Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread II

CatFromHue

Looks like there was some substance to the Piutau to Wasps rumour as he's signed a 6 month contract with them

bilston

CatFromHue wrote: »

Looks like there was some substance to the Piutau to Wasps rumour as he's signed a 6 month contract with them

I don't think anyone ever questioned the rumour he would be going to Wasps.

CatFromHue

I did :cool:

torqtorq

Ulster Head Coach, Neil Doak, has made two personnel changes and one positional switch to the team that recorded a bonus point win over Ospreys last weekend for tomorrow afternoon’s game against Scarlets in West Wales (kick off 3pm).

Andrew Trimble was unavailable for selection having suffered a hip flexor strain, therefore Craig Gilroy switches flanks and starts on the right wing, with Rory Scholes coming in on the left.

The other change comes in the pack, with Peter Browne starting his first competitive game for Ulster in the second row in place of Dan Tuohy.

The rest of the starting XV is unchanged with Louis Ludik named at fullback and Luke Marshall paired with Stuart McCloskey in midfield.

Peter Nelson retains the Number 10 jersey and starts in the halfbacks alongside Paul Marshall who wins his 148th cap for the province.

The tight five sees a front row of Andrew Warwick, captain Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst, with Franco van der Merwe partnering Browne in the second row.

Willie Faloon and Roger Wilson star either side of Nick Williams who is selected at Number 8.

Callum Black returns from an arm injury to take up a place on the replacements bench. He is joined by fellow forwards John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack and Clive Ross. Backs, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold and David Busby complete the squad.

Fullback, Busby, who has represented Ireland U20s and Ulster A, will play his first senior game for the province if called upon.

The game is live on Sky Sports and BBC Radio Ulster.

Ulster team & replacements to play Scarlets, Guinness PRO12, Parc Y Scarlets, Saturday 12th September (3pm kick off): (15-9): Louis Ludik, Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Rory Scholes, Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall; (1-8): Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (Captain), Wiehahn Herbst, Peter Browne, Franco Van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Willie Faloon, Nick Williams; Replacements (16-23): John Andrew, Callum Black, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold, David Busby.

awec

Hm, Trimble injured again?

Who is David Busby?

The Lost Sheep

awec wrote: »

Hm, Trimble injured again?

Who is David Busby?

Busby is another promising back mainly a full back. Played Irish 20s in 2014. Playing AIL with Queens...

awec

We have a promising young player who isn't a centre? I don't believe you.

Utah_Saint

awec wrote: »

We have a promising young player who isn't a centre? I don't believe you.

this is an outrage. All Ulster prospects must be able to play centre...

Disappointing that trimble is injured. Almost sealing his fate with Joe....

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Utah_Saint wrote: »

this is an outrage. All Ulster prospects must be able to play centre...

Disappointing that trimble is injured. Almost sealing his fate with Joe....

Unless he's not and it's all a ploy to keep him fresh for when Luke Fitzgerald injures himself standing up too quickly next week..... :eek:

ulster_Beef

For those with Sky, Oyonnax are playing Castres currently. They scored a try within 24 seconds lol. I can assure you, from the match so far, and their mid table position, they wont be a roll over which some would believe.

Sure, being a former Pro2 team, half those teams in the pro2 could compete and many would be better than their pro12 counterparts

bilston

ulster_Beef wrote: »

Sure, being a former Pro2 team, half those teams in the pro2 could compete and many would be better than their pro12 counterparts

Better than who in the Pro 12?

total former

ulster_Beef wrote: »

For those with Sky, Oyonnax are playing Castres currently. They scored a try within 24 seconds lol. I can assure you, from the match so far, and their mid table position, they wont be a roll over which some would believe.

Sure, being a former Pro2 team, half those teams in the pro2 could compete and many would be better than their pro12 counterparts

It's not that people think Oyonnax are bad, just doubt how bothered they'll be about competing in the EPCR. I'd imagine they'll be decent at home, cannon fodder away, two wins for Ulster either way.

ulster_Beef

bilston wrote: »

Better than who in the Pro 12?

Treviso, zebre, dragons. Embra are hardly world beaters either.

bilston

ulster_Beef wrote: »

Treviso, zebre, dragons. Embra are hardly world beaters either.

The Italian teams maybe but I think Edinburgh and the Dragons would be fine. Sure Edinburgh got to the Challenge Cup final last year, I can't see many D2 teams doing that.

vienne86

total former wrote: »

It's not that people think Oyonnax are bad, just doubt how bothered they'll be about competing in the EPCR. I'd imagine they'll be decent at home, cannon fodder away, two wins for Ulster either way.

Also, Oyonnax lost their coach and some of their players to....Castres for this season. I would have my doubts about them staying in the Top 14 after this season.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Stuart McCloskey is going to be wearing a mic for the match today. I've seen a few clips of it done in Australia and it ads a little bit extra to the coverage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t0qWtha8gk

vienne86

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Stuart McCloskey is going to be wearing a mic for the match today. I've seen a few clips of it done in Australia and it ads a little bit extra to the coverage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t0qWtha8gk

Haven't heard from him yet - nearly 20 minutes gone.

