past and Tuilagi is as big a loss to them as RP would be for us.
In contrast we can field a team of top class internationals (ironically bar Payne) but we need to show that class difference in each area to win at their place.

We will qualify regardless but we need a victory if want to win this competition to give us the belief for harder tasks ahead.
The one prediction I will make is that this current Leicester team is not good enough to win it.

[CIMANFOREVER]

We need a little reality check in this thread. Leicester have a powerful pack and their backs are nowhere near as bad as many cyclopean regulars here make out. On form, players like Youngs, Flood, Allen, Tait, Morris etc. are pretty good. With the home draw, Leicester will be going into this game as favourites, and I think they should be. I think Ulster can nick it, but they will have to play out of their skins and increase the level of intensity significantly from the past few games, especially up front.

The first twenty will tell if our forwards are up for it or not. I've saw nothing over the last 3 games to suggest they are. I really really hope I'm wrong, as I'll be 2 wins out of 5 in my last 5 trips to Engerland... painfully, Stains at MK, Twckers twice..(missed NHampton last year).
With a fair wind we can beat a decent but not great Tiggers, who have their own injury issues tbf, but this will come down to who is most medieval up front, make no mistake. I'm not sure we will have the option to avoid an arm wrestle, as, like any good boxer, they can close down the "ring"- at some point, we need to take our cojhones in our hands and front up. No more, no less.

[pwrmoore]

If I was a betting man, the Ulster shades would have a tenner on Ulster to win by a score.

According to the bookies they'll take your tenner and keep it, they have us odds on to win.

Maybe - but remember that the odds are dictated by who the public are betting on not by who is actually likely to win. The bookies calculate their odds to ensure that they are left with a profit in the event that they have to pay out on a particular outcome. So short odds on Leicester with an English bookie just suggests that most of the money is being placed on a Leicester win. Hardly a surprise given the prevailing view in England that the AP is much superior to the Pro12.

[Rooster]

They looked a lot better with Flood back at 10 and Allen at 12 last week so their backs are just not as bad as some are making out.
It will all come down to the forward battle and they have more fat boys than us, the interpretation of the breakdown by Owens will win or lose this match for us I think.

[CIMANFOREVER]

AND I HOPE TAE F*CK THE TELEGRAPH DOESN'T START ALL THAT "PULLING TIGERS BY THE TAIL" SHYTE AGAIN- So disrespectful to about the only PRL side I have time for, and their history/ heritage and fans.

[tigerburnie]

This is building up nicely, two good, not great teams slugging it out with a big prize for the winner, exactly what we are fans for, not at all nervous(maybe because we know both sides are through) and will await the team sheets with interest. Ulsters will probably be the same as last weeks injuries permitting, but Tigers could make a few changes with players becoming available. Still think home advantage will swing it and I expect our forwards to dominate in the set pieces, need them on top form in the loose as well to snuff out any danger from a usefull looking Ulster back line. Tigers backline will be bolstered by actually having centres in the centre, rather than makeshift wingers out of position. It's not going to be easy but I think that you may need your French phrase books for the next round.....................

[bazzaj]

Set peice is bang on TB.
Both sides will expect to win their own lineouts but if we scrum like we did last time out we might as well forget it.
Think we will be offering your team more respect than we afforded that Montpellier side which may make a difference.
I hope.

[pip14]

This is building up nicely, two good, not great teams slugging it out with a big prize for the winner, exactly what we are fans for, not at all nervous(maybe because we know both sides are through) and will await the team sheets with interest. Ulsters will probably be the same as last weeks injuries permitting, but Tigers could make a few changes with players becoming available. Still think home advantage will swing it and I expect our forwards to dominate in the set pieces, need them on top form in the loose as well to snuff out any danger from a usefull looking Ulster back line. Tigers backline will be bolstered by actually having centres in the centre, rather than makeshift wingers out of position. It's not going to be easy but I think that you may need your French phrase books for the next round.....................

