Nottingham Rugby team news

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Nottingham

Nottingham hooker Joe Duffey will play his 200th game for the club against RFU Championship leaders Newcastle at Meadow Lane tomorrow night (Friday, March 22 – 7.45pm kick-off).

Notching up the double ton in the biggest home game of the season to date – the second-versus-first showdown with the Falcons – is a fitting stage for the tough and uncompromising Kiwi.

Duffey is in the second year of his third spell with the club, having first joined the Green and Whites in 2003.

While a man of few words, the 30-year-old didn’t need to say much to express how much the milestone moment means to him.

“That many games, 200, is a really big achievement. I’m proud to play so many games for Nottingham,” Duffey said.

“I’ve been with this club for so long – from starting out at Beeston to playing here at Meadow Lane.

“It has been a great ride.”

Duffey is rejoined in the front row by Matt Parr, with the loosehead prop recovering from a leg injury.

The only other change head coach Martin Haag makes for the Falcons’ first ever trip to Meadow Lane – and Newcastle’s first appearance in Nottingham since 1996 – is recall centre Tim Streather, who has recovered from a hamstring niggle.

Haag said: “Streather has been playing very, very well but got injured and that opened the door for Joe Cobden to get a few games and he performed well. We also have Andy Forsyth going well and really at this time of year we are in a good place with players fit and fighting for spots in the starting XV.

“Parr obviously got injured and Jonny Harris came in and did exceptional work for us and it is probably a bit hard to leave him out, but that was always the plan.

“Going forward it is always about who plays well, and this week it is good to have some fresh legs in there because we have had a couple of short turn arounds in the past few weeks.”

Nottingham’s clash with the Falcons has generated record pre-sales with more than 1,700 tickets already snapped up for the Friday blockbuster.

Advanced ticket sales close at 12noon today (Thursday, March 21), but tickets will still be available on the gate on match day for the main Derek Pavis Stand.

Call Nottingham Rugby HQ on 0115 907 0070 for more details.

Nottingham Rugby team to face Newcastle Falcons at Meadow Lane Stadium on Friday, March 22 (7.45pm kick-off):

15 Andrew Savage 14 David Jackson 13 Tim Streather 12 Joe Munro 11 Alex Lewington 10 James Arlidge 9 Sean Romans 1 Matt Parr 2 Joe Duffey 3 Michael Holford 4 Dan Montagu 5 Nic Rouse 6 Rupert Cooper 7 Brent Wilson 8 Alex Shaw.

Replacements from: 16 Shaun Malton 17 Ryan Bower 18 Joe Quinn 19 Tom Calladine 20 Finlay Barnham 21 Joe Cobden 22 Andrew Forsyth.

Muller & Payne return to XV for Edinburgh

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Ulster

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has made seven changes to the Ulster side for Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 game against Edinburgh at Murrayfield (Kick Off 7:30pm).

Captain, Johann Muller, is selected for the first time since February and he is joined in the second row by Lewis Stevenson. Dan Tuohy has been named in the back row alongside Mike McComish and Robbie Diack, who have been retained from the team which drew with Treviso on 1st March. John Afoa has switched back to his regular tight head prop position, with Tom Court at loose head and Rob Herring at hooker.

Jared Payne will line up at full back for the first time since the beginning of January and is joined in the back three by Andrew Trimble and Michael Allen. Paul Marshall is another returning player and he will be partnered at half back by fellow Irish cap Paddy Jackson. Stuart Olding, who has scored twice in his last two games for the Province, will again combine with Darren Cave in midfield.

Nick Williams and Peter Nelson have returned from injury and are named among the replacements. They are joined on the bench by Niall Annett, Michael Heaney, Callum Black, Ali Birch and Ricky Andrew.

Game will be televised on BBC NI red button and online at www.bbc.co.uk.

Ulster XV replacements to face Edinburgh, RaboDirect PRO12, Murrayfield, Friday 22nd March 2013 (kick off 19.30)

(15-9): J. Payne, A Trimble, D Cave, S Olding, M Allen, P Jackson, P Marshall;

(1-8): T Court, R Herring, J Afoa, J Muller, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, M McComish, R Diack;

Replacements (16-23): N Annett, C Black, R Lutton, N Williams, A Birch, M Heaney, R Andrew, P Nelson.

Ospreys team to face NG Dragons

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Ospreys

Head Coach, Steve Tandy, said:

“It’s great to be back at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night, for a big Welsh derby, and to welcome home our international boys after they did so well in the Six Nations. Last season, they came back to us off the back of a Grand Slam and provided the impetus to build on the work done by the core group while they were away that allowed us to kick on and win the league. Having won the Six Nations again thanks to a great victory against England on Saturday we’ll be looking for the boys to have a similar impact this time.

