Ulster Fry For Me, Please!

Ulster Ravens are the A Team of the mighty Ulster Rugby club, the club with the famous Red Hand of Ulster as its club badge.  They are based in south Belfast and play at the now revamped Kingspan Stadium and from what I have been told from a proud Ulsterman I work with, it really is quite a good stadium now.  Ulster have a long history and are currently enjoying some success in the league and European Cup. 

 

So far this season the Ravens have played twice, losing both games.  Their last loss in the T & A Cup was to Aberavon, Reading the match report, I could have mistaken it for a Yorkshire Carnegie game, three yellows, a plethora of penalties…yeah, it really could have been us playing in the league!

 

The Ravens went down 18 - 14 in the match that was played in Wales.  That means they sit just above us in the League, with a solitary losing bonus point being the difference. During the match they only managed one try and it was scored by Ruaidhri Murphy, however, it was one more than we managed in Scarborough against the ‘Mighty Titans’!  According to their fan site, The Front Row Union, they have it all to do against us on Saturday.

 

So what about us then?  I suspect Ming will keep with a mix of keen, enthusiastic youth and old experienced heads needing a post-injury run out.  I wasn’t there last week, however, according to some, we did slightly better than was expected.  Personally, I would settle for the following:

 

1.No injuries - With the lack of depth we have in certain positions we cannot afford anymore injuries.

 

2.Some of our older, more experienced players starting to spark.  They will be the ones the youngsters look up to.

 

3.Now, I know this one is a massive ask, however, we can all hope.  ALL 15 players managing to spend ALL of the 80 mins on the pitch, at the same time, together!

 

4.A lovely pint of Guinness or something nice whilst watching the game!

 

5.That the Ulster Rugby Shop has the lovely Ulster Ladies Pink Polo shirt in, I have been after it for a while now.

 

Whoops, sorry, I seem to have gone off topic!

 

Anyway, personally, I don’t care about the T & A Cup, I would rather we sort our league form out and start challenging for a top four spot.  However, I am looking forward to seeing the boys and shouting for them, I am missing my rugby this year.  I can’t wait to go to the Kingspan either so if any of you are there, I will be the one proudly sporting my new Yorkshire Carnegie Gilet and probably hanging round outside the changing room (for a pre or post-match interview as I am doing the Match Report, obviously)!!

 

See you there, Marching on Together!