The race is on for this week's selection! Picture by rugbypicture.co.uk
Ulster have released details of the squad for Friday night’s game against Edinburgh as follows:
Neither fullback Jamie Smith (shoulder girdle/rib) nor centre Darren Cave (hamstring), who are still recovering from injuries sustained against Aironi two weeks ago have been included, while Simon Danielli, who was injured (shoulder) during last Sunday’s match against Biarritz at the Parc des Sports Aguliera is also absent.
The Ulster starting XV and replacements will be named on Thursday.
FORWARDS: Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, BJ Botha, Rory Best, Andi Kyriacou, Nigel Brady, Tim Barker, Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller, Ryan Caldwell, Willie Faloon, Robbie Diack, Stephen Ferris, Pedrie Wannenburg, Chris Henry
BACKS: Adam D’Arcy, David McIlwaine, Tommy Seymour, Mark McCrea, Andrew Trimble, Jonny Shiels, Nevin Spence, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Paul Marshall, Ruan Pienaar
Not available due to injury: David Pollock, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Jamie Smith, Darren Cave, Simon Danielli
My own thoughts on this are that it will be a return to Grunt, Pass, Kick or maybe even Grunt, Pass, Pass, Kick or more likely Grunt, Grunt, Pass, Knock-on, Tackle, Tackle, Turnover, Grunt, Grunt, Pass, Kick as with an unfamiliar back line it really should be a return to basics for Ulster.
To this end I see iHumph to be unceromonously dumped and Niall O’Connor restored to link up with Pienaar adding a bit of predictability to take comfort in.
Up front I expect Robbie will get a week off after his working over by the Biarritz hooker’s knees and I expect Faloon to step up with Wannenburg moving to 8.
Caldwell cried off for the Raven’s last weekend and Tuohy did nothing to dispose Barker so I would expect to start with Muller and Barker though there is a chance Muller may be rested for Munster so Caldwell may be asked to step in.
Court, Best and Botha should all start though I expect all three will be changed out fairly early if things go according to plan.
The FRU XXIII: (15-9) McIlwaine, Trimble, Whitten, Wallace, McCrea, O’Connor, Pienaar. (1-8) Court, Best, Botha, Muller, Barker, Ferris, Faloon, Wannenburg. (16-23) Brady, Young, McAllister, Caldwell, Henry, Marshall, Spence, D’Arcy
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