Ulster Announce Squad For Stade Clash
Ulster coach Matt Williams has settled on his 25-man squad for Saturday’s Heineken Cup showdown with Stade Francais at Ravenhill (kick-off 3.30pm).
All eyes will be on Ravenhill on Saturday afternoon when the Ulstermen take on the might of Stade Francais in Heineken Cup Pool 4.
With Stade currently topping the French Championship table and Ulster recording their first win of the season last week, it is set to be an exciting afternoon of rugby.
Ireland international Paddy Wallace returns to the Ulster squad following a hamstring injury and the former Campbell College pupil is excited at the prospect of being involved in Saturday’s clash.
Wallace said: “I certainly hope to be involved. It is a big match, it is the European Cup and everyone in the squad wants to be a part of it. There will be some disappointment if they are not. But that is the way it is in a squad like this.”
Commenting on his injury, he added: “If it was not 100 percent, then I could have come back too early and if it happened again I could have been out for longer. It was important to manage the situation.”
Looking forward to the pool opener, Ulster coach Matt Williams said: “Stade are presently the best club side in the world at the minute and they could beat anyone, including Canterbury Crusaders.
“We have absolutely nothing to lose on Saturday. The odds are going to be unbelievably stacked against us, but they do not like leaving France and they certainly do not like coming to Belfast.
“No one has had a crack at them yet and we just have to go out and have a go at them. No side is unbeatable.”
Tickets are selling fast for the Ulster v Stade Francais encounter. Ulster Rugby has erected a temporary stand which is called the ‘YELLOWTOM’ stand for the Heineken Cup game to accommodate extra numbers.
The YELLOWTOM stand is based at the Memorial arch side of the pitch and is a seated, covered stand.
Tickets are currently available from the Ulster Rugby website, from the Ravenhill Ticket Office between 9am-5pm (Monday to Friday) or you can also call the Ravenhill Ticket Line on 02890 493 222 (Option 2, between 10am-12pm, Monday to Friday).
Match tickets are also available via the Ulster Rugby ticket outlets dotted around the province.
ULSTER Squad (v Stade Francais): Backs (12) – Niall O’Connor, Bryn Cunningham, Timoci Nagusa, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble, Clinton Schifcofske, Cillian Willis, Isaac Boss, Paul Steinmetz, Ian Humphreys, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace.
Forwards (13) – Justin Fitzpatrick, Nigel Brady, Tom Court, Rory Best, BJ Botha, Carlo Del Fava, Ed O’Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Matt McCullough, Kieron Dawson, Robbie Diack, Stephen Ferris, David Pollock.