Ulster Squad for Ospreys

Ulster Head Coach Brian McLaughlin has today named an extended 30 man squad, to face Ospreys, next Tuesday 13th April, at Ravenhill, kick off 7.30pm.

Commenting on the Magners League clash, Coach Brian McLaughlin said:

Last week against Cardiff we simply weren’t good enough. We made a strong start, but went on to give away to many soft points. It was very disappointing because we know we can win these games.

Losing at Ravenhill is not something that is taken lightly. Playing in-front of your home crowd means so much to each player and each coach, so we all know what is required of us come Tuesday.
It will be a very tough game for us, but we have to make sure we’re in their face and don’t let them play. We will not gift Ospreys such easy scores.

We have to make sure we are up for the game, we have to compete and we have to make sure we beat them at Ravenhill. We have to go to town with them up-front and show that we are more than capable of dealing with them.

We all know not to under-estimate them. Ospreys are a dangerous side, who can and do compete at the highest level, so we need to make sure we give them nothing to play with.

There are two additions from the Ulster squad that faced Cardiff Blues on 3rd April. Prop Tom Court returns to the squad from injury, and winger Nevin Spence is an addition to the backs. Paddy McAllister drops out of the squad.
Forwards: Declan Fitzpatrick, Bryan Young, Tom Court, BJ Botha, Nigel Brady, Andi Kyriacou, Ed O’Donoghue, Dan Tuohy, Ryan Caldwell, Chris Henry, Tom Court, Stephen Ferris, Robbie Diack, TJ Anderson, David Pollock, Rory Best. Backs: Jamie Smith, Paul Marshall, Simon Danielli, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Timoci Nagusa, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Isaac Boss, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble, Michael Heaney, Jonny Shiells, Tommy Seymour, Nevin Spence.

Not available due to injury: Mark McCrea, Bryn Cunningham, Adam Macklin, Ian Porter, Cillian Willis, Matt McCullough, Justin Fitzpatrick.

So there you go. Don’t really want to re-hash the same old guff week after week so suffice to say that the forwards have to front up for the full 80 minutes. Not so much to win this one, which they should do comfortably, but more importantly to get a bit of confidence back and try to finish off the season on a bit of a roll.

Court should make his way back into the front row and I’d put Best on the bench as he looked absolutely knackered against Cardiff, I’d go with Ed and Tuohy in the second and I’d still opt to bench Ferris for this one as the big man needs a break with his niggling injuries. Hugely impressive Diack to start at eight with Henry covering 6 and Pollock at 7.

Much as I admire the maligned O’Connor I’d go with Humph as Ulster should be able to run wild against what is expected to be a second string Ospreys and with Smith returning the rest of the backs pick themselves.

The FRU Select is therefore as follows:

(1 – 15) Court, Kyriacou, Botha, O’Donoghue, Tuohy, Henry, Pollock, Diack, Boss, Humphreys, Danielli, Wallace, Cave, Trimble, Smith. (22 – 16) Best, Young, Caldwell, Ferris, Marshall, Seymour, Whitten.

More like this:

• Squad for Cardiff at home
• Squad for Ospreys
• Ulster squad for Cardiff
• Don’t miss the last game of the season, it’s come upon us so quickly!