Scarlets v Ulster Sat 12th Sep 3pm Sky

[Neill_M]

So a great start at home v the Ospreys. Any thoughts about the team this week? Changes due to injuries? Players available again etc?

In terms of the opposition, they had an excellent win at Glasgow defending with 11 men at the end - some finish! Yes Glasgow were missing 20 players due to the rwc. Scarlets have a minimum of 7 guys away at the rwc (Samson Lee, Ken Owens, Jake Ball, Gareth Davies, Scott Williams, Liam Williams and DTH Van Der Merwe). Others could get called up for Webb/1/2P.

Still have the like of Regan King and John Barclay to back up their welsh contingent - so will be a tough game. Discuss.....

[Cornerfleg]

Out Half .... big call. Is Diack fit, willing, able? Ross on the bench is scary. What's up with AOC? Will the ref continue to allow their LH to go soft on the engage with Herbie? Has McCloskey been practising getting the ball near or even over the big H thing on the goal line.

Can we take that level of intensity esp on defence away form home, or do we go all typical and await Fat Nick being sent off?

80 mins of hoofball or do we try and get those backs moving?

[BaggyTrousers]

Fleg, more importantly we will probably have an Irish ref. Will it be one with a known Nordie hatred or some simply incompetent chube.

I don't think the 10 jumper even carries an argument, Ginger Too earned it last Friday, it's his to lose.

Never thought I'd say this but, hope wee-p is ok.

The Diack where is he question will get an answer I assume, The O'Connor where is he? The Big Lew where is he?

On Mike Ross's cousin, I have a theory. I know that at one point last season, the GPS system showed him to be of an extreme overactive disposition, a squad leader statistically. I believe that Ulster have a contract with the providers that means they must include the highest 3 performers according to GPS stats - with rugby ability optional.

[rorybestsbigbaldnoggin]

Out Half .... big call. Is Diack fit, willing, able?

Diack for out-half?

[Eggs]

Lewis and AOC may well be fit and just not making the team, I like the look of Browne a lot so far

[Cornerfleg]

Well it's obvious Rory ... Andrew can cover front row and wing! Robbie ... why not?

Was it just me or did Andrew look like Mikey Allen on Roids?????

Anyways I agree Bagster - Nelson at 10 is the right choice ... Cons: He's Peter Nelson - Pros: He's not iHumph, actually I was mighty impressed - as long as he can do a solid job distributing and kicking - happy days - bonus ball is he can tackle!

Ross is eager you can not fault his enthusiasm ... but then again there is a lot of people enter talent shows with similar enthusiasm and cant hit a feckin note ...

I hope our defence is as aggressive, was really impressed with Big Licence and Herbie - they worked their nuts off to post at rucktime, meaning they were never going to get caught against backs out wide. Our defensive line was superb, Gillers work rate was huge as was the rest.

Skills break down under pressure ... we have to hit this game using defence as a weapon.

[rumncoke]

As stated in the Os thread I consider Nelson has earned the right of another week at 10 nothing exciting but a sound first game .

If he can produce a similar game away from home then Ulster will be the long term winners .

Hopefully we have a ref who understands the scrum I have long advocated chin up and

the elbow at shoulder height -- it stops the pull down and the elbow induced body shoulder twist




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[ruckover]

Diack was sick during the week leading up the Ospreys game and only returned to training on Thursday so wasn't risked. Is available for selection this week.

[Aird]

Over heard Lewis Stevenson telling some one at the URSC Info point that he was carrying an injury but hoped to be back soon.

[BaggyTrousers]

As stated in the Os thread I consider Nelson has earned the right of another week at 10 nothing exciting but a sound first game .

If he can produce a similar game away from home then Ulster will be the long term winners .

Hopefully we have a ref who understands the scrum I have long advocated chin up and

the elbow at shoulder height -- it stops the pull down and the elbow induced body shoulder twist

Rum'n, it's as easy to undersell a player as it is to see them boosted beyond their ability.

I'd take you back to the first try, Nelson threw a perfect miss pass to Fat NIck who put Willie through the gap and set up the try, he saw what was in front of him and executed what he saw.

No big deal, just comforting evidence he knows what he's at.

Oh yeah, and he can time a tackle, bonus marks aplenty

The back row is interesting. At their best they are a good unit, despite a collective age of .........oh, far too old, but when playing against weaker teams over the next run of games, they could well have the collective guile to do a great job.

Looking back, most of the good points on Friday came from the exercise of power, some telling moments from Fat NIck, McCloskey most obviously for his try but breaking tackles and hearts throughout his 60 minutes, Rob Herring throughout including his try when many forwards would not have got over from 4 metres through 2 defenders, even the increasingly popular John Andrew (Fleg, I made the Micky Allen lookilikey comment at the match too)

Reasons to be cheerful? Aye, quite a few on Friday.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Over heard Lewis Stevenson telling some one at the URSC Info point that he was carrying an injury but hoped to be back soon.

Sore shoulder but didn't indicate how soon soon was.

[rumncoke]

baggy on the basis of one game at Pro 12 level I'm not going to over sell at the moment

But do consider he showed promise and therefore deserves another outing .

IH has too many known weaknesses and ranges from sublime to total tom kite I would prefer the Allan Larkin like player a steady game week in week out

Can or will Nelson deliver that type of game -- I live in hope


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[Nightsoil]

Out of those not picked who might be available for this match, who's going to improve that 23?

Also, I may be a lone voice of madness, but I feel Clive Ross deserves a wee bit more respect after last week. Still plenty of better back rows at Ulster, and I'd take Diack over him like a shot, but I felt he was up to the standard against Ospreys.

[BaggyTrousers]

Out of those not picked who might be available for this match, who's going to improve that 23?

Also, I may be a lone voice of madness, but I feel Clive Ross deserves a wee bit more respect after last week. Still plenty of better back rows at Ulster, and I'd take Diack over him like a shot, but I felt he was up to the standard against Ospreys.

I have tried at times to see all that is good in him, then on Friday his first act was to concede a penalty at the first lineout, for pulling the jumper down. Thing was the guy had already got the ball away. I cringed.

I agree the CRoss is crap faction oversell their hatred.............. he's not great but he is about 6th or seventh choice in our backrow & happily no higher than 3rd for the 7 jumper with Willie back.

My biggest problem with him is simple ................ a rugby player should never be called Clive, it's just not right. "Clives" should be serving dry sherry at the ambassador's functions and possibly helping out with the Ferrero Rochers.

[BaggyTrousers]

I'd just like to remind anyone attending that a while back, threats were made to the lives of Ulster Supporters by some Llanelli Spide. It's a grim wee town, no chance of an Ulster Fry unless cooked in your caravan with previously acquired provisions from a quality grocer, but generally full of decent enough rugby fans.

Travel safely and if possible wear your stab-proof vest.