Ulster will be a great team after Saturday

[rumncoke]

While the reasons why Ulster can win are valid there are equally reasons why they could lose

leicester are not as wick as some think the game is a tie breaker because they have only lost one match so far to Ulster

They have a strong pack and a wing when on form who can be extremely dangerous because he is hard to tackle.

Much as I like Nigel as a Ref he can't ref a scrum because he allows Props to "Bore " and with leicester at Home Cole will be Boring into his opposite number all afternoon. ( remember Ireland v England )

The pack will have to guard the sides of the ruck because Nigel like Barnes will allow players to come in at the side if the ball appears to be playable by a scrum half so Peinaar could be under pressure.

The other thing that could beat Ulster is Ulster -- the team coming on to the pitch over cooked and trying to hard and making mistakes which Leicester will capitalised on.

Ulster have to do a leicester play a methodical game for the first 15 minutes in the leicester half minimising any errors.

If Ulster give away penalties leicester will kick for position and pressure make no mistake about that

I believe if Ulster can get points on the board in the first half and the back line is in form he have the beating of them but leicester are not a walk over as some here seem to think --- Leicester- English -- English tripe--- Leicester-- tripe ( If only )

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Ulster will be a great team ON Saturday

Fixed

They will be RECOGNISED as a great team after Saturday

[Cap'n Grumpy]

leicester are not a walk over as some here seem to think

Are there some here who think Leicester are a walk-over?

I know there are some muppets, but I'd still be very surprised if ANYONE thought this was a walk-over.

There is a difference in believing we can win, or even that we will win, to thinking it'll be a walk-over.

Either side could win this, it could be close, or it could even see one side ..... either side ..... blown away but I doubt anyone thinks it's a walk-over for either side.

It will come down to who performs on the day with perhaps the luck of a decision or a bounce of a ball.

and d'ya know what? Even if one side does start well and blow the other side away, it doesn't mean the losing side whoever they may be, are poor, or that it was a walk-over.

[tigerburnie]

Either side can win this, they are both very capable, one thing in our favour(at home helps, but this is not the "fortress" it used to be) is planning for this weekends game. Cockerill pretty much knows what's coming, he also knows who is going to be starting in a likely to be different team/bench from the previous games. Difficult to have a plan if you don't know how the opposition will line up. Will it be Youngs or Mele at 9, two very different styles of player, I expect Flood at 10 and Allen at 12, but Williams throws a curved ball into the equation at 10 too. 13 could be Smith, or it could be Goneva and Miles Benjamin is showing the sort of pace and form to concern anyone. Tait and Nial Morris will catch any high balls coming their way all day and then there's our pack.
Ayerza and Cole will start and I am led to believe Tom Youngs was "resting" last week, one of the best front rows around and a couple of good ball carriers/winners too. Slater and Kitchener are both available along with Deacon and De Chaves, pity there's no Parling for the lineouts, but they will do the business, Slater and Kitch are probably the best two scrummaging locks in the Premiership.
Backrow with Salvi means we have our top scavenger for loose ball, Gibson is keeping Matera, the Argentinian star out, so we are barely noticing Croft is missing. Crane and Waldrom are both good at straightening the line and this is before Mafi comes on. Add Logo into the equation as well and I can see you guys asking for the lineout again, if there's a not straight throw in, as I don't think you will want to scrum. Then there's our rolling maul................so many reasons why you might not win, but who knows

[Setanta]

Most worrying thing was Against the Head being positive and optimistic. That nearly threw me.

[HammerTime]

Ulster 26 Tigers 18

Some of your post is not bullshit, however, your propensity for always posting a scoreline is moronic. An unkinder man than I would be keep a record of your wide of the mark scorelines to taunt you with, call you a ninnyhammer, a featherhead , a mooncalf or a jackanapes.

I trust you will accept this as sound advice not to make stupid predictions & thank me for not call you ninnyhammer, etc. etc.

.

Almost as stupid as your prediction on Tiggers forum!

[silliwilli]

I wasn't confident until I read TBs diatribe of utter bull testicle. I now hope we rub it right up them.