Aironi v Ulster (10-09-2011, 15:00 BST)

[TRF_Cymro]

Stadio Zaffanella (September, 10 September 2011, 3:00pm BST)

Ref: Neil Hennessy (WRU)

Aironi Rugby are still looking to add to their solo victory in this tournament, which was gained against Connacht at Stadio Zaffanella in March. Aironi lost 9-32 at Scarlets in round one of the RaboDirect PRO12 last Sunday.

Ulster have won nine of their last ten regular season encounters in the competition, and have won all ten previous matches against Italian opposition in all tournaments.
(http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/10964.php)


​

[TABLE="class: grid"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Aironi[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Ulster[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[Jayatron]

Even with nine players away on international duty, I expect Ulster to pick up the bonus point.

 

[Peat]

Ulster make one change for Aironi
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has made only one change to the starting XV for Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 game at Aironi (kick off 2pm BST).
Related Multimedia
Tim Barker has replaced Lewis Stevenson in the second row, where he will partner Dan Tuohy. Stevenson drops to the bench as a result so there is no place for Neil McComb who has dropped out of the match day 23.
The pack is otherwise unchanged pack, with Paddy McAllister and Jerry Cronin joining Andi Kyriacou in the front row. Chris Henry will again captain the side from number 8 alongside Willie Faloon and Pedrie Wannenburg in the back row.

McLaughlin will field the same backline that played against Glasgow last week, with Ian Whitten, who impressed out of position on the wing, retaining his place. He is joined in the back three by Craig Gilroy and Adam D'Arcy, with Darren Cave and Nevin Spence in the centres, and Paul Marshall and in Humphreys occupying the half back slots.

Declan Fitzpatrick has returned to action after suffering concussion during pre-season and has been named on the bench. Luke Marshall has also earned a place among the replacements at the expense of young Peter Henderson.

New signing Jared Payne arrived from New Zealand on Monday and will travel to Italy but has not been rushed into playing action.

Ulster played Aironi on four occasions last season and came away withfour wins, scoring 14 tries in the process and conceding just one. The Italians are still looking to add to their solo victory in this tournament, which was a home success over Connacht in March.

Ulster (15-9):A D'Arcy; C Gilroy, D Cave, N Spence, I Whitten; I Humphreys, P Marshall;
(1-8) P McAllister, A Kyriacou, J Cronin, T Barker, D Tuohy, P Wannenburg, W Faloon, C Henry;
Replacements (16-23): N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, I Porter, P Jackson, L Marshall

Unavailable due to injury: Callum Black (neck)

Please note their is no live tv coverage of the game but BBC Ulster medium wave 1341 are providing live from Jim Neilly and Ryan Constable.

Check out the multimedia centre at www.ulsterrugby.com for highlights after the game. Please be ware that the highlights may not be available immediately after the match.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/9647.php

Think there's the beating of Aironi there, fingers crossed for the bonus point.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie Aironi - Ulster

vBookie added so enjoy wasting your vCash haha.

 

[IRFU]

Aironi 19 - 25 Ulster

Aironi's Scores:

Try: Nick Williams
Conversion: Naas Olivier
Penalties: Naas Olivier (4)

Ulster's Scores:

Tries: Ian Whitten, Dan Tuohy and Craig Gilroy
Conversions: Ian Humphreys (2)
Penalties: Ian Humphreys (2)

Jerry Cronin also received a Yellow Card.

 

[greybeard]

Well the right result in the end, but Aironi would have won if the ref had spotted the final pass of Ulster's 3rd try which was forward by at least a metre, which everyone saw but him! He then over-ruled the touch judges (excuse me, assistants) by awarding the conversion which they judged out. An unusual event –I've never seen it in 25 yrs of watching rugby. The last 10 mins Ulster must have been sweating – not only for the 35° heat!
First 30 mins play dominated by Ulster who got 2 good tries in the corner. Then Aironi got some moves together and went into the lead, only to lose it to a pen just before half-time. Aironi line-out supreme in this period. Second half Aironi got back into the lead before losing the plot with good Ulster play in the loose, and after the 3rd try never really looked liked getting back on level terms.
Ulster won't be happy with their penalty count which kept A's close, nor with their line-out. Aironis won't be happy with their decision making and telegraphed attacking play. Don't know how the Ulster 10 got the MoM award; his place kicking was far from perfect!
Off for an ice-cold shower!

 

[Peat]

so close by Aironi

Treviso like respectability is just around the corner for them

The ******** it is. This is far from the first time Aironi have run sides close at home.

They're still rather short on wins there. Respectability will be just around the corner when they start winning there.

It was never going to be easy, and I'm happy enough we got the win, but no one on earth predicted otherwise.

And greybeard, it does happen from time to time, fairly sure it happened sometime last season in an Ulster game.

Onwards and upwards for the Ulstermen, Cardiff will be the most difficult ask of the season to date by some margin and we'll have to eliminate the rust.