Ulster Ravens Head Coach Neil Doak has named his starting XV, plus replacements, ahead of Ulster Ravens final British and Irish Cup pool stage match, against Aberavon, this Friday 12th March, at Ravenhill, kick off 7.30pm.
A win over Aberavon will secure a semi final place for Ulster Ravens, in the British and Irish Cup.
Ulster Ravens manager Gary Longwell understands how important playing at Ravenhill is and the encouragement that the legendary Ulster supporters contribute on match night:
“We all know the Ulster fans are brilliant, and that playing at Ravenhill always gives Ulster sides’ a great advantage. We need to get the Ulster supporters talking about how good these Ravens games are, how strong the Ulster side is.
It is not a thrown together team, this is not average players playing, it is really high quality players playing for Ulster in a very important competition. I really hope the supporters come out to back us, and again next week when the senior team play the Ospreys.”
The Ravens welcome back to action full back Bryn Cunningham, after a lengthy hamstring injury. Bryn will be joined in the back three by; Mark McCrea and Tommy Seymour. Michael Allen and Ian Whitten continue in the midfield. Cillian Willis getting a start at scrum half, where he will partner Niall O’Connor.
Up front the pack has a very solid look, with Andi Kyriacou returning as hooker to captain the Ravens, alongside Bryan Young and Declan Fitzpatrick, in the front row. Neil McComb and Ed O’Donoghue partner in the second row. There is one change in the back row; Trinity openside Scott La Valla makes his second Ravens appearance after his impressive debut against Leinster A.
The replacements bench has an experienced look, with the addition of Queens University and Phoenix Ulster Rugby Academy prop Paul Karayannis and flanker Mark Robinson.
Ulster Ravens. (15-9) Bryn Cunningham, Mark McCrea, Michael Allen, Ian Whitten, Tommy Seymour, Niall O’Connor, Cillian Willis. (1-8) Bryan Young, Andi Kyriacou (Capt), Declan Fitzpatrick, Neil McComb, Ed O’Donoghue, T.J. Anderson, Scott La Valla, Robbie Diack. (16-22) Nigel Brady, Paul Karayannis, Dan Tuohy, Mark Robinson, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Chris Cochrane.
Tickets for the match are available to purchase on the gates from 6pm on Friday night and are priced at Adult £10 and £3 Children.
Good to see a mix of youth and experience throughout the team. Particularly glad to see Bryn Cunningham back on the field after his lengthy injury.
I’m surprised that Craig Gilroy hasn’t made a start in this match but maybe with Dungannon having a Cup match this weekend he’s required elsewhere!
It will be interesting to see how young American Scot La Valla performs, he had a reasonable enough game against Leinster A last month but I wouldn’t have had him down as one of the stand out players from that game. He did play in second row and he certainly put himself about so maybe the move to the back row will be more to his liking.
Though Ulster only require a win I’ll be disappointed if they don’t secure a bonus point win and progress into the knock out stages with a touch of class, something that has been missing their last two outings!
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Ed – just for correctness – the ravens require a win to qualify, but as you rightly say a bonus point win should be a MUST
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You are of course right junty. I was thinking a win to draw level with London Welsh and go through by virtue of beating London Welsh earlier.
A slippery way to go through in my book, given the strength of teams we’ve put out, so The FRU expects a bonus point win and nothing less will do!
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