Having got back to winning ways against Edinburgh, Ulster face Scottish opposition again this afternoon as they chase their first GUINNESS PRO12 season’s double over Glasgow Warriors since 2010/11.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, February 18
ULSTER (6th) v GLASGOW WARRIORS (5th), Kingspan Stadium, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)
Team News: Director of rugby Les Kiss has named the Ulster team that will host Glasgow Warriors in round 15 of the GUINNESS PRO12 at Kingspan Stadium this afternoon.
Kiss’ starting line-up is bolstered by the return of scrum half Ruan Pienaar, plus the inclusion of Ireland internationals Craig Gilroy, Luke Marshall and Tommy Bowe.
Over 15,000 tickets have been sold for this match but there is still limited availability at www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased on the gate from 1.30pm today.
Pienaar will make his first appearance of 2017, having recovered from a knee injury sustained in the New Year’s Eve fixture away to Leinster. The South African will partner Peter Nelson at half-back, with the latter successfully coming through the full 80 minutes in last weekend’s victory over Edinburgh following a 14-month lay-off.
Gilroy, who shone with a quick-fire hat-trick off the bench for Ireland against Italy, will join Bowe and Louis Ludik, one of Ulster’s four try scorers versus Edinburgh, in the back-three. Luke Marshall comes into the side at outside centre, meaning Darren Cave shifts inside to occupy the number 12 jersey.
Up front, Callum Black will start at loosehead prop alongside John Andrew and Ricky Lutton in the front row, while Peter Browne and Franco van der Merwe will renew their second row partnership.
Marcell Coetzee, who had in a hugely impressive debut for Ulster last week, retains his starting berth at number 8, with Sean Reidy and stand-in captain Chris Henry playing in the other loose forward positions.
Club captain Rob Herring has recovered sufficiently from injury to take up a place among the replacements along with fellow forwards Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell and Robbie Diack.
Hughes Insurance Ulster Academy player Jack Owens, who has featured on the wing and at full-back for the Ulster ‘A’ team in this season’s British & Irish Cup, is in line to make his senior debut if called upon. Paul Marshall and Jacob Stockdale will provide the additional back-line cover from the bench.
Meanwhile, Peter Horne returns from an ankle injury to start at out-half for Glasgow Warriors, fresh from signing a new three-year-contract with the club.
The Scotland international’s return to fitness comes ahead of schedule following successful surgery on an injury sustained in the PRO12 defeat to Munster at the start of December.
Brandon Thomson will make his Warriors debut at full-back having joined the club last week on a short-term deal from the Stormers. Lee Jones and Sean Lamont start outside of Thomson on the wings and Mark Bennett returns from international duty to line up outside of Nick Grigg in midfield.
Henry Pyrgos will pair up with the fit-again Horne, captaining the side from scrum half. Sila Puafisi comes back in at tighthead prop, with James Malcolm at hooker and Alex Allan at loosehead.
Once again Brian Alainu’uese and Scott Cummings combine in the second row and openside flanker Simone Favaro is released from Italy duty to play his first game for Glasgow since the beginning of January.
Rob Harley and Adam Ashe start as the other loose forwards while, on the bench, Namibian international Tjiuee Uanivi features for the first time since injuring his shoulder in the reverse fixture against Ulster back in September.
Hooker Corey Flynn is called up to the bench and Rory Hughes will cover the back-three.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Craig Gilroy; Peter Nelson, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Peter Browne, Franco van der Merwe, Sean Reidy, Chris Henry (capt), Marcell Coetzee;
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Kieran Treadwell, Robbie Diack, Paul Marshall, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Owens.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Brandon Thomson; Lee Jones, Mark Bennett, Nick Grigg, Sean Lamont; Peter Horne, Henry Pyrgos (capt); Alex Allan, James Malcolm, Sila Puafisi, Brian Alainu’uese, Scott Cummings, Rob Harley, Simone Favaro, Adam Ashe.
