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

Yeah - Hume, Henderson, Addison all kaput, although I think Hendo and Addison at least should be back soon - next month maybe.

Game was difficult to watch, but we were playing a better team in wet weather with a scrum going backwards so it was never going to be pretty. Our maul was a weapon in the second half for a while which gave me hope, but I'm not sure if that was due to any impact from our bench or Leinster taking Porter and Jenkins off.

Sexton's confidence is probably shot after finally getting a string of games and he drops the ball over the line which meant we ended up chasing a draw instead of a win. He's still young enough I suppose but you can see why McFarland thought he wasn't ready, especially when you compare him to Ethan McIlory who's the same age.

Very early days but McDonald has surprised me. He's 23 and got two games for the waratahs so my expectations are low. Throws the occasional pass to nobody in particular whenever he's trying to cut loose or force the game a bit. If he can improve on shanahan then he'll be a great signing imo.

He certainly could be, progress isn't linear. It looks like he'll be fighting moxham for game time and whichever younger player may be coming through over the next couple years. Mcilroy and Lyttle looks several levels above right now.

Bernard Jackman has heard that Ulster have signed Rory Sutherland.

Great signing if true.

Kitshoff has been an open secret for a while.

They are. All four NIE will be gone at the end of this season, apparently, which might have swung it. Then Kitshoff and another will come in.

Serious backrow that and a rare run out for Madigan.

Don't think O'Sullivan is Farrell's type of player. He has good skills and a good engine but Farrell seems to prefer power athletes where available.

Ulster have just an enormous squad of talented players, an embarrassment of riches you might say but will they somehow find a way to lose the critical games at the business end of tournaments once again

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg Date: Saturday, 15 October Kick-off: 13:00 BST

Coverage: Live on radio coverage BBC Radio Foyle and the BBC Sport website

Robert Baloucoune and David McCann have been called straight back into Ulster's starting line-up for their United Rugby Championship game against the Lions following their involvement in the Emerging Ireland tour.

Five more players from the tour are restored to the bench as the province seek their first URC win on South African soil.

Tighthead prop Gareth Milasinovich will make his first appearance of the season while Billy Burns returns to replace the injured Ian Madigan at fly-half.

Lions: Mokoena; Hansen, Selengbe, Bocks, Tyeda; Francis, Steyn; Siyeni, Fourie, Bezuidenhout, Roets, Delport; Du Plessis, Cairns, van Buuren.

Replacements: Williams, Pohlman, Shongwe, Esterhuizen, Ndlovu, Horn, Claasens, Strydom, Mulea.

Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Marshall, McCloskey, Lyttle; Burns, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Herring, Milasinovich, O'Connor (capt), Carter; McCann, Marcus Rea, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Andrew, Reid, O'Toole, Izuchukwu, Timoney, Doak, S Moore, McIlroy.

Interesting. Not the team I thought we'd see. No Sutherland, Warwick, Stewart in front row or bench.

Just wondering why you have omitted that match is live on Premier Sports 1?

Nice start. Easy for Baloucoune

Ruck was formed there surely?