Match Preview: Ulster Rugby vs. Ospreys

[ADM]

[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/f ... spreys.gif[/tag][tag=content]I’m not going to lie, it’s been nice having a couple of weeks off from writing the previews! However, recently the withdrawal symptoms have begun to kick in, so I think it’s about time we returned to domestic action.

Sadly the Heineken Cup has to be put to one side for now. The win in Leicester was something else and we could sing the team’s praises for the next few months easily. But there are more pressing matters to attend to – Saracens can wait. Over the next four weeks we will take on three of the best that the wonderful RRW can throw at us in our plight to remain in the top four of the Pro12.

Of course, the Welsh are too good to be in this competition, and should easily beat us – please note the sarcasm – and we are just another stepping stone on their way to world domination. Okay, maybe I’m being a tad harsh on the Welsh, but it highlights an important fact: unless the European issues are sorted, these are the games that we won’t see next season. And I for one will miss them.

However, as most of us will painfully remember, it was at this stage of the season that our brilliant form began to slowly dip. In this fixture last year (played at this exact stage of the season as well) we lost to a remarkable try from Wales prop Ryan Bevington who ran most of the pitch to score the winning try, and condemn us to a 12-16 defeat. It was the first defeat of a miserable Six Nations campaign, one that cannot be repeated.

This season, there must be a different result. Buoyed by the news that Mark Anscombe has signed on for another season, the players need to show their faith in the coach and provide him with a morale boosting win that will give us the momentum to take through into the latter stages of the season. In effect, while last season we started well and faded near the end, we must do the exact opposite this season.

But the Ospreys will be a tough proposition, no matter how much we laugh at the RRW. Their back line has been left relatively untouched by the international call-ups, and their back three can be deadly if you give them the chance. With no more European rugby or LV Cup rugby to look forward to (slightly ironically), their efforts can solely be focused on finishing in the top four of the Pro12, and having not done so last season, they have to make up for lost time.

Nevertheless, we are the form team in Europe right now with only one loss in our last nine outings and we must enter this game in confidence. We can now boast a strong team even during internationals, and with the returns of Iain Henderson and Luke Marshall from Ireland duty, we have plenty of power in reserve. If we have any aspirations of finishing the season and still be fighting on two fronts, these are the games we have to win, and also try and prevent our opposition from leaving with a losing bonus point.

With Ulster decimated by Ireland call-ups, it means there are eight changes to the side that played in Leicester. Michael Allen comes onto the wing, while Ricky Andrew starts at full-back with Jared Payne moved to outside centre, with Darren Cave moving to inside centre to accommodate him. James McKinney is back at fly-half, accompanied again by Ruan Pienaar. Tom Court and Rob Herring join John Afoa in the front row and Lewis Stevenson partners captain Johann Muller at lock. Robbie Diack and Sean Doyle are reinstated in the back row.

Steve Tandy has made nine changes to the team that triumphed 37-36 over Sale last weekend. Sam Davies makes the switch from fly-half to full-back with Jeff Hassler returning in the back three. Ashley Beck starts at inside centre with Matthew Morgan partnering Tom Habberfield at half-back. Duncan Jones and Aaron Jarvis form a new prop duo. Perry Parker is in the second row with Lloyd Peers while it is a fully changed back row of Tyler Ardron, Sam Lewis and Joe Bearman.

The short winter break is over, the long road to the Grand Final begins now. Tomorrow is a perfect opportunity to knock one of our title rivals back and we have to take it, especially if we still wish to compete on two fronts. For now we’ve done all we can do in the Heineken Cup, now we have to do everything we can to make sure we’re up there in the Pro12 too.

Ulster are back in business!

Ulster Rugby vs. Ospreys
Friday 7th February, 19:35
Ravenhill
RaboDirect Pro12 – Round 13

ULSTER RUGBY
15. Ricky Andrew, 14. Craig Gilroy, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Darren Cave, 11. Michael Allen, 10. James McKinney, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 1. Tom Court, 2. Rob Herring, 3. John Afoa, 4. Johann Muller (c), 5. Lewis Stevenson, 6. Robbie Diack, 7. Sean Doyle, 8. Roger Wilson.

16. Niall Annett, 17. Callum Black, 18. Ricky Lutton, 19. Iain Henderson, 20. Nick Williams, 21. Paul Marshall, 22. Luke Marshall, 23. Rory Scholes.

OSPREYS
15. Sam Davies, 14. Jeff Hassler, 13. Jonathan Spratt (c), 12. Ashley Beck, 11. Aisea Natoga, 10. Matthew Morgan, 9. Tom Habberfield; 1. Duncan Jones, 2. Scott Baldwin, 3. Aaron Jarvis, 4. Lloyd Peers, 5. Perry Parker, 6. Tyler Ardron, 7. Sam Lewis, 8. Joe Bearman.

16. Matthew Dwyer, 17. Ryan Bevington, 18. Dan Suter, 19. Dan Baker, 20. Morgan Allen, 21. Tito Tebaldi, 22. Richard Fussell, 23. Eli Walker.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, John Carvill (IRFU)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (IRFU)
Assessor: Jack Young (IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)[/tag]

[againstthehead]

nice preview!!! thanks for the effort.