Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

Paul Smeenus · 15-09-2022 3:43pm

An exciting Ulster ‘A’ side has been named to take on Leinster this Friday at St Marys RFC (KO 5pm).

Following the postponement of last weekend’s fixture versus Munster, the Ulster ‘A’ team are ready to take on their Interprovincial rivals, Leinster, in Dublin tomorrow (Friday 16 September).

The line-up named includes the pairing of fly-half, Jake Flannery, and scrum-half, Michael McDonald, who pulled on the Ulster jersey for the first time in the province’s pre-season friendly win over the Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium.

Harry Sheridan, who is currently in the midst of his second year in the Ulster Rugby Academy, will take charge of the side.

He’s joined by fellow Ulster Academy new recruits: Joe Hopes, Lorcan McLaughlin, James McNabney and Rory Telfer.

The result of the fixture, including a match report, will be shared on Ulster Rugby channels.

Ulster ‘A’ team to play Leinster ‘A’, Friday 16 September at St Marys RFC, 5pm kick-off:

(15-9):

Shea O’Brien

Rory Telfer

James Girvan

Ross Taylor

Rob Lyttle

Jake Flannery

Michael McDonald

(1-8)

George Saunderson

James McCormick

Cameron Doak

Joe Hopes

Charlie Irvine

Harry Sheridan (Captain)

Lorcan McLaughlin

James McNabney

Replacements from:

Zac Solomon

Jack Boal

Joe Mawhinney

Paddy Browne

Jamie Macartney

Conor McKee

Zach Quirke

Henry Boyle

Sam Cunningham

Ethan Graham

Adam Montgomery

Good to see Sheridan captaining. Presumably this means that it's Cooney/Doak on Saturday.

bilston · 15-09-2022 7:52pm

No Flannery against Connacht. I would have liked to have seen him on the bench.

There are quite a few lads that I've never heard of before there.

Dubinusa · 15-09-2022 8:34pm

What happened to McNamee? Looked a fine prospect!

Paul Smeenus · 16-09-2022 12:11pm

Ulster team to play Connacht, BKT United Rugby Championship Round 1, Saturday 17 September at Kingspan Stadium (KO 7 35pm), live on BBC 2 NI from 7 15pm, TG4, Premier Sports & URC.tv:

(15-9): Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Sam Carter, Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, David McCann.

Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Reid, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Cormac Izuchukwu, Jordi Murphy, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, and Aaron Sexton.

The following players were not considered for selection due to being in the Graduated Return to Play process, on the IRFU Player Management Process, or on international duty:

Andrew Warwick; Rob Herring (IRFU PMP); Tom O’Toole (IRFU PMP), Iain Henderson; Nick Timoney (IRFU PMP); Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby); John Cooney; James Hume; Ben Moxham; Jude Postlethwaite; Will Addison; Ethan McIlroy; and Mike Lowry (IRFU PMP).

Pretty much as good a team as we can field, then. No Madigan, though - Curtis back-up ten? Treadwell not mentioned as being on IRFU PMP, but probably just an oversight. Refell not featuring. Stewart Moore at FB again. Cracking back-line.

Paul Smeenus · 16-09-2022 12:12pm

Here. When was the last time we played an intepro (or indeed any tough game) with an all Ulster-born back row?

awec · 16-09-2022 12:33pm

That unavailable list must include injured players too even though it doesn't say it.

Locke_Lamora · 16-09-2022 1:46pm

While I'm looking forward to seeing McCann, our backrow is incredibly timid without vermuelen and timoney - connacht look a lot stronger there.

Backline, on paper, looks dangerous. As long as Stockdale and Marshall are good to go.

I don't think that bench will be changing the game even if I am looking forward to seeing a couple of them.

Glad that Ulster are back playing, I'm ready to have my heart broken again.

awec · 16-09-2022 2:14pm

With the stocks we have in the backrow you'd have to say this is a big season for Sexton.

Locke_Lamora · 16-09-2022 6:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119626462#Comment_119626462

He was injured for a period last year, but it says a lot that Moxham got so much game time. I was surprised that Lyttle has been relegated to the 'A' game.

Locke_Lamora · 17-09-2022 9:56pm

Bit of a meh game even if we were comfortable winners.

Some minor positives - Stockdale with a solid run out, Stewart looks the goods, Izzy looked strong and direct, Moore looked calm at fullback even if he didn't have a standout game.

Forwards looked a bit slow and there was a lot of one out running, however they more than held there own when I expected them to struggle so they deserve credit for that.

