Sep 012011
Ulster coach Benjy van der Byl has announced a strong side to take on Leinster Women at Ravenhill this Saturday 3rd September. KO 3:00pm.
It really is an exciting season for the Ulster Women’s game who have trained hard over the summer and are going into this season’s inter provincial series a lot fitter, stronger and more confident than ever before with fantastic strength in depth throughout the squad.
I’d had a go at picking the starting XV, in anticipation of the team announcement, but I have to say that there is so much competition for places this season I gave up and decided to wait for the official team list.
As some of you readers will be going along on Saturday to support the girls at an Inter Pro for the first time, in what should really be an exciting game of rugby, I’ll run you through the Ulster squad in the Front Row Union’s inimitable way!
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No. |
Name |
Club |
Profile |
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1 |
Lizzie Ballentine (c) | Cooke | Ballentine captain’s Ulster Women for the second year stirring the girls into action with her erudite speeches and hard as nails play! An old fashioned forwards forward – leads from the front! |
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2 |
Emma Lowe | Cooke | Lowe returns to the Ulster fold after a period oversees at college. It’s a huge ask to step into the boots of Irish hooker Stacey Lea Kennedy but Lowe will be determined to make a big impact on her return! Look forward to getting her match report! |
|
3 |
Lauren Day | Cooke | Day may be the international playgirl off the pitch, only seen at the hottest nightspots, but she certainly brings her big match game face when it counts. Now back in Belfast, Day will be looking forward to a big season to consolidate her place in the Irish squad. |
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4 |
Glenda Mellon | City of Derry | Mellon returns to Ulster action as the vital cog in the lineouts. The Derry player, however, offers so much more around the pitch and is beginning to put a much harder edge on her game. |
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5 |
Brigid Reynolds | Cavan | Reynolds is the super smiley yank who is just getting better and better as her experience grows. A deep thinker on the game and turning onto a real leader for Cavan and Ulster. |
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6 |
Gemma McCutcheon | Enniskillen | McCutcheon is making her debut and the youngest in the starting team I believe. The Enniskillen youngster is a powerful runner and tackler and will look to grab this opportunity with both hands in a fiercely competitive back row, |
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7 |
Hilary Quinn | Cavan | Quinn is simply a fantastic no nonsense, hard as nails openside who should be pushing for Ireland inclusion this season. Needs to put in big displays in this inter-pro series, but she’s well capable. |
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8 |
Nikita Armstrong | Cooke | Armstrong holds it all together in a well balanced back row. The go to girl that makes the hard yards and one of those players who actually does give 110%. |
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9 |
Imogen Porter | Cooke | Porter is a typically feisty scrum half who was desperately unlucky to lose out on Ireland selection last season. That she lost out to Ulster new girl Larissa Muldoon will only motivate these two fantastically competitive girls further. Still needs to smile more!  |
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10 |
Grace Davitt | Cooke | Davitt has been there, done it all and is now passing on her experience to a great bunch of youngsters coming through and gunning for her place. She’s still got plenty to teach them! |
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11 |
Ashleigh Baxter | Belfast Harlequins | Baxter is a super fast, super exciting youngster making her Ulster debut in this game. Hard, fast runner and great tackler. Think Craig Gilroy, but Baxter’s probably a better tackler! |
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12 |
Claire McLaughlin | Cooke | McLaughlin’s picture at the Women’s Awards night got most hits on this site but this girl can play rugby too! She has moved it all up a gear this season thanks to the competition for places and is looking just as classy on the pitch. |
|
13 |
Laura Nicholl | Cooke | Nicholl is a gem of a player and was the first name on my team sheet. Held Ulster together last season with her outstanding defence and will look to bedazzle her opponents in attack this season as she releases the back three. |
|
14 |
Zoe Templeton | Belfast Harlequins | Templeton should be a lot more comfortable on the wing this season. The little scrapper really lifted her game toward the tail and of last season and with pace to burn she should combine nicely with Baxter to form a real attacking threat. |
|
15 |
Eliza Downey | Cooke | Downey makes a welcome return to the team after missing most of last season through injury. She will be looking to find the form that saw her rocket to fame in the 2009 Women’s World Cup and she could easily be Ulster’s most influential player if she does. |
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16 |
Laura Feely | Sligo | Ulster have done well in snapping up the Sligo player this season with Feely settling in well with the squad during the pre-season. A developing prop but can also slot in to second row Laura will get better and better as her experience grows. |
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17 |
Poppy Cleall | Exile / Bristol | Another great steal for Ulster in getting England U20′s starlet Poppy Cleall to come on board this season. A big powerful second row with the pace for 7′s rugby this Bristol based player will certainly make an impact when she gets on the pitch. |
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18 |
Caroline Kelly | Cooke | Utility player Kelly is as at home in the back line as she is in the back row and the ex GAA player has worked hard to get into contention in a fiercely competitive pack. Great attitude and skills in abundance but just needs to get the experience under her belt. |
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19 |
Shirelle Wilson | Cooke | It was a difficult introduction for Wilson last season but she’s come through the experience stronger than ever and will be pushing for a start throughout the series. |
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20 |
Larissa Muldoon | Exile / UWIC | That the classy Muldoon is benched for this game speaks volumes of the strength in depth in this squad. A fantastically confident player, and this girl has every reason to be so. |
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21 |
Rachael Fleming | City of Derry | Another player returning from serious injury, the silky smooth Fleming will be looking to push Davitt all the way for that No. 10 shirt. |
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22 |
Nikki Caughey | Belfast Harlequins | Perhaps the most exciting long term prospect of them all. The fantastically gifted Caughey has the skills and determination to go all the way in the game. |
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