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PRO12: Team for Ospreys.

by

John McMurtry

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Ireland U20 outhalf Stuart Olding will make his first start for Ulster at a sold out Ravenhill on Friday night against Ospreys (kick off 7.05pm).

The 19 year old, a Hughes Insurance Ulster Academy graduate, has made three previous appearances, all as a replacement for the RaboDirect PRO12 leaders.

Johann Muller has returned from injury to captain the side, as has Luke Marshall, who will line out in the unfamiliar outside centre position.

Ballymena prop Andrew Warwick is in line to make his senior debut for the Province after being named on the bench.

Callum Black will start at loosehead prop so Tom Court moves to the other side of the scrum with Rob Herring as hooker. Lewis Stevenson retains his place in the second row beside Muller, despite the return to action of Dan Tuohy who is among the replacements. Mike McComish and Ali Birch get opportunities in the back row alongside the dynamic Robbie Diack.

Olding will be surrounded by experience in the form of Ruan Pienaar (scrumhalf) and Paddy Wallace (inside centre). Outside Marshall at 13 will be Andrew Trimble and Michael Allen on the wings, with Ricky Andrew at fullback.

The bench features 21 year old . . .

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2 responses to “PRO12: Team for Ospreys.”

  1. Garibaldi

    As usual your glass is half empty, if Jackson and Olding were from Oz they would probably have a Wallaby cap by now!
    😕 ❓

    Reply
    1. John

      If they were from OZ they probably would have but it’s completely different conditions, completely different style of rugby and I’d guess a completely different under age set up. Certainly from what I’ve witnessed at various U20JWC competitions that I have attended the southern hemisphere teams always appear more physically developed that their northern counterparts. I can only speak from what I’ve witnessed of these players from school age through the ranks of under age rugby in to the Ulster side and the comparatively short space of time they have had to bulk up has had an impact on their skill set in my opinion.

      It’s somewhat disappointing if concerns about young players welfare comes across as negative but the transition of talented players from Schools to senior rugby constantly needs to be looked at and I believe is being looked at by Ulster Rugby. I don’t think there is anything new or surprising in that statement.

      Reply

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