The FRU expects to see Trimble run in a few more on Sunday. Picture by rugbypicture.co.uk.
Ulster Coach Brian McLaughlin has named his starting XV and replacements to face Biarritz in the Round 2 Heineken Cup pool game this Sunday at the Parc des Sports Aguilera (ko 4pm local time).
The starting XV shows four changes of personnel and one positional switch from that which defeated Aironi 30-6 in the opening round last weekend at Ravenhill.
Injuries to Jamie Smith (shoulder girdle/rib) and Darren Cave (hamstring) rule them out of contention and they are replaced by David McIlwaine at full-back and Ian Whitten at centre.
Up front BJ Botha’s return to fitness means that he takes up the tighthead berth with Tom Court switching to the loose, while in the back row, Stephen Ferris’ return to fitness see him named at openside flanker with Chris Henry dropping to the bench.
Elsewhere amongst the replacements, Andi Kyriacou provides cover at hooker in place of Nigel Brady, Bryan Young drops from the starting XV last week to cover prop in place of rookie Alan Whitten, Willie Faloon makes way for Chris Henry while Nevin Spence and Irish-qualified Aussie Adam D’Arcy provide the back-line cover following McIlwaine and Whiiten’s promotion to the starting XV.
Sunday’s match will be shown live on Sky Sports via the Red Button.
ULSTER: (15-9) David McIlwaine; Andrew Trimble, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar (1-8) Tom Court, Rory Best, BJ Botha, Johann Muller, Tim Barker, Pedrie Wannenburg, Stephen Ferris, Robbie Diack
Replacements (16-23) Andi Kyriacou, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Nevin Spence, Adam D’Arcy
So there you go folks the team for one of Ulster’s biggest games until the next one!
Good to see David McIlwaine starting at full back to cap a meteoric rise for the Larne youngster this year. If he can prove half as successful as previous Larne Legends, Trevor Ringland and Jonny Bell, the Ballysnod youngster will certainly have a successful career. We caught up with David earlier this week and he was certainly determined to give his best, telling RugbyRambler:
“Training has been great this week and we’ve been totally focused to the match on Sunday. I’ve worked hard, so it’s brilliant to be starting. I now need to make sure I go out there and take the chance and play the best I can.”
Surprised, but pleased, to see Humphreys starting and it does give a strong statement of intent that Ulster are going to attack the French. After watching last weeks match between Bath and Biarritz this would be the best option as the home side are past masters at grinding out a narrow win in a slug fest but are not the best a coping with an attacking side. (At least I hope so!)
Ferris has been positioned at open side in a tactical move to strengthen the 9 – 10 axis in defence and if it works it could see a dramatic change to Ulster’s half back selection for the remainder of the season. A bit of an unknown this but given the big man’s enthusiasm in this article any deficiency won’t be for want of trying. This move also allows big Pedrie to start at 6 and leaves the sublimely gifted Diack at 8, putting both in their best positions – good call in my opinion.
The rest of the team is pretty much as expected with a particularly strong bench with Kyraicou, Tuohy, Spence and D’Arcy all capable of shaking things up if required and Young, McAllister, Henry and Marshall more than capable of doing a solid job.
It’s a great pity I had to cry off this trip last night due to other commitments as I feel this is going to be a special one. I strongly predict an Ulster win and a comfortable one at that.
No doubt the returning FRUsters will be telling me it was, “The best trip ever!”
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