Not too much to learn, just thankful there was no traditional second half collapse and that we took all our points in an interpro.

bilston · 18-09-2022 10:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632259#Comment_119632259

Luke Marshall had a very good game, him and Tom Stewart were the two biggest positives for me. Although Jacob being back and looking sharp enough was good to see. And obviously 5 points, so all things considered a decent start, but nothing more.

Paul Smeenus · 18-09-2022 1:06pm

Happy enough with that. Took us a while to click, but given we'd only one pre-season, it's understandable.

A few early indications of positives for the season. Stewart looks very comfortable, Marshall looks as deadly as ever. Thought Stewart Moore looked very good as our what, fourth choice FB? He's a classy player.

Stockdale looked keen to be involved, and it was him gathering the troops and giving the team talk when we were under our posts after Connacht scored. Shanahan was grand - some of his box kicks (typically his failing) were actually pretty good. Thought Burns was very good as well, actually, pulled the strings very nicely, one beautiful 50-22, although the haircut is criminal.

Defence looked more aggressive - Johnny Bell was one of our best coaches when he was here - hopefully he's continued to improve.

Overall, decent start to the season.

Former Former Former · 18-09-2022 1:35pm

Yeah Moore was the standout back for me, really impressed.

Great to see Stockdale looking properly fit. Not much broke his way but that will come. Hopefully he stays fit for the November tests.

Big asterisk given how poor Connacht were but what can you do, tidy enough performance.

19-09-2022 9:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633147#Comment_119633147

Yeah I thought Luke Marshall was impressive; he's such a good footballer and balanced runner when he's healthy.

awec · 19-09-2022 10:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119626462#Comment_119626462

In the end it was disappointing he only got a token cameo at the very end.

ljsulster · 19-09-2022 10:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119636613#Comment_119636613

We’ll see him more over the next few weeks with Moore, mcilroy and Bobby B away

Must love hardship · 19-09-2022 11:29am

Great to see Doak have the ability to move to 10 for the last 10 minutes of the game.

He's my uncapped bolter for world cup squad in 12 months time.

Looking forward to watching his progress this year

19-09-2022 11:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119636868#Comment_119636868

Still not even 21 as well! I've really high hopes for him; could be the long term Irish 9 in time.

Dubinusa · 19-09-2022 2:21pm

Doak will be a fantastic player, imo. Hopefully he kicks on this year. A definite chance of being a bolter.

Paul Smeenus · 23-09-2022 2:42pm

Ulster team to play Scarlets, BKT United Rugby Championship Round 2, Saturday 24 September at Parc y Scarlets (KO 1pm), live on Premier Sports and URC.tv.

(15-9): Michael Lowry, Aaron Sexton, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8): Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor (Captain), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Declan Moore, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Sam Carter, Sean Reffell, Dave Shanahan, Angus Curtis, Craig Gilroy.

Scarlets:

15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Corey Baldwin,13 Jonathan Davies (capt), 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ryan Conbeer; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Steff Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Javan Sebastian, 4 Vaea Fifita, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Blade Thomson, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Sione Kalamafoni.

Reps: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Tom Price, 20 Luca Giannini, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Rhys Patchell.

I'd be hopeful of the win. Not massively confident, but hopeful.

stephen_n · 23-09-2022 5:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119655591#Comment_119655591

That should be a strong enough team to beat Scarlets. Be interesting to see how Sexton goes.

Digifriendly · 24-09-2022 7:34am

We have a poor record away to Scarlets so on paper we may look stronger but I expect a tough game.

bilston · 24-09-2022 11:16am

Saturday lunchtime...empty stadium...early season...yeah I share the caution displayed above.

That said we have a strong front row on show today which is always important and our backs look pacy put wide with a bit of creativity in the middle.

Great to see Herring, Treaders and Timoney back as well. They should be bouncing after the summer, especially Treadwell.

Locke_Lamora · 24-09-2022 1:12pm

Excellent start, lots of accurate hard running

Locke_Lamora · 24-09-2022 1:28pm

Spoke too soon

Clegg · 24-09-2022 1:33pm

Didn't see Scarlets making this resurgence. As soon as they managed a few quick phases they started getting outside the Ulster defence.

Clegg · 24-09-2022 1:44pm

It's a bad landing, but the Scarlets player is also in a realistic position to catch it.

Yellow for me.

Clegg · 24-09-2022 1:57pm

First scrum of the game comes in the 40th minute of the first half. Game has been played at a furious pace and with relatively few errors.

supernova5 · 24-09-2022 3:02pm

was it as exciting as the score line suggests?

Paul Smeenus · 24-09-2022 3:21pm

First win away to Scarlets in ten full years, apparently.

Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

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