Squad against the Hairsprays

[promsandwich]

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/8449.php

Brian McLaughlin has named his squad to play Ospreys at Ravenhill this Friday night (ko 7.05pm) in the game that kicks off this year's Magners League competition.
Share Commenting on his squad selection, McLaughlin said,
"I am delighted to welcome Tom and Paddy back from Irish duty and have no doubt that they will further bolster a squad that has already gelled impressively in our pre-season encounters. We've had three good warm-up games in August that have allowed the management to trial a wide range of players but it only starts counting from now and we are looking forward to testing ourselves in the tournament opener against last season's winners."

Tickets for Friday's match are available to pre-purchase from www.ulsterrugby.com or the Ravenhill Ticket Office on 028 90 493222.

Supporters will notice a few changes around the place when they enter Ravenhill this Friday night. The main concourse area has been transformed as it's out with the cars and in with a food village! There are six or seven new catering options to tickle the taste buds ahead of kick-off and there'll also be some live entertainment from samba band, A-Freek-A to help build up the atmosphere.

ULSTER SQUAD:

Forwards: Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Andy Kyriacou, Tim Barker, Johann Muller, Ryan Caldwell, Willie Faloon, TJ Anderson, Robbie Diack, Stephen Ferris, Pedrie Wannenburg

Backs: Adam Darcy, David McIlwaine, Nevin Spence, Mark McCrea, Tommy Seymour, Jonny Shiels, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Niall O'Connor

Players not considered due to injury: Andrew Trimble, Simon Danielli, Jamie Smith, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, David Pollock, Bryn Cunningham

Players not considered due to Tri-Nations duty: Ruan Piennar, BJ Botha

Who do we think we be in the 15?

[promsandwich]

According to this BMcL has thrown caution to the wind and has decided to play without a scrum half!

Guess we won't be playing an expansive game!

[kf15]

Still a couple of names i hope arent in the final 23....namely McIlwaine and Seymour!

[promsandwich]

namely McIlwaine and Seymour

They are the only cover for full back and wing, assuming that D'Arcy starts at FB and McCrea and Spence on the wings.

[fuzzylogic]

by kf15 » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:43 am

Still a couple of names i hope arent in the final 23....namely McIlwaine and Seymour!

Why? By all accounts McIlwaine had a very solid game against Quins and Seymore done ok and scored against Leeds?

[WhiteKnightoftheWeld]

are there 2 props on the bench now for ML?
does this make the good folk in the stands the 24th man?
and will he/she be bringing their vuvuzelas this week???

[Setanta]

Porter is not mentioned; no scrum-half in that list; NOVEL!

[mikerob]

are there 2 props on the bench now for ML?

ML rules are now "matchday squad of 23 players, of which six must be Front Row Players, to ensure that on the first occasion a replacement in any front row position is required, the Team can continue to play with contested scrummages."

[kf15]

by kf15 » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:43 am

Still a couple of names i hope arent in the final 23....namely McIlwaine and Seymour!

Why? By all accounts McIlwaine had a very solid game against Quins and Seymore done ok and scored against Leeds?

Watched both of them play club rugby over the pas few years and neither fills me with massive confidence so I worry about them at this standard. I'll admit they did ok for the games they've played in but going on previous games ive seen them in, which is numerous, im not convinced.

McIlwaine will either be absolutely brilliant or fantastically awful. Both of which can happen regularly in one game! But as promsandwich says, for cover he should do the job so i'll take a step back from my initial comments on that one.

Seymour however is a different story. Has a stinking attitude. Down High School boy couldnt wait to play for Ballynahinch then went into the academy, got a bit of notice and bitched and moaned his way into a move to Ballymena where he has been distinctly average at AIL. Hinch were glad to see the back of him and his swandive on Thursday for effectively catching a pass and running it in hits the nail on the head...all show no go!!

[Rooster]

According to this BMcL has thrown caution to the wind and has decided to play without a scrum half!

Guess we won't be playing an expansive game!

Wannenberg to take the 9 shirt, 1F, Robbie and Willie in the back row and just use backs as a diversion with flyhalf only there to kick points, that might fool the Hairsprays.

[Yoda]

According to this BMcL has thrown caution to the wind and has decided to play without a scrum half!

Guess we won't be playing an expansive game!

Wannenberg to take the 9 shirt, 1F, Robbie and Willie in the back row and just use backs as a diversion with flyhalf only there to kick points, that might fool the Hairsprays.

Hmmm, remember what happened when Italy played a back rower at scrum half??

Porter and Marshall both listed in the squad on ulsterrugby.com

[Fly Half]

I suspect the starting team and bench will be:

Court, Best, Fitzpatrick
Muller, Barker
Ferris, Faloon, Wannenburg
Marshall
Humphreys
Spence
Wallace
Cave
McCrea
Darcy

Young, Brady, Macklin
Caldwell
Diack
Porter
NOC
Whitten

However I don't want to see NOC on the bench, as PW can cover 10, and both Porter and Darcy can kick goals. So I'd have Whitten as centre cover and then also have an additional back three cover. No one is sure what is happening with Bryn so IMO McIlwaine should get the nod to increase the FB cover options later in the season.

[mikerob]

ur.com has fixed the squad on the website and added Porter & Marshall.

Forwards: Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Andy Kyriacou, Tim Barker, Johann Muller, Ryan Caldwell, Willie Faloon, TJ Anderson, Robbie Diack, Stephen Ferris, Pedrie Wannenburg

Backs: Adam Darcy, David McIlwaine, Nevin Spence, Mark McCrea, Tommy Seymour, Jonny Shiels, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Niall O'Connor, Ian Porter, Paul Marshall

[stickinout]

Any sign of the Hairsprays squad? We look light in experience in the backs. Wonder if they'll have their Lions on???

[Ardglass2]

What the story regarding

Jamie Smith, Dan Tuohy and Chris Henry