The UAFC

Saw on the Rabo website that Ruaridh Jackson was impressed at how the Warriors have used 40 different players all season. This may be true or he may be guessing, I don't know. But that got me wondering: how many players have we used? Quick bit of internet surfing and I've worked out we've used 45 different players in 17 games this season, yet we are 11 points clear in the league and top of our Heineken Cup pool, having only lost 2 games. Not bad depth.

Devaluing the league with all this blooding of players!

being a closet anorak, I keep tabs on selections - by my count, Ulster have used 43 players in competitive matches this year. By comparison, Leinster have used 50 and Munster 42.

To screen for the 'Ravens' effect LastKnight mentions above, 6 Ulster players (14%) have had 80 mins or less, compared to 11 from Leinster (22%) and 6 from Munster (14%).

If one of those 42 for Munster was Duncan Williams I demand a recount!

Over the whole season i reckon ulster have started 32 players more than once, every position has had 2 different players start all season, except hooker and scrum half, were we had used 3 players for a couple of games. Thats pretty good imo, plus that count is leaving out guys like Nelson, Andrew, Lutton, Birch, O'Connor, Olding and Annett who have only been on the bench or started 1 game.

KingDing - all of the players you've mentioned in your last sentence have all started or been on the bench for more than one game, bar Olding.