Ulster Go With Unchanged Squad
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has named an unchanged 27-man squad for the province’s final Heineken Cup Pool 4 game – Saturday’s clash with Bath at the Rec (kick-off 3.45pm).
Ulster currently sit in second place in Pool 4, on a tally of 13 points. Stade Francais lead the pool on 17 points with Edinburgh in third place on 9, and Bath in fourth place on 7 points.
Commenting on Ulster’s situation ahead of their final Pool 4 outing, coach Brian McLaughlin said: “We said one of our aims at the start of the season was to be heading into our final pool game in the European Cup with something to play for, and that’s exactly what we have done.
“So all credit to the players. They have done that and they deserve to be going to Bath with something major at stake.
“Hopefully, with a good week under us and confidence levels built even higher, we can go across there (to Bath) and get that elusive win on English soil.
“Heineken Cup rugby is very, very special. It’s just a different standard. It’s very important to Ulster, the players are all focused on their game and the task ahead of them.
“We know how tough a challenge it’s going to be playing Bath away, so we’re going over there anticipating a very hard game. We will make sure our preparations are thorough. We will be ready for them come Saturday.
“An away win in Europe is something we need in order to take our belief in ourselves up to the next level and to let others see that we are a team that’s steadily improving.”
The starting line-up and replacements will be announced on Friday afternoon.
ULSTER Squad (v Bath) – Backs (12): Clinton Schifcofske, Timoci Nagusa, Simon Danielli, Andrew Trimble, Ian Whitten, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Isaac Boss, Jamie Smith, Niall O’Connor, Cillian Willis.
Forwards (15): Bryan Young, Tom Court, Andy Kyriacou, Nigel Brady, BJ Botha, Declan Fitzpatrick, Ed O’Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Neil McComb, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Dan Tuohy, Willie Faloon, Thomas Anderson, David Pollock.