If Ulster manage to get back on track against Cardiff Blues, they will equal the province’s best ever home unbeaten run in the GUINNESS PRO12 set over a decade ago – a 14-match streak.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, October 23
ULSTER (5th) v CARDIFF BLUES (8th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Team News: Ireland duo Paddy Jackson and Darren Cave have been included in Ulster’s squad for Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 game against Cardiff Blues at Kingspan Stadium.
Having returned from Rugby World Cup duty this week, Jackson and Cave been named among the replacements, with Neil Doak making just two changes to his starting line-up.
After coming back from injury to earn a place on the bench last time out, out-half Ian Humphreys will start his first competitive match of the season. He will combine with Paul Marshall at half-back and will have Stuart McCloskey and Sam Arnold alongside him in midfield. The back-three of Craig Gilroy, Andrew Trimble and Louis Ludik are retained.
Lewis Stevenson (pictured below) is the only change up front, taking the place of Dan Tuohy, who suffered concussion in the defeat to Edinburgh. Franco van der Merwe is his partner in the second row.
Callum Black, stand-in captain Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst will continue in the front row, with Roger Wilson, Sean Reidy and number 8 Nick Williams again making up the back row.
Ricky Lutton and Peter Browne slot back in on the bench, providing cover for the forwards along with John Andrew, Andrew Warwick and Willie Faloon. Jackson and Cave, along with scrum half David Shanahan, are the reserve backs.
Show your support for Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Don’t keep it under your Hat’ campaign by wearing a funky hat to the game. Pre-match entertainment includes a Photo Booth, Deep RiverRock passing challenge, live music in the Clubhouse Bar and prizes for the best head gear!
Ulster v Cardiff Blues match tickets are still available and can be purchased by clicking here.
Meanwhile, USA international back rower Cam Dolan will make his debut for Cardiff Blues after being named in the starting line-up for the trip to Belfast.
Dolan, who has arrived at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park following his Rugby World Cup exploits with the Eagles, is named at blindside flanker as one of four changes made to the team by head coach Danny Wilson.
Josh Navidi returns to captain the team at number 8 with Josh Turnbull, a try scorer in the recent loss to Connacht, moving across the back row to openside flanker.
Aled Summerhill, fresh from signing a new long-term deal with Cardiff this week, is recalled on the right wing and the final change sees a first start of the season for centre Adam Thomas.
Talented Wales Under-20 out-half Jarrod Evans could make his bow for the Blues after being named on the bench. He is joined by lock Chris Dicomidis who is also looking for his first appearance of the season. Jarrad Hoeata, Kristian Dacey, Manoa Vosawai, Gavin Evans, Cory Allen, Tom James and Ellis Jenkins miss the game through injury.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Sam Arnold, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall; Callum Black, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Lewis Stevenson, Franco van der Merwe, Roger Wilson, Sean Reidy, Nick Williams.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Ricky Lutton, Peter Browne, Willie Faloon, David Shanahan, Paddy Jackson, Darren Cave.
CARDIFF BLUES: Dan Fish; Aled Summerhill, Tom Isaacs, Adam Thomas, Richard Smith; Rhys Patchell, Tavis Knoyle; Sam Hobbs, Matthew Rees, Craig Mitchell, Lou Reed, James Down, Cam Dolan, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi (capt).
Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Thomas Davies, Taufa’ao Filise, Chris Dicomidis, Macauley Cook, Lewis Jones, Jarrod Evans, Garyn Smith.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll, Paul Haycock (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 1/8; Draw: 25/1; Cardiff Blues to win: 5/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Franco van der Merwe (Ulster) – “(Losing last week in Scotland) was a big disappointment for us and we didn’t play well. Hats off to Edinburgh, they put in a good performance and unfortunately we didn’t play to our potential.
“What’s nice about this 15 or 16 games is that you’re playing every weekend and it’s not stop-start like it was during the World Cup – you play one it’s off, and then you play two and it’s the same.
“But we are looking forward to this run of games and it’s going to be interesting how we’re managed during the season. Whenever we play at the Kingspan there is a lot of confidence and we know we’re good at home. The crowd is unbelievable and there is a lot of atmosphere.
“I can list a lot of excuses why we lose when we play away but it’s up to the players to perform better when we’re away. We need to get the mindset right and the responsibility to the players right. I can’t give excuses, it’s up to the players to perform when we go away. It’s always nice to think you can go out the next week and improve on what you’ve done or just prove that you’re not a bad side and hopefully we can do it this week.”
Danny Wilson (Cardiff Blues) – “We played some really good rugby last week at Munster and got ourselves in a position to get a result with ten minutes to go. We’ve now to build on that, our attacking shape has been good, and look to nail down these close games.
“Ulster have a fantastic squad with the likes of Nick Williams, Luke Marshall and Paddy Jackson – from one to 15 they have real quality. They are at home, which is where they are strong and it’s a great venue to go and play rugby.
“Results will come as a result of us improving what we do here. We’ve been pleased with the steps we have taken so far and we have gone very close to away wins at Leinster, Munster and Connacht.
“We couldn’t have started the season with tougher fixtures with the four Irish provinces away from home and then Zebre away from home. We have seen flashes of what we are capable of already, but this is a journey we are all in together and we’ve got to put the foundations in place now to build for results in the future.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Stuart McCloskey 24; Tries: Craig Gilroy, Sean Reidy 2 each; Cardiff Blues – Points: Rhys Patchell 53; Tries: Josh Turnbull 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, September 28, 2012 – Cardiff Blues 19 Ulster 48, Arms Park
Friday, May 3, 2013 – Ulster 37 Cardiff Blues 13, Ravenhill
Friday, October 25, 2013 – Ulster 39 Cardiff Blues 21, Ravenhill
Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 28 Ulster 23, Arms Park
Friday, September 19, 2014 – Cardiff Blues 9 Ulster 26, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park
Friday, March 27, 2015 – Ulster 36 Cardiff Blues 17, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster’s last six matches have all been won by the home side on the day, while they are unbeaten at Kingspan Stadium in the GUINNESS PRO12 in their last 13 fixtures since Leinster were the visitors in May 2014
– If they avoid defeat this weekend, Ulster will equal their best ever home unbeaten run in the PRO12 set over a decade ago
– Should Cardiff Blues lose this game, they will complete a clean sweep of losses away to Irish provinces over the last four rounds
– The Blues’ most recent victory outside Wales in the PRO12 came when they visited Zebre in the opening round last season
– Ulster’s only defeat to the Blues in their last six fixtures was 28-23 at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park in March 2014, while the Welshmen have not been victorious in Belfast since April 2010
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