Ulster v Northampton

[Ulsterscall]

Well someone had to do it!!!!

For me this game is a much closer call than the bookies and English press would have us all believe. Yes they have had two good wins with their returning internationals seemingly to fit seemlessly back into to the team. Yes we have had a number of scratchy performances and are again without the talismanic 1F BUT..........they have played two properly awful teams and conceded a bag full of points to one of the worst defences in the premiership only running away with the game when Sale went men down. On top of that they have been winning on dry hard pitches and by all accounts this is set to be a wet week and wet game day. Also, whilst we have been relatively error strewn we have still won and, if this one is close in the last 10 as I predict it will be, we have the experience of squeezing out tight victories to draw on whilst they have the memories of recent narrow defeats to jangle the nerves.

Northampton will probably, just about deservedly on paper, start as favourites however if this one gets late into the game with Ulster still in touch I think there will only be one winner and it won't be St Kenneths men - SUFTUM!!

See you all in Milton Keynes!!

[gannonman]

Yep I'm really looking forward to it. This week is going to be the longest of my life most likely. Can't wait for the weekend! SUFTUM!!!

[SparkyClarky]

April 4 2011
It is Heineken Cup sudden death time with four French and two clubs from each of England and Ireland left in the hunt for the title of the 16thchampions of Europe.Five of the last eight – defending champions Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Leinster, Northampton Saints and Ulster Rugby – already have their names etched onto the silverware with the French trio of Biarritz Olympique, Perpignan and tournament debutants Toulon bidding to join them. SAINTS LOOK TO MARCH ON


The route to the final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 21 May, is clearly mapped out for all the clubs with either Leinster or Leicester Tigers from the Dublin quarter-final and either Northampton Saints or Ulster Rugby from the Milton Keyes encounter enjoying home advantage in the semi-finals three weeks later.
The Saints are the only one of the quarter-finalists to take an unbeaten record through from the Pool stages and Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder declared: “We are going into the game in a positive frame of mind.
“We’ve played reasonably well over the past few weeks, got some good results home and away and everyone in the squad has put their hand up for selection. We’re certainly going to have a tough time choosing the team for this weekend’s game.
“But of course there are things to work on and we’ll be looking to improve in all areas ahead of what is a challenging game against Ulster this Sunday.
“Getting good results in the Premiership is one thing, but the Heineken Cup is a massive step up in intensity and physicality, especially when you get to the knock-out stages.
“We found that out last season and hopefully we can learn from that experience this year. We are a young team that is still developing and this weekend’s game is a good yardstick for us.
“Ulster have been on a good run of form recently and are going really well in the Magners League. They have shown repeatedly that they know how to win tight games, not just in the Magners League but in the Heineken Cup as well, especially with their win at Bath.
“Ulster have a pair of quality half-backs in Ruan Pienaar and Ian Humphreys, and they have excellent players throughout their squad. We will certainly have a tough job on our hands if we are to get a positive result on Sunday. We will need to keep our shape in defence, keep our discipline and take our opportunities in attack.
“We’re looking forward to the occasion, which will be massive for the club, and especially our supporters. The Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park last season showed the value of having a large and vocal crowd behind you and we want to make the home advantage count.
“Ideally Sunday’s game would have been at Franklin’s Gardens, but the move to stadium:mk has given the chance for twice as many Saints supporters to get in to see the game and we’re looking forward to seeing and hearing them in the stands."

Aye all they be hearing is

STAND UP FOR THE ULSTERMEN!!!!

[Royster]

My gut feeling is that either the Saints will stroll it or that Ulster will edge a tight game. I remember a few years back when we went to London Irish confident that we were about to win in England for the first time. I think we took 5-6,000 fans over such was the expectation amongst the fans. What happened was that Ulster made a few early errors,missing touch with kicks etc and it seemed to lift the confidence of LI. Our heads went down early and it was all over bar the shouting in the early stages. I trust this will not happen again and I don't think it will due to the influence of our saffers,especially Muller ( who incidently was sick all last week and yet put in a towering performance again on Friday night) If the game is a tight one then I expect Ulster will edge it through having better kickers than Saints. We must avoid making early mistakes like the poor restart and charge down against Bath which fortunately went in our favour and we must step up the physicality as we did against BO. We know we can do that as Muller has stated that it was the most physical match he had ever played in. It has been overlooked somewhat amongst the try controvesy that we did beat a very good,highly motivated Scarlets team on Friday night who had lots of current Welsh internationals on show. They had a lot of power and speed in their backline and yet our backs looked much more dangerous when we had the ball. I think that Scarlets team would give the Saints a good run for their money and I expect Ulster will do no less on Sunday.