Replacements: Corey Flynn, Jamie Bhatti, D’arcy Rae, Tjiuee Uanivi, Lewis Wynne, Grayson Hart, Richie Vernon, Rory Hughes.
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Paul Haycock (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Tim Hayes (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 1/7; Draw: 22/1; Glasgow Warriors to win: 9/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Peter Nelson (Ulster) – “Glasgow have a few players with the Scottish team, and a couple have been released this week, but even the other players they have in the squad are very good and they will be very hungry after defeat last week to the Scarlets.
“They will be well up for it and it is a massive game for us. It is important this week we play for the full 80 minutes because that’s what it’ll take.
“It was tough (to recover from a serious foot injury). I suppose it is a cliché but you just have to take it day by day. The medics and S&C staff are very good here and looked after me really well.
“I was just focusing day to day and just seeing small progression and pushing on like that. It is good here that you can still be involved with the team and you can still go into meetings, still analyse teams and help guys out in some way off the pitch, but ultimately as a rugby player you want to be out there.
“I felt I was playing quite well and to get a foot injury at that stage (back in December 2015) was frustrating. Hopefully I can pick up where I left off and push on again.
“It is a massive block of games for us and it is important we take it one by one. We’ve Glasgow this week and if we put a string of performances together and get a few good wins, we’ll be back up in the mix (for the play-offs).”
Gregor Townsend (Glasgow Warriors) – “Peter Horne is one of our hardest working players and a leader on and off the pitch, so his return will give everyone a boost. It’s a credit to our medical staff that Peter and Tjiuee (Uanivi) are both available for what is a crucial match.
“Brandon (Thomson) has integrated really well since his arrival and showed a good level of physicality while playing for Stirling County last weekend. He has a very good rugby brain and is a quick learner, and is relishing the opportunity to play for the club.
“It’s also great to be able to include Mark (Bennett) and Simone (Favaro) who both played Test match rugby last weekend. We will require everyone in our squad to play with huge commitment, effort and belief as we look to bounce back from last week’s disappointing result.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 65; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 4; Glasgow Warriors – Points: Finn Russell 48; Tries: Tommy Seymour 8
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Ulster – Played 13, Won 8, Lost 5, 38 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); Glasgow Warriors – Played 14, Won 8, Lost 6, 41 Points; W 41-5 v Connacht (away), W 33-25 v Leinster (home), L 23-19 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 22-17 v Ulster (home), W 26-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 33-28 v Zebre (away), W 31-14 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 27-3 v Scarlets (away), L 22-5 v Ospreys (home), L 16-15 v Munster (home), W 25-12 v Edinburgh (away), W 35-28 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 29-15 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 26-14 v Scarlets (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, October 11, 2014 – Ulster 29 Glasgow Warriors 9, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, May 16, 2015 – Glasgow Warriors 32 Ulster 10, Scotstoun Stadium
Friday, May 22, 2015 – Semi-Final – Glasgow Warriors 16 Ulster 14, Scotstoun Stadium
Friday, February 12, 2016 – Ulster 13 Glasgow Warriors 10, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, March 25, 2016 – Glasgow Warriors 27 Ulster 17, Scotstoun Stadium
Friday, September 23, 2016 – Glasgow Warriors 17 Ulster 22, Scotstoun Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster’s 24-18 victory over Edinburgh last weekend ended a four-match losing streak in all tournaments
– The Ulstermen have lost only once at Kingspan Stadium in their last nine GUINNESS PRO12 matches: 15-14 to Munster in round 7
– Glasgow Warriors’ 26-14 home defeat to the Scarlets in round 14 ended a three-match winning run in the Championship
– The Warriors have won their last four away games in all competitions since slipping up at the Scarlets in the PRO12 on November 5
– Ulster beat Glasgow 22-17 at Scotstoun in round 4 and have not achieved a PRO12 season’s double over the Scotsmen since 2010/11
– The Warriors have won just once in Belfast since 2009: 13-12 in September 2013
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