After last week’s home tie with Zebre was postponed, Ulster will be straining at the leash for this evening’s GUINNESS PRO12 clash with Cardiff Blues as they chase their first away win since the end of September.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, December 3
CARDIFF BLUES (7th) v ULSTER (6th), BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 5.15pm (live Sky Sports 3 HD)
Team News: Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss has named a strong team for the trip to play Cardiff Blues. Stuart McCloskey will make his first appearance for the province since September, after overcoming a foot injury he sustained in the PRO12 win over Glasgow Warriors.
The Bangor man will be joined in midfield by fellow Ireland international Luke Marshall, while Ruan Pienaar and Brett Herron will continue their half-back partnership. The experienced trio of Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy and Charles Piutau will occupy the back-three positions.
Chris Henry will make his first appearance of the season following his selection at openside flanker. Iain Henderson, who featured prominently in Ireland’s November success, is selected in the number 6 jersey. Sean Reidy is the other loose forward included by Les Kiss, meaning all three back row players are capped by Ireland.
Peter Browne and Franco van der Merwe have been paired together in the second row, with captain Rob Herring set to be joined in the front row by props Kyle McCall and Wiehahn Herbst.
John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Kieran Treadwell and Clive Ross will provide forward cover from the bench, while Paul Marshall, Louis Ludik and Darren Cave are listed as the back-line replacements.
Meanwhile, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton return to Cardiff Blues’ starting line-up to face Ulster. The Wales duo are two of five changes to the side that slipped to a frustrating 18-7 defeat to Connacht in Galway.
Blaine Scully switches to full-back in the absence of the injured Dan Fish, with Alex Cuthbert selected to start on the right wing. Scrum half Lloyd Williams also returns from international duty.
Up front Taufa’ao Filise steps up from the bench to join Jenkins and Warburton in the pack. Head coach Danny Wilson has named six full internationals on the bench, including new signing Nicky Robinson who penned a short-term contract this week. Gareth Anscombe is set to undergo minor groin surgery and will be out of action for up to six weeks.
CARDIFF BLUES: Blaine Scully; Alex Cuthbert, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Tom James; Steve Shingler, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kristian Dacey, Taufa’ao Filise, George Earle, Josh Turnbull, Ellis Jenkins, Sam Warburton, Josh Navidi.
Replacements: Matthew Rees, Rhys Gill, Scott Andrews, Jarrad Hoeata, Macauley Cook, Tomos Williams, Nicky Robinson, Matthew Morgan.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Brett Herron, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Peter Browne, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Kieran Treadwell, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Louis Ludik, Darren Cave.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Aled Evans (Wales)
Television Match Official: Charles Samson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Cardiff Blues to win: 5/6; Draw: 16/1; Ulster to win: Evens
Pre-Match Quotes: Luke Marshall (Ulster) – “We’ve not been good enough and it’s got to change. If we lift our level of performance then we’re good enough to start winning games. We haven’t really gone back to last year (the 23-13 defeat in Cardiff). There’s enough motivation from the past month or so on our own performances.
“Cardiff’s form at the start of the league, they won three or four in a row. They’ve maybe dipped a bit since but they signed a lot of good players in the off-season and that’s definitely showing.
“They’ll have some of their international guys back, which we unfortunately won’t have. It’s tough over there. We’ll have to be at our best to beat them.”
Danny Wilson (Cardiff Blues) – “We beat Ulster at home last season in quite an exciting game and I envisage something similar on Saturday evening. They would have wanted that game last week and are coming into this after three weeks off but they have a star-studded team and some of their internationals back. They have some real quality.
“We’re disappointed we didn’t pick up anything in Connacht, we certainly created enough opportunities and dropped the ball twice over the line which could have won the game.
“But one thing we improved was our defence. We’ve spent a lot of time on it in the last couple of weeks and we defended extremely well. If we can see that at home and add to our attacking game on our surface it should be an exciting game.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Cardiff Blues – Points: Steve Shingler 54; Tries: Tom James 6; Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 44; Tries: Robert Lyttle 3
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Cardiff Blues – Played 9, Won 5, Lost 4, 22 Points; W 34-16 v Edinburgh (home), W 24-23 v Munster (away), W 23-19 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 23-21 v Zebre (away), L 16-13 v Leinster (home), L 46-24 v Ospreys (away), L 26-15 v Scarlets (home), W 34-28 v Benetton Treviso (away), L 18-7 v Connacht (away); Ulster – Played 8, Won 5, Lost 3, 23 Points; W 29-8 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), W 22-11 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 19-8 v Scarlets (home), W 22-17 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 9-7 v Ospreys (home), L 30-25 v Connacht (away), L 15-14 v Munster (home), L 28-17 v Edinburgh (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, October 25, 2013 – Ulster 39 Cardiff Blues 21, Ravenhill
Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 28 Ulster 23, Arms Park
Friday, September 19, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 9 Ulster 26, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
Friday, March 27, 2015 – Ulster 36 Cardiff Blues 17, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, October 23, 2015 – Ulster 24 Cardiff Blues 17, Kingspan Stadium
Sunday, February 28, 2016 – Cardiff Blues 23 Ulster 13, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Cardiff Blues have won just one of their last five GUINNESS PRO12 matches: 34-28 in Treviso in round 8
– The Blues have lost their last two home games in the Championship, to Leinster and the Scarlets, but have not lost three in a row in the PRO12 at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park since the start of the 2014/15 campaign
– Ulster have lost their last three PRO12 fixtures and have not been defeated in four successive matches in the Championship since 2011
– The Ulstermen have not won away from home since defeating Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium at the end of September
– The Ulstermen have won their last four encounters with Welsh regions
– Each side won their respective home game when the two teams clashed last season, while Ulster have been successful in Cardiff on two of their last four visits
This website uses cookies.
Read More