Ulster are back at Kingspan Stadium for their rescheduled GUINNESS PRO12 date with the Dragons. And with a run of home games to come, Les Kiss’ men know how important this fixture could be in terms of building momentum through the Six Nations period.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, February 5
ULSTER (5th) v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (10th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Team News: Ulster have been boosted by the return of a number of high profile players for Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Kingspan Stadium.
Paddy Jackson, Robbie Diack, Ruan Pienaar and Nick Williams have all been included in the matchday squad by director of rugby Les Kiss.
There are four changes to the team that beat Benetton Treviso last Saturday afternoon, as Diack, Pienaar, Jacob Stockdale and Peter Browne are selected in Kiss’ side. Jackson and Williams will start the match from the bench.
Stockdale, who made his debut in the bonus point win in Italy, will make his first senior start for the province after being named on the left wing. Louis Ludik, fresh from penning a contract extension, is retained at full-back, with Craig Gilroy continuing on the other wing.
With limited training time this week due to a slight thigh injury, Rory Scholes is on the bench and will provide cover for the back-three.
Stuart Olding made a try-scoring return from injury last weekend and he will again line out alongside fellow Ireland international Darren Cave in midfield. Pienaar, who has missed the last two games with an illness, will be joined at half back by Ian Humphreys, who enjoyed a 100% kicking record from the tee at Stadio di Monigo last weekend.
The front row is unchanged, with captain Rob Herring to be joined by props Callum Black and Ricky Lutton. Browne will partner Alan O’Connor in the second row as Franco van der Merwe, who has started 16 of Ulster’s 18 games this season, is given a well-earned rest. Diack, Sean Reidy and Roger Wilson will form a combative back row.
Jackson, Scholes and Paul Marshall are the back-line replacements, front row cover will be provided byJohn Andrew, Kyle McCall and Bronson Ross, while Clive Ross and Williams complete the panel of 23.
Ulster will go top of the GUINNESS PRO12 table if they win on Friday night. Tickets for the match are still available via www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets.
Meanwhile, South African lock Rynard Landman has gotten the nod from Newport Gwent Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones to skipper the side that will take on Ulster.
Jones has made six changes to the team that beat Leinster 23-13 last weekend at Rodney Parade. The back-three remain unchanged as winger Hallam Amos is, once again, released from the Wales squad to play alongside last weekend’s man-of-the-match Ashton Hewitt and full-back Carl Meyer.
The centre partnership of Adam Hughes and Adam Warren also remains unchanged, while out-half Angus O’Brien is called up to replace Jason Tovey as the 26-year-old sustained a back spasm during training this week. There is also a change at scrum half as Charlie Davies starts.
The front row sees the inclusion of Phil Price, and Elliot Dee replaces Rhys Thomas as hooker. The second row remains unchanged as Matthew Screech and Landman retain their places, however the back row has two changes. Ben White, who is on loan with the region for three weeks, starts alongside Nic Cudd, and Ed Jackson pulls on the number 8 shirt after recovering from injury.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Stuart Olding, Jacob Stockdale; Ian Humphreys, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rob Herring (capt), Ricky Lutton, Alan O’Connor, Peter Browne, Robbie Diack, Sean Reidy, Roger Wilson.
Replacements: John Andrew, Kyle McCall, Bronson Ross, Clive Ross, Nick Williams, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Rory Scholes.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos; Angus O’Brien, Charlie Davies; Phil Price, Elliot Dee, Brok Harris, Matthew Screech, Rynard Landman (capt), Ben White, Nic Cudd, Ed Jackson.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Boris Stankovich, Shaun Knight, Cory Hill, James Benjamin, Sarel Pretorius, Geraint Rhys Jones, Nick Scott.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll, Shane Kierans (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 1/7; Draw: 25/1; Newport Gwent Dragons to win: 5/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Peter Browne (Ulster) – “The focus is against the Dragons but the next weekend we’ve got Glasgow and then the Scarlets on the Sunday after that. These three home games are really big for us and we’re looking forward to the challenge and, hopefully, we’ll get the wins.
“Yes, there is disruption (due to the Six Nations) but it leads to a healthy environment. It’s actually an exciting time.
“It was a good time to come on (on the hour mark against Treviso last week). I did so for that scrum that led to the intercept so I felt I made just the right impact. At least that’s how I hoped the coaches saw it!
“Then we got the fourth try and that came from a turnover scrum so we (the forwards) got some good work done. I enjoyed the 20 minutes I was on and though it was fast and loose at that time, I felt we were quite clinical in that time as well.”
Adam Hughes (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “I love it (Kingspan Stadium) and it’s probably my favourite away ground. The atmosphere is great with the new stadium as well so it’s a great arena to play in.
“I’ve come close to winning there with the Dragons and (Ruan) Pienaar has smashed our dreams, but we have always fronted up and stepped up to the plate. There’s always a very vocal crowd and they love their rugby, so it creates a great atmosphere to play in.
“We worked on things from (the 38-5 loss to) Sale that came together against Leinster quite nicely. We had to work hard and it paid off but Ulster are going to have just as many threats with some great runners in their back-line, so we are going to have to improve again and go up another step.
“We dealt with them quite well at home and put ourselves in a good position to win but we didn’t. We had six or seven minutes in their 22 while they had around 50 seconds but we managed to lose (19-12).”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 36; Tries: Craig Gilroy 4; Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Jason Tovey 84; Tries: Sarel Pretorius, Ashton Hewitt 3 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, April 12, 2013 – Ulster 31 Newport Gwent Dragons 5, Ravenhill
Friday, September 6, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 15 Ulster 8, Rodney Parade
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
MATCH FACTS:
– This game was postponed from its original date in early January to accommodate the rearranged European Champions Cup game between Ulster and Oyonnax
– Ulster’s only defeat in their last four fixtures was 33-17 at Saracens in the Champions Cup on January 16
– Ulster slipped up in their most recent GUINNESS PRO12 home game: 9-7 to Munster on January 2 and have not lost back-to-back games in Belfast in the league since December 2010
– The Newport Gwent Dragons beat Leinster 23-13 at Rodney Parade last Friday and have not won successive games in the PRO12 since last April
– The Dragons have not won away from home in the competition since a trip to Treviso on March 28 last year
– Ulster have lost only one of their last four PRO12 encounters with the Dragons: 26-22 at Rodney Parade on March 8, 2015. The Welshmen have not been victorious in Belfast since September 2008
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