Cornerstone Botha returns to secure Ulster's scrum! BY: Getty Images
Brian McLaughlin has named an experienced team to face the Scarlets in tomorrow night’s vital Magners League game at Ravenhill.
BJ Botha and Ian Humphreys are drafted straight into the starting line up after spells out injured. Botha (elbow) has not featured since the Heineken Cup match against Biarritz in January, while Humphreys (hamstring) has not played since the end of February.
Andrew Trimble also returns to the starting team after missing the last two games through injury but Stephen Ferris continues to be ruled out with a knee problem.
Rory Best takes over the captaincy from Johann Muller on his return to the starting XV. He played 15 minutes against Glasgow last week after returning from 6 Nations duty and will start alongside Botha and Tom Court in an all-international front row. In the back row Willie Fallon gains a start at openside flank in place of Chris Henry who drops to the bench.
The backline has also been re-shuffled as Ruan Pienaar moves back to scrum half to allow Humphreys to take the No10 jersey. Adam D’Arcy comes in at fullback as Simon Danielli moves to the wing and Craig Gilroy starts on the bench. The other wing berth is occupied by Trimble who has replaced 20 year old Conor Gaston.
Ulster are on a run of five straight wins, with three of those coming courtesy of last-gasp kicks. The last time Ulster won six in a row they went on to win the league in 2005/06.
They currently occupy third position in the table and will face a stern test against their fellow play-off contenders. A win tonight is not only important for their Magners League challenge but they will be hoping for victory and an improved performance ahead of next week’s Heineken Cup quarter final against Northampton.
Ulster Team v Scarlets (Magners League, Ravenhill, Friday 1st April, kick-off 7.05pm)
(15-9): Adam D’Arcy; Andrew Trimble, Nevin Spence, Paddy Wallace, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar; (1-8): Tom Court, Rory Best, BJ Botha, Johann Muller (capt), Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg; (16-23): Andi Kyriacou, Paddy McAllister, Declan Fitzpatrick, Tim Barker, Chris Henry, Paul Marshall, Ian Whitten, Craig Gilroy.
So there we go pretty much as we predicted a few days ago the only exceptions being Botha actually starting with Fitz on the bench and Diack and Wannenburg the wrong way round! Whitten comes into the reserves in the place of Cave who still has injury niggles I belive.
With Ferris out this looks pretty much like our starting team for next week unless someone has an absolute mare! It looks the part, let’s hope they can play the part and stick a morale boosting five pointer past a fiesty enough Scarlets side.
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