Tim Barker, just the man for a physical encounter!
Brian McLaughlin has made just one change to the starting XV as Ulster face Leinster at the RDS tomorrow hoping to book their place in the Magners League Grand Final (KO 7.05pm).
Tim Barker comes in to replace Dan Tuohy who injured a hamstring against the Dragons last week and was ruled out after an MRI scan. Neil McComb is the only change on the bench as he takes the place vacated by Barker. McLaughlin will also be without Willie Faloon who injured his shoulder in training two weeks ago and will undergo surgery this Thursday to repair a torn rotator cuff.
McLaughlin will be expecting his team to start this game with more intensity as they never fully recovered from conceding three tries in the opening 13 minutes last month.
Ulster: (15-9): Adam D’Arcy; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Nevin Spence, Simon Danielli; Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar. (1-8): Tom Court, Rory Best (capt), Declan Fitzpatrick, Johann Muller, Tim Barker, Pedrie Wannenburg, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack. (16-23): Andi Kyriacou, Paddy McAllister, Jerry Cronin, Neil McComb, TJ Anderson, Paul Marshall, Ian Whitten, Conor Gaston.
Leinster (XV): I Nacewa; F McFadden, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen, N Hines, S O’Brien, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements: J Harris-Wright, H van der Merwe, S Wright, D Toner, K McLaughlin, E Reddan, I Madigan, D Kearney.
My only concern with the starting XV is whether Fitzpatrick will be up for it as he hasn’t looked himself since his return but I suppose it sensible to start him and if he breaks down then Court can switch sides and Paddy Mac can pop on to rattle a few cages.
Barker for Tuohy doesn’t weaken the starting XV in my opinion, what we lose in pace we gain in bruising encounters and Barker wont be found wanting when the sparks start to fly but it does leave us with a fairly light looking bench, but then again this high profile match should be regarded as a great opportunity for any of the pine surfers that do get on the pitch.
With Leinster wheeling out their full strength team Ulster have nothing to lose and if they really, really want to win this one they have to hit hard, hit early, and hit often and keep doing it in the hope that the Leinster players opt to save something for next weekends Heiney Final.
Even if Leinster do pull in the reigns slightly Ulster are still going to need to perform at their peak if they are going to get anything out of this game. If Ulster do decide to go for it, and we’ll know within the first ten minutes, then this could be a real classic, with potentially fantastic head to heads allover the place Pienaar v Boss, Humphreys v Sexton, Spence & Cave v D’Arcy & O’Driscoll, Court v Ross, Muller v Cullen.
The list goes on, but the most intreaguing battle for me, and one that will show us [Ulster] how we are looking for next season, is Wannenburg, Henry and Diack v O’Brien, Jennings and Heaslip which could be colossal!
I’m getting quite excited about this one now. Ulster by 5.
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2 Responses to “Magners League: Team for Leinster.”
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My take on the leinster starting XV would be that they hope to have the game won by half time
using the backrow to punch holes going forward involve the Ulster backrow before releasing the backs using BoD and Nacewa to provide the wings with space to run in the trys ,
That said the game will be decided by which backrow prevails and unfortunately it is in both the second row and bachrow where Ulsters bench is looking second best
Leinster”s bigger squad and lack of injuries means Ulster must have long odds on winning— not impossible but —–
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My goodness Mote I think we agree on that – if that’s not an omen for an Ulster win I don’t know what is!
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