Two teams that fell at the semi-final hurdle last season meet on the opening night of the new GUINNESS PRO12 campaign as Ulster host the Ospreys in an intriguing encounter in Belfast.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, September 4
ULSTER v OSPREYS, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/BBC 2 Wales)
Team News: Andrew Trimble will win his 189th cap for Ulster when he lines out for the province against the Ospreys at Kingspan Stadium. Ulster’s all-time record try scorer will start on the right wing and is joined in the back-three by Craig Gilroy, who scored 11 tries in the PRO12 last season, and Louis Ludik who is winning his 26th cap.
The game will also see Peter Nelson start his first game for Ulster at out-half. The versatile 22-year-old, who has played at number 10 for Dungannon RFC and Ulster Ravens, returns to the position following injuries to Ian Humphreys (hamstring strain) and Sam Windsor (Achilles).
Paul Marshall is selected at scrum half, with centres Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall completing the back-line.
Rob Herring captains the side and starts at hooker. He is joined in the front row by Andrew Warwick, who is picked at loosehead prop, and tighthead Wiehahn Herbst.
Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe are paired together in the second row, with Roger Wilson named at blindside flanker, Willie Faloon returning to competitive action with Ulster at openside and Nick Williams back from suspension to take up his position at number 8.
Head coach Neil Doak has selected six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench with John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Bronson Ross, Peter Browne, Clive Ross and Sean Reidy named alongside David Shanahan and Sam Arnold.
Tonight’s round 1 match is live on BBC 2 Northern Ireland and BBC 2 Wales. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here. Fans will also be able to buy on the gate this evening, although for the best available tickets, supporters are encouraged to purchase in advance.
Meanwhile, South African second row De Kock Steenkamp will make his long-awaited debut for the Ospreys, having worked his way back to full fitness following an Achilles tendon tear last October.
Another newcomer in Ospreys colours is number 8 Gareth Delve, who made the switch from the Scarlets in the summer, while fellow back rower Lloyd Evans is set for his PRO12 bow.
It will be right winger Kristian Phillips’ first appearance for the Ospreys since October 2011. He re-signed for the region in the summer. Sam Underhill and Brendon Leonard are also standing by to make their debuts off the bench.
Recent Wales cap Eli Walker will sit out the round 1 game despite being available after failing to make the Welsh Rugby World Cup squad. The Ospreys are missing 12 players due to World Cup selection, nine with Wales plus Fiji’s Josh Matavesi and Canadian duo Tyler Ardron and Jeff Hassler.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Willie Faloon, Nick Williams.
Replacements: John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Bronson Ross, Peter Browne, Clive Ross, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Kristian Phillips, Jonathan Spratt, Ben John, Tom Grabham; Sam Davies, Tom Habberfield; Marc Thomas, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Lloyd Ashley (capt), De Kock Steenkamp, Joe Bearman, Lloyd Evans, Gareth Delve.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Nicky Smith, Cai Griffiths, Rory Thornton, Dan Baker, Sam Underhill, Brendon Leonard, Ashley Beck.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher, Brian MacNeice (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 2/7; Draw: 19/1; Ospreys to win: 13/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Andrew Warwick (Ulster) – “It’s been a tough pre-season but I can’t wait to get stuck into the games especially with the first league game and get a good game. It’s great to have the first game at home and the crowd will be behind us. We definitely need a good start, the first two games are key.
“I think our squad is strong enough that come Friday night we’ll be able to do a job. In the pre-season games we didn’t start too well but now that it’s competition time, we’ve got a few players coming back in and we’re going to hopefully push on and do well and get the win against the Ospreys.
“We’ve analysed their pre-season game and we know most of their players anyway but if we do our job right it should be no problem. I think we’re always confident in our scrummaging but just have to push on and get the upper hand in every game.
“The Ospreys are a strong team and they have a strong squad regardless of who’s away, it’s a big ask but we’ll do our best. We’ve analysed Dimitri Arhip who played against Saracens in their warm-up, he’s a strong tighthead and I played against him last November. Hopefully I’ll get the upper hand.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Ulster is always a tough place to go. They have a strong squad and a big, passionate and loud crowd who get behind whoever is wearing the Ulster shirt, whatever the circumstances.
“It can be a real test of character out there so we need to be sure that we are 100% switched on and everybody is completely focused on the job in hand. It’s about the small things, attention to detail, that can make a big difference on the night.
“We’ve spoken in training about controlling the things that we can control, focusing on performance and getting that right. If we look after that then, hopefully, we’ll get the desired outcome. We want to put on a positive performance so that we can come back to the Liberty next weekend for the round 2 game against Munster, in front of a big Ospreys crowd buying into what we are working to achieve at this region.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Ruan Pienaar 102; Tries: Craig Gilroy 11; Ospreys – Points: Dan Biggar 176; Tries: Rhys Webb 12
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, September 8, 2012 – Ospreys 13 Ulster 16, Liberty Stadium
Friday, February 8, 2013 – Ulster 12 Ospreys 16, Ravenhill
Friday, October 4, 2013 – Ospreys 12 Ulster 18, Liberty Stadium
Friday, February 7, 2014 – Ulster 10 Ospreys 7, Ravenhill
Friday, November 21, 2014 – Ulster 25 Ospreys 16, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, December 20, 2014 – Ospreys 31 Ospreys 20, Liberty Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster’s three most recent games in the GUINNESS PRO12 ended in a draw with Munster and a pair of defeats to Glasgow Warriors, in round 22 and in the play-offs
– The Ulstermen have not been defeated at Kingspan Stadium in the PRO12 since Leinster were the visitors in May 2014
– The Ospreys have go off to a winning start in the PRO12 in five of the last seven seasons and finished off their regular season campaign in 2014/15 with six straight wins before going down to Munster at the semi-final stage
– The Ospreys are the only Welsh side to have triumphed in Belfast since April 2010, having done so on two occasions, in April 2010 and again in February 2013
– The Ospreys’ only win in their last four encounters with Ulster was 31-20 at the Liberty Stadium on December 20 last year
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