Ulster Squad for Stade Francais

I see Brian McLaughlin has announced a 26 man squad for Saturdays match against French aristo’s Stade Francais. You can read full details here on Ulster Rugby or you can stay around for my take on things!

First up, let’s have a look at the squad:

FORWARDS: Bryan Young, Tom Court, BJ Botha, Declan Fitzpatrick, Justin Fitzpatrick, Andy Kyriacou, Nigel Brady, Ryan Caldwell, Ed O’Donoghue, Dan Tuohy, Stephen Ferris, Willie Faloon, David Pollock, Chris Henry, TJ Anderson. BACKS: Jamie Smith, Clinton Schifcofske, Timoci Nagusa, Simon Danielli, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Jonny Shiels, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Isaac Boss, Paul Marshall

Good news in the forwards with the return of Stevie Ferris and Brendan Botha and excellent to see my old mate, and El Presidente of The FRU, Justin Fitzpatrick who is back in the running after what can only be described as a slow start to his last competitive season at Ulster Rugby.

Fitzy’s inclusion is more than likely as cover for Botha who is still trying to shake off a few knocks from his Springbok’s outings but his reputation as a nuggety scrummager may see him leap ahead of some of the youngsters should Botha not fully recover. Given his experience against the French he should have no problems slotting in if required!

However the key to Ulster’s success is, in my opinion, going to lie in the second row and specifically in the lineouts and I wait with baited breath to see if Caldwell or O’Donoghue is going to be calling the shots. Chances are we won’t know until the first lineout as I expect them both to start but I hope it’s O’Donoghue as Caldwell needs a few matches to focus on his own performance. Having said that, and as I’ve said before, he does tend to raise his game for the bigger occasion and he should be well worth his starting place.

Back row is looking like Ferris, Faloon and Henry if Ferris has fully recovered and Pollock, Faloon and Henry if not. The second combination leaves us a bit light so it would be no shock if the abrasive Anderson leapfrogged Pollock for a starting birth if 1F fails full fitness!

Backs are stating to pick themselves with Paddy out. Oh wait, where is Trimble? Now there is a surprise and I can only assume he’s injured or it’s against his religion to play against pink shirts as he would surely have been a walk in given his form and Jimmy’s iffyness in coping with cold and wet conditions. Now that is a pity as Trimble’s robust rumbles would have had more of an impact than Jimmy’s fancy dancy.

The only other decision is Smith or Shiels for the bench? Again I wouldn’t be surprised if Nagusa was benched, Shifty started on the wing and Smith at full back, but in a game of this magnitude I’m fairly sure they’ll go with the same backline as against Glasgow and have Shiels on the bench!

So anyway here’s my guess of the final selection.

FORWARDS: Young, Kyriacou, Botha, O’Donoghue, Caldwell, Ferris, Faloon, Henry. BACKS: Boss, Humphreys, Danielli, Whitten, Cave, Nagusa, Schifcofske. BENCH: Brady, Court, Fitzpatrick J, Tuohy, Pollock, Marshall, O’Connor, Shiels

More like this:

• Squad for Cardiff at home
• Ulster squad for Edinburgh
• Ulster squad for Cardiff
• Squad for Edinburgh