6-0 to Scarlets.

Nelson doing well enough with ball in hand at 10 , but Ulster back row are struggling v Scarlets.

McCloskey with a few 'yeps' so far

9-0 after 25 mins

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I'm not sure they'll let us hear McCloskey's mic live, in case of swearing. Or maybe he's not a very vocal player and they've picked the wrong guy to mic up.

irishbucsfan

They just showed McCloskey's first half vocalisations so far. It consisted entirely of grunts and about 4 words.

I don't know what's more frustrating, Ulster's poor discipline or Paul Marshall's poor everything

McCloskey winning plaudits on Sky in any case. Broken the line a few times, but he's on his own a bit.

bilston

Really poor kicking from Ulster so far. The Scarlets 15 looks a player.

McCloskey proving hard to handle at the moment for the Scarlets.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

McCloskey is a beast. He should be parachuted into the Ireland team

bilston

Luke Marshall having a really poor game at the moment.

Oh Faloon

bilston

Shocking by Faloon

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

bilston wrote: »

Luke Marshall having a really poor game at the moment.

McCloskey was having a chat to him a few minutes ago. Wonder if we'll get to hear what he said.

Utah_Saint

How poorly supported are welsh teams!?

On a side note ulster are playing pish. Doak has the reverse midas touch

Couldn't see anything wrong with that attempt!

Jeez that is a sloppy sloppy way to hand over possession. Ulster back row just not ticking.

bilston

Come on!

That's terrible execution.

irishbucsfan

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Couldn't see anything wrong with that attempt!

Another thing referees are being told to clamp down on, no-arm tackles below the waist. Certainly didn't use his arms.

God Ulster are frustrating

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

50/50 call that. It looked more like he pulled out of the tackle and was trying to balance himself.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Another thing referees are being told to clamp down on, no-arm tackles below the waist. Certainly didn't use his arms.

God Ulster are frustrating

What is it to prevent? It's earned Ulster a 10min period with a man advantage, though McCloskey missed the kick from directly in front

Hagz

Did they put the mic in the back of McCloskey's head?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Utah_Saint wrote: »

How poorly supported are welsh teams!?

Andrew Trimble was saying during the week about trying to recreate the intensity away from home and how that's particularly difficult at Parc Y Scarlet because it's a "bit empty and echoey." I thought he was speaking in architectural terms or something but clearly he was being literal. It's empty.

irishbucsfan

[Deleted User] wrote: »

What is it to prevent? It's earned Ulster a 10min period with a man advantage, though McCloskey missed the kick from directly in front

It's to cut down on chop tackles which a pretty dangerous, IE Al Wyn Jones's recent injury. If you don't use your arms your tackling range is almost twice what it is if you need to use them and wrap, so people launch themselves without using their arms (Dan Lydiate style). It's always been illegal just never enforced properly. Interestingly in the NFL they've done the same thing and also with blocking, so it's quite a global thing.

irishbucsfan

Hagz wrote: »

Did they put the mic in the back of McCloskey's head?

Maybe every second word he says is a swear word?

In the NFL where they do this the really good content doesn't emerge until after the game when the editors get a shot at the tape.

Utah_Saint

Scarlets are bound to tire quickly into second half. They are doing all the defending

irishbucsfan

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Scarlets are bound to tire quickly into second half. They are doing all the defending

The Ulster assistant coach was interviewed towards the end of the first half and said the exact opposite!

Utah_Saint

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The Ulster assistant coach was interviewed towards the end of the first half and said the exact opposite!

Sky said scarlets made almost double ulster's amount of tackles...

McCloskey didn't say much on mic. Just little girly yelps everytime he made contact...lol

OldRio

Frustrating is one of many words I could use. Awful kicking. Pure muck.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Maybe every second word he says is a swear word?

In the NFL where they do this the really good content doesn't emerge until after the game when the editors get a shot at the tape.

All the Australian ones I've seen have been cut together after the match. They obviously can't stream it live in case they're swearing and even at half time they're not going to have had enough time to get a good bit of video together.

You'd think they'd have tried it out on a SH or FH though, you're guaranteed vocal play there.

Hagz

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Maybe every second word he says is a swear word?

In the NFL where they do this the really good content doesn't emerge until after the game when the editors get a shot at the tape.

I was more referring to the big bald patch on the back of his head.

irishbucsfan

How many stupidly needless penalties can Ulster concede? BAH!

bilston

We are terrible today.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Conceding a try while a man up is pretty poor stuff.

irishbucsfan

Nick Williams was nowhere in defense there but the real sin was those 3 consecutive unforced errors that took Scarlets from the edge of their 22 to the Ulster try line. Great execution from Scarlets though.

bilston

Better from Ulster.

If Scholes has managed to score that's amazing.

Woeful Ulster scrum then a Marshall hospital pass gave him no right to get there.