Paddy McAllister makes a return to the starting XV. Picture by rugbypicture.co.uk
Ruan Pienaar and Paddy McAllister have both been included in the starting team for Ulster’s Heineken Cup Pool 4 match versus Aironi at Ravenhill on Friday (kick off 7.30pm).
Brian McLaughlin has recalled Pienaar at scrumhalf in place of Paul Marshall, who drops to the replacements bench. He is partnered at halfback with Ian Humphreys, and the backline remains otherwise unchanged. Paddy McAllister is given an opportunity to start at loosehead prop, with Ireland international Tom Court making way.
Stefan Terblanche, who arrived in Belfast on Sunday, has gone straight into the matchday squad and will win his first cap for the Province if he takes the field. The former South Africa international has the ability to cover fullback, wing and centre. Elsewhere on the bench, Andi Kyriacou will provide cover at hooker instead of Nigel Brady.
Commenting on his scrumhalf selection, McLaughlin said: “Paul is a terrific player and has proved himself over the past few weeks. But Ruan was the Magner’s League Player of the Year last season so he deserves a chance. His match time has been limited so it will be good for him to get some time on the pitch. We now have two quality scrumhalves.”
He continued, “It was important for Paddy McAllister’s development to start in a match at this level. And it means we have the option to bring a quality player like Tom on if we need to. We also have Stefan in the squad. He’s a true professional and will add a great deal to the team in terms of his experience. He’s an international player and has played for the Ospreys in Europe so he will be comfortable if he comes on.”
Ulster: (15-9): Adam D’Arcy, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Nevin Spence, Craig Gilroy, Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar. (1-8): Paddy McAllister, Rory Best, John Afoa, Johann Muller (capt), Dan Tuohy, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Pedrie Wannenburg. (16-23): Andi Kyriacou, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, Louis Stevenson, Robbie Diack, Paul Marshall, Patrick Jackson, Stefan Terblanche.
Aironi: (15-9): Toniolatti, Sinoti, Quartaroli, Pizarro, Pratichetti, Tebaldi, Keats. (1-8): Sole, Favaro, Cattina, Bortolami (cap), Del Fava, Romano, Ongaro, Perugini. (16-23): D’Apice, A.De Marchi, Redolfini, Biagi, Ferrarini, Bronzini, Olivier, Pavan.
Over on Paddy Power they are expecting Ulster to win by 22 points and to me a score line featuring four tries and a couple of penalties to one try and a couple of penalties would be my expectation for this one.
Seems reasonable, but, by continuing to choose the same back row of three ball carriers Ulster may be restricting their future ambitions as well as play int othe hands of their opponents.
Having the superb Ferris punch holes in defence is all well and good but neither of our three backrowers are what you would describe as subtle and continuing to play this style really limits our options against the equally physical sides and we’ve no tried and tested Plan B should the big man’s knees go again! This fairly predictable style is playing into the hands of their opponents, who look more balanced with Romano, Ongaro and Perugini and the Italian trio may slow the ball down often enough to keep things interesting throughout the first half and enable the visitors to chip away with a few more penalties than we’d like.
Ulster have a huge advantage in the back line and if they show as much enterprise as they did last week they should pull away comfortably and the four tries should be accomplished. What has been missing over the last few weeks has been composure but with the relaxed Pienaar back on the scene things should be less frantic and hopefully this will rub off onto those outside him! Three or four less forced or snatched passes would have been three or four more tries over the last few weeks so it could make a massive difference.
Don’t think we’ll get everything right but I suspect it will be a fairly confident Ulster playing a fairly basic game in the hope that a big win will take them a further step on the road to redemption! They are going to have to sort that back row out though if they want to get beyond that!
Ulster by 18 with try bonus.
More like this:
3 Responses to “Heineken Cup: Teams for Ulster v Aironi.”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Have to wonder if TC moving to the bench is more to do with an injury rather than giving PMac a much needed start but fair play to teacher for making that call.
If I were Paul M I would be mightly drunk off having to make way for Ruan, appreciate he is the big money signing but Paul has not let us down in recent weeks and we don’t seem to be applying the same logic to Stefan who finally arrives only to freeze on the bench.
I don’t share your worry about the back row for this fixture, I think busting holes is exactly what is required and I would prefer we secured the win and BP before trying other combinations that may or may not be needed in the future (when 1Fs knees go again), one game at a time remember. What I don’t follow is the logic of having Diack on the bench in place of Willie as I think RD is too similar to what he will replace whilst WF adds another option.
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
3 
0
Yep – suspected injuries to TC and Humph would be my reading of it.
I’ve no particular real worries about the back row in this game but we seem to be developing our forward game plan round a dodgy knee, a 31 year old mercenary and a shoehorned seven which does leave me a bit concerned. It is particularly worrying that we have few coming through our system that could easily slot into this back row of bruisers.
We do have quite a few ball playing back rows at our disposal and it may be better for Ulster’s long term progress to attempt to play round the more physical teams rather than through them.
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
1 
0
For the gamblers out there ……………. 22 point head start for Aironi is very tempting. Ulster have failed to beat the handicap consistently this season.
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
1 
0