Ulster Head Coach Brian McLaughlin has named his match day squad, ahead of Friday’s Magners League match, against Glasgow Warriors, at Firhill Stadium, kick off 7.05pm.
Injuries have ruled out both Rory Best and Paddy Wallace from the trip to Glasgow. Nigel Brady has been named in the squad replacing Rory Best while Jamie Smith returns to the squad from injury.
Commenting on the Magners League clash, Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin said:
We’re travelling to Glasgow this afternoon by boat as the airports are now closed and we’re about to have our Captain’s Run at lunchtime. We had a good review of Tuesday nights game against the Ospreys and we’ve got to look at our defence, we’re still suffering from inconsistency around our defence. For Andrew Trimble’s try our defence was magnificent and for Simon Danielli’s try that also came from a defensive turnover so we have to be more consistent in defence. Our set piece on Tuesday night was a lot more solid, we just have to stop giving away soft tries, Shane Williams’ try was a prime example and we gifted James Hook two tries under the posts so we must improve in this aspect of our play.
Glasgow are another quality side and we’re expecting a very tough game, it’s been a quick turnaround for us, physically we’re in good shape so now we just have to get the boys mentally right for this very important game.
The team and replacements are below:-
Ulster Rugby Team. (1-8) Tom Court, Andi Kyriacou, Declan Fitzpatrick, Ed O’Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry (Capt), Robbie Diack. (15-9) Simon Danielli, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Nevin Spence, Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall. (16-22) Nigel Brady, BJ Botha, Dan Tuohy, David Pollock, Isaac Boss, Niall O’Connor, Jamie Smith.
Hmm! Curiouser and curoiouser!
Well, it’s good to see Kyriacou get a start again at senior level, I’m sure he is raring to go and make amends for his disastrous line out display against Glasgow at Ravenhill, a display which unjustly saw him drop out of the reckoning until now.
It’s interesting that Kyri is returning with Caldwell also returning in the second row and this is a very risky call given they way the Warriors line out completely distroyed Caldwell in the air and with speed of thought last time out. Maybe it’s a canny selection and is being billed as a chance for redemption for both players as I know they have been stewing on that last appearance for some time. Lineouts will have the added interest of Mr Ed up against his supposed repalcement Tim Barker for extra spice!
I also have my worries about the paring of Marshall and Humphreys. Both very unpredictable in attack and both light weight in defence so I really struggle to see why we’ve gone with these particular half back parings over the last two games. Boss/Humphreys and Marshall/O’Connor makes much more sense to me!
Good to see Nevan Spence starting, even though it is at the expense of the injured Wallace, I am looking forward to seeing how he copes at this level.
Really don’t know what way this one is going to go and I suspect it’s going to come down to the lineouts and the back row clashes. Both back rows are particlularly impressive and this should be a fantastic aspect of the game, but I reckon they’ll largely cancell each other out. So it looks as though whoever dominates the line out will take the match.
Ulster by 5 – over to you Kyri and Ryan!
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2 Responses to “Actual team for Glasgow”
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‘Really don’t know what way this one is going to go..’
Couldn’t put too much better meself except a win to Glasgae. Love to be proved wrong mind and youse can all come on here and throw rotten tomatoes and Icelandic ash at me!
As a sub plot the missus and daughter are stranded in Edinburgh so i thought i might drive to thier rescue and call in at Firhill on the way past. Father in law obviously saw that coming and booked them on a flight tomorrow morning. Damn!!!
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Raging Ravens flight cancelled but managed to get on the Larne / Troon luxury liner and cadge a lift to Glasgow. Really upselt that Boss is not starting starting to wonder if McLaughlin has a vindictive side to his nature but I’m sure he knows this is a results business and if he doesn’t get the result he will go quietly at the end of the season.
Good to see FRU favourite Andi K get a start. Let’s hope that little cloud of wind and rain that follows him has got lost in the atmosphere around Iceland!
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