Ulster V Ospreys

[Kofi Annan]

Okay , this game will be important for various reasons how do we think it will go, a win will give the boys massive confidence going into the tigers game, a loss would not be a disaster and would not be the end of the world. Who should start In the pack, has the jiggling of the back line been a ploy to keep the tiggers guessing .

[bazzaj]

For me got to be strongest side out especially up front against the strongest looking side in the league at the moment.
Williams and Hendo to start to get their pack off the front foot with all our biggest ball carriers on from the off.
Big calls in the backs whether Allen or Cave should start with Payne and Gilroy in their more familiar positions or is AT back in the mix?
Thats toss of a coin stuff but somewhere I feel the Ospreys can be got at is midfield and the wider areas where they dont have the class that we do.

Thats where the game will come down to in my opinion if the the backs can get enough decent front foot ball we can do this.
Henry v Tipuric at the break down is vital for that to happen.
Like Kofi, now thinking an away lbp at this stage would not be a disaster.

The Team I forsee being selected,

Payne, Bowe, Cave, Marshall, AT (if not fit Gilroy), Jackson, Marshall, Court, Best, Lutton, Muller, Hendo, Wilson, Henry, Williams

[OneMore]

I don't think there's any reason to recall Cave. I don't think he's performed well enough this season to justify dropping Gilroy/Payne/Allen. Even if Payne is restored to 15, I'd been keen to see Allen go inside - though I'm not sure Anscombe trusts him quite enough to do this (and there is the risk that a bit of inexperience could result in him not releasing those outside him).

Any word on Hendo? Any word on Big John? Trimble?

When's Paddy Wallace back? Or Fez - still end of November?

[firebell53]

Read the injury update thread, and re fez he is falling way behind in his rehab, should have had his boot of 6 weeks ago but ankle not strong enough yet. Only doing upper body stuff.

[Scranner]

It's the week before our first Heinie match. We need to get as many back on the pitch - even for twenty minutes - as possible. After his last two games, I can't see Anscombe dropping Allen. Back row played really well together on Friday - balanced. Trimbo needs the chance to play his way back in. Afoa and Olding need game time too.

Payne, Bowe, Cave, Marshall, Allen, Jackson, Marshall, Court, Best, Lutton, Muller, Tuohy, Diack, Henry, Wilson.

Herring, Black, Afoa (if fit, Fitzpatrick if not), Hendo (if fit, Stevenson if not), Williams, Porter, Olding (if fit, McKibbin if not), Trimble, Gilroy.

[Nightsoil]

In any big game I want Payne at full-back. He is not as influential at centre as he is at full-back and no one at Ulster is as influential at full-back as he is. I have no strong feelings about who ends up at 13 and on the wing - although if it were me, Michael Allen would be the incredibly unfortunate loser - but Payne at full-back is a must.

[Rooster]

Trimble won't be playing this week and next week is debatable also so the next question is do they put him on the bench in Montpellier ?

[OneMore]

Trimble won't be playing this week and next week is debatable also so the next question is do they put him on the bench in Montpellier ?

Yes for me. Impact.

[Harold7]

I liked the look of the Marshall/Payne partnership...BUT...while Gilroy did fine at FB, for the HEC games Payne HAS to be at 15. That being the case he should play there this weekend with Cave back in at 13.

Fingers crossed Henderson is OK but unless there is new information since Friday that I've missed, just looking at him going off on Friday night I wouldn't be too hopeful that we'll see him this weekend...at least...

The issue is the left wing. Anscombe himself said that Allen was the form winger and assuming that Tommy is more or less undroppable (not that I really think such a player should exist) it's between him and Gilroy for the Tigers and right now surely it's got to be Allen. A nice problem to have.

It would also be nice to see Olding get some game time against Ospreys. A week off for Marshall mightn't be the worst thing ever anyway because if he plays this week and then in the two European games he will have played 7 games in a row with the Autumn Internationals round the corner where you'd think he'll be first choice IC now. Mind you he is young and he is also playing very well at the moment.

[ruckover]

A lot of injury questions: Will Payne and Hendo even make the game? Is Afoa still suffering from aeroplane cramp? Is Milk Tray available? What about Olding?

Big game. Very very big game. Ospreys are unbeaten.

I wouldn't mind seeing the same back line as last week, I think if anyone was dropped they'd be hard done by. That said, I agree that Payne is a safer option at 15 than Gillers. Despite his great performances, Micky may have to settle for a cameo off the bench.

Front row of Court, Best, Afoa obviously. Now that it appears Hendo is a lock it seems the back row will be unchanged (Williams was brilliant off the bench). Just leaves lock, Muller back in is a certainty, but who drops out, Dan or Hendo? Probably Hendo as a precaution after last week, but he's the in-form lock right now, hard to justify dropping him.

Presuming we have a clean bill of health, I'd go with:
15. J Payne, 14. T Bowe, 13. D Cave, 12. L Marshall, 11. C Gilroy, 10. P Jackson, 9. P Marshall; 1. T Court, 2. R Best, 3. J Afoa, 4. J Muller (c), 5. D Tuohy, 6. R Diack, 7. C Henry, 8. R Wilson.

16. R Herring, 17. C Black, 18. D Fitzpatrick, 19. I Henderson, 20. N Williams, 21. I Porter, 22. S Olding, 23. M Allen.

[ColinM]

Agree with Payne at FB for the big games. I'd like to see Mike Allen get the chance to challenge Cave for the 13 shirt as I reckon thats where Ulster's cover lies in those positions, Farrell will challenge in due course too. But the Ospreys game is not the time to muck about with that. Gilroy and Bowe on the Wings, Jared at FB and Allen rotated for this one please.

Don't see any changes in the pack, maybe keep changing Black and Court, hopefully Lutton and Hendo are OK but not to be risked if there is any question marks.

Paddy Mac has played a couple of games now, but maybe a week or two early for him yet?

[bazzaj]

Did not realise Afoa was available so he will be involved at some point no doubt.
If Hendo is fully fit he must play as our stand out forward so far.

Back row lots of good options but again the one I would not pick in a any option would be Diack at 6 as I think he lacks the physicality to take on an Ospreys pack with 5 potential Lions in it.
Good honest player but in my view lacks the edge or bite the others can provide.

There is complete logic of using Nick as an impact option but I think in this game its important to get off on the front foot to send the message out early that they are in for a battle.

[Snipe Watson]

Hendo had a particularly bad stinger by all accounts and Jared is the main worry.

[bazzaj]

Tuohy in the row and Allen to wing with Gilly at FB if that is the case.
Still strong.

[Cornerfleg]

“Respect is the path to the dark side. Respect leads to deference. Deference leads to admiration. Admiration leads to veneration and idolisation.”