- Seymour gets a chance with the seniors.
The Ulster team to play Munster tomorrow in the New Year’s Day Interprovincial clash at Thomond Park, has been named.
Rory Best returns from the fractured cheekbone injury he sustained during the Autumn International series to captain a much changed side. Following last Monday’s defeat to Leinster and ahead of a busy January, Coach Brian McLaughlin has taken the opportunity to rotate his players.
The match will be shown live on BBC2 NI and ko is at 7.30pm
ULSTER (15-9) Jamie Smith; Tommy Seymour, Ian Whitten, Luke Marshall, Simon Danielli; Paddy Wallace, Paul Marshall (1-8) Bryan Young, Rory Best (Captain), Declan Fitzpatrick, Tim Barker, Ryan Caldwell, TJ Anderson, Willie Faloon, Robbie Diack
Replacements (16-23) Andi Kryiacou, Tom Court, BJ Botha, Neil McComb, Chris Henry, Ian Porter, Paddy Jackson, David McIlwaine
It’s always a dangerous game to try and pick and chose your victories and defeats and, unless there is some sort of reciprocal agreement with Munster to field a similarly inexperienced team, Ulster have made a dramatic miss-calculation, one that could quite easily come back and bite them on the bum in the next few weeks. If, on the other hand, it’s a team which has been chosen, in part, by the management at the IRFU then they have made an even bigger cock-up than the one they made over ticket prices for the November Internationals.
Either way it’s a bit of kick of the teeth for the paying supporter who will be travelling to Limerick to see a team minus Muller, Wannenburg, and Pienaar the three marquee signings who, we were assured, were supposed to be available for exactly matches like this. It is beyond all reason if the case is that the IRFU think they can ignore the Magners League and the Heineken Cup build up and call this trials match to have a look at all the players that they failed to develop through the international programme.
Mr McLaughlin et al better hope for an unexpected Ulster win and that Ulster qualify for the Heineken Cup knock out stages or it’s going to be a stormy start to the New Year! Humh!
6 Responses to “Team For Munster. What the …”
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Don’t quite follow the logic (assuming there is any). Either this is an opportunity to prepare the team ahead of the seasons most important fixture (so far) against Biarritz and we play the likely starting 15 for that match or we taking a concious decision to rest over-exposed players. This appears to fall between two stools, Botha & Court are still on the bench so in all probability won’t get a rest, Danielli seems to have escaped the cut yet Gilroy doesn’t even make the squad and inexplicably McIIwaine can’t seem to buy a starting berth even in this much changed line-up. I can just about see the point of playing Wallace at 10 and understand why Rory needs game time, although in my opinion so does Andi Kyriacou. (would be nice if UR spelt his name correctly, perhaps you could edit this version Mr Admin).
Totally agree with your comment about the travelling supporters feeling short changed with this selection and I applaud them for making the trip regardless…rant over and am now standing fully behind the team, come on Ulster. SUFTU.
It looks like a rest week XV and flattop I would rate each and every one of the backs chosen far ahead of McIlwaine in any position except (full back ) McIlwaine to me has looked like a player playing a league above his confidence level at the monent.
My feeling would be that the forwards have something to play for and the backs have something to prove
I have promised to let my cub stay up to watch this but am genuinely concerned that if we get a complete stuffing it will put him off Ulster rugby for good. Kids especially want to support winning teams. I am resigned to losing him for good to English Premiership football and Man Utd. Potentially a sad, sad day.
Well we had a complete stuffing and my son and I are now vying for the best place to throw ourselves off the roof. Ulster started brightly enough and their defence was everything an Ulster defence should be: full of passion, pride and tenacity. Does our South African “team-within-a-team” understand this? Or are they only in it for the money? Answers on a postcard.
In essence we were competitive for 60 minutes and then the wheels came off thanks to indiscipline, our usual schoolboy errors and Munster switching from second gear into third.
Well done to the fringe players and to Andi Kyriacou who must be thrilled with 30 seconds of Magners League rugby. Will the last brain cell leaving Brian McLaughlin’s head please turn off the lights.
Champagne commentary moment from Gusher: 34 seconds to go; Ulster get a penalty inside the Munster half; Ryan Caldwell takes a quick tap – cue Gusher: “Ulster need to be patient and not snatch at this”. FFS!!!
Dear JK
The only sad thing is your choice of Premiership football club. Your cub should be advised to support the blue half of Manchester if he wants to support a wining team in the future.
The blue moon is rising!
Jaisus, not another one! I thought the Boys on Tour were bad enough. In which bat cave have you all been hiding?