ULSTER GUNNING FOR NINTH STRAIGHT WIN

When I sat down at the start of the season and perused the fixture list for the upcoming season, there were two periods I looked for specifically, the Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations. Well, I always look for these periods at the start of the season - because they’re the most important.

While the Heineken Cup is a test of your best team, the PRO12 is a test of your entire squad. No 23 players can go all season without either burning out or ending up on the injury table, and so a team has to cater for this. The league tests a side’s strength in depth over a period of nine gruelling months.

We now find ourselves in the Autumn International period, and for the first time in a long time (maybe ever), Ulster have the most representatives in the Ireland squad out of the four provinces – more than likely this is due to their brilliant start to the season.

But this makes the unbeaten start harder to maintain, with fourteen players away in Dublin. Ulster will have to be at the top of their game to stay at the top…

Scarlet Fever

…because coming steaming up behind them are the Scarlets. The Welsh region are only a point behind, and host Zebre in Llanelli at the weekend – a game which you would assume would be five points in the bag for the home team.

And, even though they have a game in hand, there is no doubt that Ulster will be taking occasional glances over their shoulder at the oncoming red storm. The Scarlets have been, much like Ulster, relentless in their scoring, notching up twenty-three tries in seven games and 173 points. Even more worrying, the Scarlets are more or less out of Europe after being thrashed in Clermont and falling to defeat at home to Leinster. They are free to concentrate on the league now.

But there is hope. Their shortcomings in the Heineken Cup highlight that they are not unbeatable – even at home. If a side goes to the Parc y Scarlets in the right frame of mind, then they can come away with the win. This will be important for Ulster – if they are still unbeaten by the start of December, they will need to believe they can come away from Wales with their fourth victory or they will be in for a shock.

Mark the date in your calendar – Scarlets vs. Ulster, Sunday 2^nd December, 16:00. It should be a cracking game.

Gunning for glory

Here’s me talking about games in December and we’ve only just entered November. Time to get back to what’s important right now.

The next hurdle in Ulster’s PRO12 race takes the form of Edinburgh – a side of whom Ulster will have favourable memories. Last season in the league, Ulster put 80 points on them and ran in 10 tries in two crushing victories, both at home and on the road. But it is the most recent game that will be the one that Ulster fans will cherish the most. The Heineken Cup semi-final victory in Dublin that sent Ulster to Twickenham for their first Heineken Cup final since 1999.

This time around, the stakes are not so high. Well, strictly speaking that’s not true. The stakes are pretty high for Ulster with the unbeaten run still intact, and Edinburgh will want to crash the party while at the same time propelling themselves up the PRO12 table. The Scottish side have found this season tough going and they languish in the bottom half of the table – unfamiliar territory.

Ulster will be boosted by the return of Stephen Ferris from injury. He’s joined by Paul Marshall and Craig Gilroy who are released from Ireland duty. Ruan Pienaar also plays his final match before joining the Springboks for their tests. The Ulster side, while depleted by international call-ups, still looks strong – a crucial element for winning the league.

Indeed, even with Ricky Andrew making just his second start at full-back it still looks strong, and three more on the bench could make their competitive debuts – Ricky Lutton, Stuart Olding and Peter Nelson. Anscombe isn’t afraid to play these guys and he is being rewarded for it. This is the chance for these guys to step up in the international absences.

But Edinburgh boast a strong team too, featuring ex-Lion Andy Titterrell at hooker and Scotland international Allan Jacobsen who will make his presence known off the bench. They may look like the whipping boys on the field at the moment, but in reality, they are anything but.

For a team to come away with full points, they have to be focused and precise. So far this season, Ulster have been focused and precise in every game. This week must be no exception. Edinburgh will come to play rugby. Ulster must match them.

And now the prediction! A quick stat to justify my decision: Edinburgh have lost their last three games conceding bonus points. Will it be four? I think so. Prediction – Ulster by 17 with a bonus point.

At Ravenhill, 7:05pm

ULSTER: 15. Ricky Andrew, 14. Chris Cochrane, 13. Jared Payne, 12. Paddy Wallace, 11. Craig Gilroy, 10. Ruan Pienaar, 9. Paul Marshall; 1. Callum Black, 2. Nigel Brady, 3. John Afoa, 4. Lewis Stevenson, 5. Neil McComb, 6. Stephen Ferris, 7. Mike McComish, 8. Roger Wilson.

16. Niall Annett, 17. Ricky Lutton, 18. Adam Macklin, 19. Robbie Diack, 20. Nick Williams, 21. Niall O’Connor, 22. Stuart Olding, 23. Peter Nelson.

EDINBURGH: 15. Greig Tonks, 14. Lee Jones, 13. John Houston, 12. James King, 11. Tom Brown, 10. Gregor Hunter, 9. Chris Leck; 1. John Yapp, 2. Andy Titterrell, 3. WP Nel, 4. Grant Gilchrist, 5. Rob McAlpine, 6. Sean Cox (c), 7. Roddy Grant, 8. Stuart McInally.

16. Alun Walker, 17. Allan Jacobsen, 18. Lewis Niven, 19. Izak van der Westhuizen, 20. Hamish Watson, 21. Richie Rees, 22. Dougie Fife, 23. Sep Visser.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 88^th competition game)
Assistant referees: Sean Gallagher, Brian MacNeice (both IRFU)
Citing commissioner: Murray White (IRFU)
TMO: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)

Around the grounds – again

So, where will the PRO12 games go this weekend?

Blues vs. Munster – This is a hard game to call. Cardiff have performed way below their usual standards, but I still haven’t seen enough of Munster to call them brilliant either. I think Munster will have just enough. Away win.

Warriors vs. Dragons – Glasgow will be hurt by the internationals, but the Dragons won’t put up much of a fight. Home win.

Connacht vs. Treviso – Connacht need something to kick-start their season, and this may be it. Treviso won’t like the Galway rain. Home win.

Scarlets vs. Zebre – We all know which way this is going. Home win with a bonus point.

Ospreys vs. Leinster – The game we’ve all been waiting for. The first replay of last season’s final, it will be slightly marred by the weakened squads, but will prove which side has better league credentials. Home advantage to sneak it. Home win.