Ulster face a tricky trip to Newport as they look to keep up their superb scoring form which as seen them collect 24 match points from a possible 25 in the last five rounds of the GUINNESS PRO12.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, March 24
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (10th) v ULSTER (4th), Rodney Parade, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Team News: Director of rugby Les Kiss has named the Ulster team that will line out against the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade in round 18 of the GUINNESS PRO12 tonight.
Kiss’ side will be hoping to continue the run of five successive wins that has seen the province climb to fourth place in the PRO12 standings, and in doing so, put together back-to-back wins in Newport for the first time since 2005-2006.
Luke Marshall is set to win his 100th Ulster cap, a little over six years since he made his provincial debut against Munster. Marshall will form an experienced centre partnership with Darren Cave, with the pair racking up 291 Ulster caps between them.
Ireland duo Iain Henderson and Jared Payne return to the starting XV at blindside flanker and full-back respectively, while Paddy Jackson is included among the replacements.
Charles Piutau and Craig Gilroy will occupy the wing berths, forming an exciting back-three with Payne for the second game in succession. The half-back partnership of Ruan Pienaar and Stuart Olding, which functioned so well in the record breaking 10-try win over Zebre last time out, is also retained.
Up front, Rob Herring will captain the side from hooker and he will be joined in the front row by Andrew Warwick and Wiehahn Herbst. Kieran Treadwell and Alan O’Connor are paired together once again in the engine room, while Sean Reidy comes in to join Chris Henry and Henderson in the back row.
John Andrew, Callum Black and Rodney Ah You provide the front row cover from the bench along with fellow forwards Robbie Diack and Clive Ross. Paul Marshall and Jacob Stockdale are named alongside Jackson as back-line replacements.
Meanwhile, Newport Gwent Dragons captain Lewis Evans is set to run out for his 200th appearance for the region, as head coach Kingsley Jones makes five changes in personnel.
Carl Meyer returns at full-back with Tom Prydie moving to the left wing. The two are joined by the returning Adam Hughes to make up the back-three. The centre partnership remains unchanged with Sam Beard combining with Tyler Morgan. Charlie Davies comes back in at half-back alongside Angus O’Brien.
Hooker Rhys Buckley is the new inclusion in the front row, pairing up with props Sam Hobbs and Brok Harris, while Nick Crosswell gets the nod in the second row and the unchanged back row features Ollie Griffiths, Nic Cudd and skipper Evans at number 8.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Adam Hughes, Tyler Morgan, Sam Beard, Tom Prydie; Angus O’Brien, Charlie Davies; Sam Hobbs, Rhys Buckley, Brok Harris, Nick Crosswell, Rynard Landman, Ollie Griffiths, Nic Cudd, Lewis Evans (capt).
Replacements: Darran Harris, Phil Price, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Harrison Keddie, Sarel Pretorious, Dorian Jones, Adam Warren.
ULSTER: Jared Payne; Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Charles Piutau; Stuart Olding, Ruan Pienaar; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy;
Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Black, Rodney Ah You, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Jacob Stockdale.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Dan Jones (Wales)
Television Match Official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Newport Gwent Dragons to win: 4/1; Draw: 22/1; Ulster to win: 1/6
Pre-Match Quotes: Luke Marshall (Ulster) – “(The 100th cap) is something I didn’t think I would achieve. I definitely didn’t think I’d get this far. Looking back to two years ago when I was struggling to get into the squad, to be honest I thought I was going to have to move on because I didn’t think I was going to get back in.
“I had maybe 50 or 60 at that stage so it will definitely be a proud moment (tonight). Looking at the competition, and the way I have upped my game in the last few years, I stayed and fought for my position and this shows that it’s paid off I suppose.
“I would sacrifice anything to get a bit of silverware here. There’s definitely been times over the last three or four years where we should have got something and didn’t quite get there, but we have the quality.
“Looking forward with the squad we have, and the players coming in next year and the younger guys that are getting more experience, if it’s not this year, I think it’s only going to be a matter of time.
“I think we’ve only won once in Rodney Parade since I’ve been at Ulster which isn’t a great return. A few boys who have played there before don’t have the best memories or experiences from there but we’re taking this week as just another pitch, another place to go.
“We haven’t specifically targeted it and have no negative thoughts going into it at all. There is a tendency going to a place like that to think, ‘you don’t want to be here’ or ‘it’s a rubbish pitch’, but we are putting that to the back of our minds and hoping to go there and play a bit of rugby.
“We watched Leinster’s game against them earlier in the year and the pitch wasn’t great but they still went out, backed their skill set and played well. It’s just another pitch. It’s maybe not in the best condition but we just have to get on with it.”
Rhys Buckley (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “This is a massive challenge again, Ulster are one of the top teams around in Europe. We know the last two performances (against Leinster and Glasgow) aren’t where they should be, so we need to pay supporters back.
“Especially with it being our last game at Rodney Parade for the season, we need to go out with a bang. It’s going to be tough but we’re going to go out and give it everything.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Angus O’Brien 91; Tries: Pat Howard, Sarel Pretorius 4 each; Ulster – Points: Ruan Pienaar 93; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 8
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Newport Gwent Dragons – Played 17, Won 4, Lost 13, 20 Points; L 29-8 v Ulster (away), W 11-6 v Zebre (home), L 20-16 v Munster (home), L 27-11 v Benetton Treviso (away), L 26-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 31-27 v Scarlets (away), L 35-17 v Ospreys (away), W 21-16 v Connacht (home), W 27-19 v Edinburgh (home), L 28-15 v Leinster (away), L 27-16 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 10-0 v Ospreys (home), Won 26-8 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 45-17 v Munster (away), L 14-9 v Connacht (away), L 54-22 v Leinster (home), L 47-17 v Glasgow Warriors (away); Ulster – Played 17, Won 12, Lost 5, 57 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), W 35-22 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 23-7 v Connacht (home), L 22-7 v Leinster (away), L 16-13 v Scarlets (away), W 24-18 v Edinburgh (home), W 37-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 40-17 v Zebre (away), W 19-7 v Benetton Treviso (home), W 68-21 v Zebre (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, February 28, 2014 – Ulster 38 Newport Gwent Dragons 8, Ravenhill
Saturday, November 1, 2014 – Ulster 23 Newport Gwent Dragons 6, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, March 8, 2015 – Newport Gwent Dragons 26 Ulster 22, Rodney Parade
Sunday, November 8, 2015 – Newport Gwent Dragons 12 Ulster 19, Rodney Parade
Friday, February 5, 2016 – Ulster 17 Newport Gwent Dragons 15, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, September 2, 2016 – Ulster 29 Newport Gwent Dragons 8, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– The Newport Gwent Dragons have lost their last four matches in the GUINNESS PRO12 since beating Benetton Treviso 26-8 at Rodney Parade on January 6
– The Dragons’ only victory over an Irish province in the last 14 months was 21-16 at home to Connacht in round 8 this season
– Ulster have won their last five matches in the PRO12 since they were beaten by the Scarlets in Llanelli in round 13. That reversal to the Scarlets ended a five-game winning run against Welsh regions in the competition
– Ulster’s only defeat in their last six clashes with the Dragons was 26-22 at Rodney Parade in March 2015
– Ulster won on their most recent visit to Newport but have not won successive matches at Rodney Parade since 2005-2006
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