Dragqueens vs Ulshaft

[Peat]

Since there's nowt official, I think I'd share a bit of info...

Taken from the Ulster site

Ulster have made three personnel and one positional change to the starting XV for Friday's RaboDirect PRO12 game against Dragons at Rodney Parade (kick off 7.05pm).
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Jared Payne picked up a dead leg in the loss to Ospreys on Sunday so Adam D'Arcy is promoted from the bench to fill the vacant fullback role. Ian Humphreys (shoulder) and Darren Cave (hamstring) have not recovered from their injuries on time and will play no part in the fixture.
After starting all of Ulster's game so far, Andi Kyriacou has begin among the replacements, with Nigel Brady taking over at hooker. Willie Faloon has been named at openside flanker, so Chris Henry moves round to number 8 and Robbie Diack drops to the bench.

Academy prop Kyle McCall is in line for his senior debut after being named on the bench. Ian Porter has returned to the bench following a rib injury, and is joined by Conor Gaston who will provide cover for the back three.

Ulster's 100% winning start to the season came to an end with the 32-14 defeat at the Ospreys. The squad will be looking for a greatly reduced penalty count during their second trip to Wales in a week. This would go a long way to get the campaign back on track.

Dragons have had a less impressive opening to the season, winning just one game in four - a 23-14 success at home to Aironi in Round 3. The Dragons' only reversal at Rodney Parade in their last five matches in this tournament was 13-20 to Ulster back in May.

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

Unavailable due to injury: Callum Black (neck), Ian Humphreys (shoulder), Jared Payne (dead leg), Darren Cave (hamstring)


Throw in thon tool Paterson as a ref and I think this one has Newport's name all over it. If it doesn't, they're shat.

 

[monkeypigeon]

In fairness, those are big injuries on Ulster's part. I'd be shocked if the Dragons were to lose this one.

Regardsless...C'MON them ULCERS!

 

[Jockstap]

Good backs, crap forwards, no power there whatsoever. I reckon we should try to convert Spence to inside centre straight away, the kid's a battering ram, he could be a great foil a la Jamie Roberts for BOD if it panned out.

 

[Peat]

Jockstap, can't agree with that - Tuohy, Henry and Stevenson have all consistently put in big carries so far this season. Tuohy in particular has been savage. Wannenberg can do it. I have no worries about the pack's ability to make ground ball in hand against anyone but the best. The scrum will be a worry and we really can't afford another repeat of last week's breakdown. But its a good pack.

The backs have talent but its raw as hell with no obvious leader or general. Jackson's goalkicking is a cause for concern at the moment too (to the point that I'd ask D'Arcy to do it). Only Small Package (no brain) and Whitten (out of position) have more than 30 senior caps in the backline.

Our backs will make hay given the opportunity, but they'll be wasteful, and I don't think they can afford to be short of an absolute armchair ride.

Also, while I'm coming round to Spence at 12, I still think Marshall is the future there.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Why dp all the young Ulster backs have blonde dopey looking hair?

It's like they're all basing themselves on Andrew Trimble's 'Haircuts THrough the Years'.

 

[Peat]

Why dp all the young Ulster backs have blonde dopey looking hair?

It's like they're all basing themselves on Andrew Trimble's 'Haircuts THrough the Years'.

That's just Skywalker and Lizzie to be fair. And at least its cut short. Young Skywalker used to have lots of hair.

Gilroy, Gaston, McKinney and Porter are all dark, the Messiah is a ginge (the shame of it) as too is the lad who'll likely be next off the line, Peter Nelson.

Have to say, its quite amusing as Neilly quite blatantly can't tell Skywalker and Lizzie apart on the pitch and confuses them all the time.