Ulster v Llanelli Scarlets

[An Tarbh]

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Ulster v Llanelli Scarlets

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Matt Williams will be looking to keep the momentum going from the bonus point win over the Dragons last time out. There's 5 changes to the side for tomorrow's clash at Ravenhill. Rory Best will skipper the side having been released from the Ireland squad but Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe have been retained which should be a good indicator that Bowe won't be dropped for the Welsh game.

The Scarlets welcome back international trio Dwayne Peel, Alix Popham and Simon Easterby with the latter 2 having to settle for a place on the bench. Peel has been passed fit to start after he only played the first half at the Millennium Stadium.

So call it then, home or away win???

 

[Vambo]

Has to be an away win for the Scarlets if they want to win this league!

 

[Sir Speedy]

I'm really p***ed off with Llanelli, they had two away games to Connacht and Dragons, the two weakest teams in the League, and they lost both in the dying moments of the game. It's losses like that which will cost us the League at the end of the season.
Peel needs a big game tomorrow, and it's about time he has one to be honest. I think we can win, but I won't hold my breath.

 

[An Tarbh]

Probably not the best time to be playing Ulster with players going all out to impress the new coach so it'll be interesting to see whether the performance against the Dragons was just a flash in the pan or a sign of things to come, it's certainly a step up in opposition so a real test awaits for Williams.

 

[MunsterMan]

Ulster were fantastic the last day but how big of a loss will Tommy Bowe be? I hope O'Connor starts with Wallace at 12.

 

[An Tarbh]

That's what they've gone with.

 

[MunsterMan]

Great! here are the teams by the way.

ULSTER: Mark Bartholomeusz; Simon Danielli, Paul Steinmetz, Paul Wallace, Mark McCrea; Niall O'Connor, Isaac Boss; Bryan Young, Rory Best (capt), Tom Court, Justin Harrison, Ryan Caldwell, Matt McCullough, Kieron Dawson, Stephen Ferris.

Replacements: Nigel Brady, Justin Fitzpatrick, Carlo Del Fava, Neil Best, Paul Marshall, Darren Cave, Bryn Cunningham.



Llanelli Scarlets
1 - Iestyn Thomas, 2 - Mo Schwalger, 3 - Deacon Manu, 4 - Dafydd Jones, 5 - Lou Reed, 6 - James Bater (captain), 7 - Gavin Thomas, 8 - Nathan Thomas, 9 - Dwayne Peel, 10 - Rhys Priestland, 11 - Nathan Brew, 12 - Gavin Evans, 13 - Regan King, 14 - Dafydd James, 15 - Morgan Stoddart

Replacements: 16 - Phil John, 17 - Ken Owens, 18 - Dominic Day, 19 - Simon Easterby, 20 - Alix Popham, 21 - Gavin Cattle, 22 - Ceiron Thomas,



According to the IRFU website Paul Wallace is playing center for Ulster!

 

[An Tarbh]

he'd probably make a better fist of it than he does at the commentating!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Williams has taken over at a great time. Expectations are at an all time low yet, due to Connacht being awful, Ulster must be overwhelming favourites to qualify for the Heineken Cup. In essense Williams has eight more games to develop a young team in the way he sees fit without having to worry too much about failing to qualify for the European rugby's top competition. It's interesting to see him continue with Niall O'Connor at 10, Mark McCrea on the wing, Tom Court get a shot at tighthead and Darren Cave win promotion to the bench. If Williams can mould these talented youngsters (along with David Pollack) into an already competent core (Best, Caldwell, Del Fava, Ferris, Boss, Danielli, Wallace, Dewey) and add a couple of new signings, Ulster should improve out of sight next season.



As for tonight's game, the Scarlets should have the edge but I wouldn't be surprised to see Ulster sneak a close victory.

 

[Sir Speedy]

I wonder if I can use the power of "The Red Button" to switch from the Dragons game to Llanelli. I hope so, as I can see the Dragons game being one where both sides will compete to get the least errors in the game. :rahh:

 

[An Tarbh]

Well it's on Setanta so I wouldn't hold out much hope.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Yeh, but sadly for me, I haven't got Setanta. I could pay a tenner for this one game mind...

 

[Sir Speedy]

Simply not good enough from Llanelli. That's the ***le for Leinster then, I would imagine.

 

[An Tarbh]

That was certainly a welcome try from Best at the death.

 

[MunsterMan]

I didn't see much of it but i was thankful for Neil Best's try- and it was a good try at that.

 

[Vambo]

Good win for Ulster so congrats to them.
The Scarlets may well have blown their chances of winning the ML now unless Leinster suffer some losses soon.

 

[An Tarbh]

well we've still got Edinburgh and Munster to come plus an away trip to Stradey so this is far from done.

 

[Vambo]

well we've still got Edinburgh and Munster to come plus an away trip to Stradey so this is far from done.
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Can't see the Scarlets improving much on there current 50% win rate though. Leinster may stay lose a couple of games but I would expect them to win enough to put the ML far beyond the Scarlets reach.... Cardiff might fancy their chances though.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Matt Williams won a game as a coach :huh:

 

[An Tarbh]

Williams is a quality coach, Leinster fans will testify to that and now Ulster fans will testify to that as well. He had no decent players in the Scottish setup, had to deal with a rake of retirements and blood so many players that he was on a hiding to nothing, for all the foundations he laid for Hadden, it's him who has made a shoddy job of the Scottish setup not Williams.

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well we've still got Edinburgh and Munster to come plus an away trip to Stradey so this is far from done.
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Can't see the Scarlets improving much on there current 50% win rate though. Leinster may stay lose a couple of games but I would expect them to win enough to put the ML far beyond the Scarlets reach.... Cardiff might fancy their chances though.
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We should win it, but we said that last season before the wheels came off at the end of the season, this year though I think there's more steel about the squad, we won't win playing the swash buckling rugby we have played but who cares if we have a trophy in the cabinet.

With the 2 games so close together between the Scarlets and the Blues, if the Scarlets manage to get the 2 wins and take Leinster at home then they're best set to push for the ***le. The Blues don't have the easiest run in with 2 games against both Scarlets and Ulster but I still wouldn't count them out, they also have Europe to keep them distracted.

For Munster they've 2 massive derby games which can go either way, both away from home against a Leinster side on the charge for the ***le and a resurgent Ulster under Williams. That said win both and they're still well in the shakeup.