[namron]

What worries me regards the physicality stakes is the absence of Steve F. Against BO he was talismanic and provided an edge to the sword as it were. The Saints are well drilled and organised in the forwards which is why our backrow will have to collectively take the game to Saints 1F style - think angry celtic beserker and you get my drift on how they should play. On top of that a fast moving game should tire the heavier saints pack and then in the last 20 mins strike home with fast plays through the middle using pienaar trickery ,fast forward to back offloading and never say die defending when required SUFTU

[Jackie Brown]

We are battle hardened, Northampton have strolled the last few games. We can do it, BELIEVE!!

[DavyG]

. We can do it, BELIEVE!!

Have faith, believe and conquer.

[backawaygoonahead]

Ah, if only cliches won games we would slaughter them.

[The Boo Radleys]

angry celtic beserker

Classic

5000 in the stand and 23 in the squad - cmonnnnn Ulster

[StKenneth]

What's Ulster's probable line up for the weekend, or is there no settled "cup final" team?

For us, I think it will be the side that played against Wasps a couple of weekends ago...

15 Ben Foden
14 Chris Ashton
13 Jon Clarke
12 James Downey
11 Paul Diggin
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
8 Roger Wilson
7 Tom Wood
6 Phil Dowson.... or possibly Callum Clarke
5 Christian Day (Red scrum cap!)
4 Courtney Lawes
3 Brian "Moo" Mujati
2 Dylan Hartley
1 Soane Tonga'uhia

[Rooster]

What's Ulster's probable line up for the weekend, or is there no settled "cup final" team?

For us, I think it will be the side that played against Wasps a couple of weekends ago...

15 Ben Foden
14 Chris Ashton
13 Jon Clarke
12 James Downey
11 Paul Diggin
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
8 Roger Wilson
7 Tom Wood
6 Phil Dowson.... or possibly Callum Clarke
5 Christian Day (Red scrum cap!)
4 Courtney Lawes
3 Brian "Moo" Mujati
2 Dylan Hartley
1 Soane Tonga'uhia

I would reckon on the no settled "cup final" team option, will depend on how coach will want to play the game and an announcement won't be made to the last minute

[StKenneth]

What? You have a plan B way of playing? OMG I hope Jim Mallinder knows that!!

[Rooster]

What? You have a plan B way of playing? OMG I hope Jim Mallinder knows that!!

[Rooster]

What? You have a plan B way of playing? OMG I hope Jim Mallinder knows that!!

Our plan B is so complicated that even we don't understand it, neither do the players and it's just one of those things that happens on the day. ihumps and Ruan are specialists in it and they keep it so secret they don't even tell the rest of the side.

[Rooster]

Probably:-

1. Tom Court
2. Rory Best
3. BJ Botha
4. Johann Muller
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Pedrie Wannenburg
7. Chris Henry
8. Robbie Diack
9. Ruan Piennar
10. Ian Humphrey
11. Simon Danielli
12. Paddy Wallace
13. Nevin Spence.
14. Andrew Trimble
15. Adam D'Arcy

Jim Mallinder can probably predict that much so don't be calling me a "loose-lipper" Rooster. To be honest, StK - the bench will be more interesting. There is an "ability" to play a Plan B centred around a few forwards who can play a much looser faster game.

Probably not far away as you say but would be a few changes if they are playing the faster type game, bench as you say will tell how it is going to progress 5,6,7 and 8 are the positions that are mos likely to change, the rest are more or less set unless someone is injured or there is a plan C and he fires up all the schoolboys for a match.