Ulster V Hairsprays: let the build up commence!

[againstthehead]

If you folk are anything like me, you're getting excited about Friday night already! I've tried to keep my optimism is check this summer but that article at the weekend about Ulster being the new Man City of the Magners has got my imagination working overtime lol.

On paper, we have a cracking pack - one which should be able to dominate set piece and go toe to toe with any side in Europe. Whether that transpires is another issue... We've managed to sign a world 9 and in PW and Trimble we've a couple of backs who can create something out of nothing. If we can injury free and new guys settle in quickly then we could be in for an exciting season.


Still unsure who exactly is available this Friday but to get the ball rolling, it looks like Jerry the Hit man Colins will be lining up this friday night:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 953379.stm

[shamalicious]

Just bought my tickets for Friday, very excited. Hoping the pack this season can really do a job.

PS has anyone seen the BBC NI advert for coverage of Ulster's ML games? Brilliant stuff. Made me even more excited about this season!

[againstthehead]

yes - just saw it sham - I was really impressed too - about time we got some publicity!!! We can put in a few good perfomrances on TV and get a few wins, then hopefully that will translate to even bigger crowds. Big oppertunity over the next few weeks = c'mon ulsterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[fuzzylogic]

by shamalicious » Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:09 pm

PS has anyone seen the BBC NI advert for coverage of Ulster's ML games? Brilliant stuff. Made me even more excited about this season!

Sure have, got quite excited actually and praise be to god, not a sight or sound of Jackie Fullerton!

[mikerob]

Setanta still have the ML games on delayed transmission - Ulster v Ospreys is being shown at 2:30pm on Saturday on Setanta Ireland.

Daire "go easy" O'Brien has jumped ship from Setanta to RTE leaving Neil Francis behind... Setanta has a rugby analysis show called The Breakdown with Francis and this is on at 9:30pm on Saturday on Setanta Ireland.

I can still get Setanta Ireland on my Sky although some content is blocked. Settings for "Add Chnls" on the Sky box have changed and these are now:
Frequency: 11.778
Polarisation: V
Symbol Rate: 27.5
FEC: 2/3

[promsandwich]

Right now I can't wait for the season to start. Coming off the back of the Leeds game I think this squad has enough, injuries permitting, to challenge the top 4 ML teams this season and hopefully to progress in the HEC. Looking at the first 6 fixtures, if we had PW, Trimble and Danielli available I would have thought we would have been capable of winning 5 out of the first 6 games. My heart says we still coulddo it, leaving the Ospreys game out - I still think they will have too much for us. If we can stay within 8 points of them I would say that would be a good performance.

My head says so much is dependent on a depleted backline that 4 wins out of the first 6 would still be good progress, with us pushing on when players do return from injury.

There are going to be good crowds early doors because so many people will be excited to see the new players and of course the better weather helps. So much is about momentum these days, if we could get some results early on and get a real buzz about the team, coupled with the improved tv coverage, we could pack Ravers a bit more frequently than the last 2 years. I'd like to see Ravers become that fortress again. I read one of the Welsh coaches recently ( possibly Sean Holley ) saying they weren't afraid of going to Ulster because they've won here in recent years. If we get the crowd lifting our team and vice versa, get results and pack the place out, I would love to see teams really fearing coming here again, starting with the Hairsprays.

[Big-al]

I do beleive we'll lose this weekend what with the Ospreys having all their polayers available for to them (injuries permitting), however i do think we'll get to the play-offs

[cables]

It would be a great time to put one over on the Ospreys. Doing so could position us 7 to 8 (or even 9 ) points ahead of them in the Table.

Little doubt that whoever they start with will be 'pumped' to get themselves out of negative equity.

Time to drive the nail. Stand up and fight - ooops wrong team.

[Rooster]

I do beleive we'll lose this weekend what with the Ospreys having all their polayers available for to them (injuries permitting), however i do think we'll get to the play-offs

They had them available last year when we beat them over there, don't get negative vibes this early in the season al.
They are missing Hook, Ryan Jones probably Philips and a returning from injury Jerry Collins plus their own egos are too big for their own good.

[promsandwich]

don't get negative vibes this early in the season

You're right, I'm going back to thinking with my heart!!!!!

The Opsreys are gonna go home wishing that they had never stepped off the plane, with the exception of Tommy Bowe, who is going to stay for an extra day begging the Dr and the Slim Controller to come back asap so he can fill the void at fullback!

[promsandwich]

See Jones is fit for the Hairsprays:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 858760.stm

Ospreys and Wales prop Duncan Jones will be available for the start of the season after recovering from a foot injury sustained in December.

The tight-head, 31, has suffered no ill-effects since starting running sessions in early July.

Hopefully we can get Paddy Mac on the pitch at some point for a battle of the blonds.

If not I'm hoping 1F or Wattabeast give him a proper welcome back!

[UlsterManiac]

There are going to be good crowds early doors because so many people will be excited to see the new players and of course the better weather helps. So much is about momentum these days, if we could get some results early on and get a real buzz about the team, coupled with the improved tv coverage, we could pack Ravers a bit more frequently than the last 2 years. quote]

Not sure Id agree with you on this one...occasional supporters will only start coming back if we put some good results together and start getting noticed....I think our attendances will suffer in the first few games with the BBC NI coverage going live...and will continue to suffer unless, as you say, we get a buzz going about the team...come november/december if we arent performing well then the attendances will suffer even further as people seek the comfier option of watching from their armchairs and not braving the cold and rain...

[Jackie Brown]

i won't be at Ravers until the Glasgow game as i'm getting married on Friday. Bullocks

[Digifriendly]

Not sure Id agree with you on this one...occasional supporters will only start coming back if we put some good results together and start getting noticed....I think our attendances will suffer in the first few games with the BBC NI coverage going live...and will continue to suffer unless, as you say, we get a buzz going about the team...come november/december if we arent performing well then the attendances will suffer even further as people seek the comfier option of watching from their armchairs and not braving the cold and rain...

I agree with you. Fact that BBC NI is much more widely available than Setanta (Analogue/Freeview not just satellite) and its FTA will be enough to keep some at home who couldn't see these matches on the box over the last 6 seasons. (Setanta started covering ML in Sept. 2004)

[Royster]

With 27 internationals in their squad the Ospreys aren't going to miss the few injured ones. I remember Matt Williams saying that the Ospreys were the best rucking team in the Magners league so we are in for a torrid affair. Nevertheless I think we should be able to match them in the pack but our dearth of top class backs could cost us. However if we win this one then anything is possible this year for Ulster. The guys will also be wanting to show up well in the first serious match in front of the S.Africans, especially if Pienaar is watching from the stand.