HEC 1/4 Final Ulster Rugby V Saracens

[Rooster]

Do we know which day/time Ulster Rugby are pushing for?

I can't see why they wouldn't want Friday

A 6 day turnaround after the Cardiff game on Sat 29th might be one reason? Sarries are also playing that day so no advantage there.Of course, they do have the constant threat of relegation hanging over their heads ...

It is also cheating when we play on Friday nights

[fuzzylogic]

big mervyn wrote:

BR wrote:

ChrisL wrote:
Do we know which day/time Ulster Rugby are pushing for?

I can't see why they wouldn't want Friday

A 6 day turnaround after the Cardiff game on Sat 29th might be one reason? Sarries are also playing that day so no advantage there.Of course, they do have the constant threat of relegation hanging over their heads ...

The 6 day turnaround will undoubtedly be better for us than it will for them, and relegation is the key factor. Ulster will have no qualms sending a Ravens team to Cardiff like we usually do around Christmas v Leinster. Also, Ravenhill Friday nights are what UR are all about, and what better way to get the new stand open.

That being said, Saracens have one of the biggest squads in the Aviva and are away to Wasps who shouldnt be too much a threat so I'm sure they can afford to rest a few big guns as well. Time will tell depending on results for both sides over the next couple of months.

'Sarries' may take a hit over the 6 nations period with a decent number of players on International duty so AP results around April could be vital.

[ruckover]

As I've said, I would be very surprised if there weren't two QFs on Saturday and two on Sunday, with us being one of the Saturday games.

Fuzzy - send over a Ravens team to Caadiff? The week before a Heineken Cup match? Utter madness, you play your strongest team to get them back together again. Bear in mind, our players won't have played together since the Leicester match at that point.

[mikerob]

Ulster away to Cardiff will be a lot more tiring in terms of travel than Sarries away to Wasps. Game is too late for scheduled flights so Ulster would either get a charter and get back late or stay over and come back on the Sunday.

[BR]

Ulster away to Cardiff will be a lot more tiring in terms of travel than Sarries away to Wasps. .

You've never travelled on Chiltern Trains, have you?

[Ulster man in England]

I hope the game isn't on a Friday night or else I won't be able to travel! No doubt saracens will say the same from a fans point of view! Saturday 6pm kick off will be great

[Russ]

Im not travelling. Have final tickets booked and lookibg at flights for the semi

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[againstthehead]

As I've said, I would be very surprised if there weren't two QFs on Saturday and two on Sunday, with us being one of the Saturday games.

Fuzzy - send over a Ravens team to Caadiff? The week before a Heineken Cup match? Utter madness, you play your strongest team to get them back together again. Bear in mind, our players won't have played together since the Leicester match at that point.

Not utter madness butI'd say you'll see a very similar selection to the game vs Montpellier for the cardif game. Diack starting at 6 with a 6/2 bench. That means only Dan will play a full 80 and he'll come off around 60 mins for henderson against Sarries. consequently, no-one in the pack plays a full 80 V cardiff. Injuries permitting of course.

Player management is going to be critical if we are to have a realistic chance in the HEC. I'd be keen to settle for 4th/5th in the league if it means keeping guys fit for the end of the season. Some positions are very thin on the ground so it's all about getting as close to the 1st XV as possible. There is no way we can compete on 2 fronts and think we're going to win the HEC, not with Sarries, Clermont and toulon in the way. Take the hit and go for the big one.

[big mervyn]

Playing something close to the HEC team the week before in the Rabo has worked pretty well so far.We've seen the benefits of a bit of extra cohesion and why change the formula?

[Rooster]

As I've said, I would be very surprised if there weren't two QFs on Saturday and two on Sunday, with us being one of the Saturday games.

Fuzzy - send over a Ravens team to Caadiff? The week before a Heineken Cup match? Utter madness, you play your strongest team to get them back together again. Bear in mind, our players won't have played together since the Leicester match at that point.

ruckie speaks sense, has to be team for the Sarries match, then chuck them on a charter flight and back home after the Cardiff match

[Kofi Annan]

Think of the damage one of these fecking Saracens would do to a pitch never mind 15 of them ugly fecks. Marty will be throwing things at them!

Saracen.jpg (14.64 KiB) Viewed 978 times

[TheSnapper]

I see a photo opportunity

[BaggyTrousers]

In all the talk of fear at what a good side Sarries are let's look at their credentials. In their group they had a free pass to the quarterfinal. Mighty Zebre and the game but frankly not very good Connacht plus feckless Toulouse who couldn't be bothered securing a home game.

How did they do? Struggled in Galway, outscored 3-1 on try count and were only 7 to the good at home as 40 hit the clock. So that and 2 wins against Zebre and Home and away defeats to Toulouse, the away game very much worse than on the scoreboard.

Conclusion: flat track bullies who lose to good teams.

Are we a good team? Our pool would suggest we are ok but can do better.

Result: barring an injury crisis we will fillet them on the pitch and hopefully the scoreboard though all I care about is the W.

Never will we have a greater incentive and a wish to finish a season off for the dear departing.

[Ericsarrie]

It's like Groundhog Day. Flat track bully tag was dealt with on another thread, Baggy. Keep up. Doesn't everyone lose to good teams? Weren't you a good team last year then?

More to the point is that we tend to lose against teams who physically overpower us, particularly the French. Last 3 HCs Clermont, Toulon, Toulouse have all seen us off. That is why we beefed up by bringing in Johnson and B Vunipola. Still not quite there yet, but we ARE getting there season by season. The Irish provinces themselves took quite a time to build momentum in HC tournament and look where you are now! Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Russ]

It's like Groundhog Day. Flat track bully tag was dealt with on another thread, Baggy. Keep up. Doesn't everyone lose to good teams? Weren't you a good team last year then?

More to the point is that we tend to lose against teams who physically overpower us, particularly the French. Last 3 HCs Clermont, Toulon, Toulouse have all seen us off. That is why we beefed up by bringing in Johnson and B Vunipola. Still not quite there yet, but we ARE getting there season by season. The Irish provinces themselves took quite a time to build momentum in HC tournament and look where you are now! Rome wasn't built in a day.

Sarries are from the 1890s though.

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