“We’ve got a lot of work still to do if we are going to secure a place in the top four but what is really pleasing is the attitude of the boys coming back. I spoke to them all after Saturday and everyone of them wanted to be involved in this game, they couldn’t wait to get back to their region, with their team-mates, and roll their sleeves up for the cause.

“It’s going to be tough, on Friday night and over the next five games. We aren’t going to worry about who else does what over the coming weeks, we’ll just focus on our own game, control what we can, and make sure that everybody gives what they can. If we are well prepared, focused on the job in hand and get the performance level where it needs to be then we believe in ourselves to get the job done.

“With only two home games left we’re hoping for a good crowd at both games. It’s a great opportunity for supporters to get behind the cause and really make a difference to the play-off chase.”

Team

The Ospreys team to play Newport Gwent Dragons at Liberty Stadium on Friday 22nd March, KO 19.05, is as follows:

15 Richard Fussell

14 Tom Habberfield

13 Jonathan Spratt

12 Ashley Beck

11 Tom Isaacs

10 Dan Biggar

9 Kahn Fotuali’i

1 Ryan Bevington

2 Richard Hibbard

3 Adam Jones

4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)

5 Ian Evans

6 James King

7 Justin Tipuric

8 Jonathan Thomas

REPLACEMENTS

16 Scott Baldwin

17 Duncan Jones

18 Dmitri Arhip

19 Lloyd Peers

20 George Stowers

21 Rhys Webb

22 Matthew Morgan

23 Ben John

Joe Bearman was unavailable for selection due to suspension

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Ryan Jones – Shoulder

Ian Gough – Back

Eli Walker – Back

Morgan Allen – Shoulder

Andrew Bishop – Back

Hanno Dirksen – Knee

Tom Smith – Groin

Joe Rees – Neck

Aaron Jarvis – Knee

Forthcoming Fixtures

Sat 30 Mar – 17.15KO – Cardiff Blues v Ospreys – RaboDirect PRO12

Sat 13 Apr – 18.30KO – Ospreys v Benetton Treviso – RaboDirect PRO12

Fri 19 Apr – 19.35KO – Glasgow v Ospreys – RaboDirect PRO12

Fri 3 May – 19.45KO – Leinster v Ospreys – RaboDirect PRO12

Scarlets looking to stay in top four race as they take on Italian side Zebre

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in Scarlets

The Scarlets travel to Italy on Friday night to take on Zebre for the first of five crucial games in their bid to gain a play-off place in the top four of the RaboDirect PRO12.

Zebre have lost all 23 matches they have played this season in all competitions, eight by seven points or less. Scarlets only defeat in the last four rounds of RaboDirect PRO12 play was 5-32 to Leinster in Dublin on 23 February.

The West Wales region have slipped up in Italy this season, going down 20-22 at Treviso on 29 September however the Scarlets won 22-13 when the two sides met in round 8 of this season’s RaboDirect PRO12.

After a two-week break in regional fixture action, the Scarlets have combined a few days break for players to refresh minds with training days at Parc y Scarlets to stay sharp and ensure the momentum built before the break wasn’t derailed.

And it’s been a healthy break from match action for the Scarlets squad, according to their Head Coach Simon Easterby, who said that this week’s full training sessions had showed that some time off had re-energised his team.

Back into the Scarlets starting line-up come three Welsh internationals, with Liam Williams moving to the wing as Gareth Owen returns from injury to take up the full-back spot after an impressive run of games earlier this year; Aaron Shingler starts in the back row alongside experienced colleagues Johnathan Edwards and captain Rob McCusker and Matthew Rees starts at hooker with another set of experienced Scarlets campaigners in the front row – props Phil John and Deacon Manu.

Wales international centre Scott Williams is on the Scarlets bench for some added strike power and Aled Davies get the number nine jersey to start with Owen Williams at outside half and impressive Wales 20 scrum-half talent Rhodri Williams on the bench.

Simon Easterby said: “We needed to finish the last block of rugby with a win which we secured against Edinburgh and the boys have benefitted from the chance to rest a few tired, bruised and battered bodies as well as the opportunity to clear their heads a little.

“It’s been a very positive week back in full training at Parc y Scarlets, with the boost of the international players coming back energised by their victory in the Six Nations and we are now clearly focused as a group on these next five games which we have to win to retain our control on a top four finish.

“During the international window, the players who remained at Parc y Scarlets shown real commitment and we have kept us in a good position.  We have to respect all the teams we play now and that includes how we approach our challenge against Zebre on Friday night.

“Zebre may have lost a lot of games this year but have come very close to teams at nearly every point – so we have to be really focused on our job in hand as players and as coaches. They will be very competitive and we will not be going out there underestimating what we need to do to get a result. 

“The Italian players will be very upbeat after Italy’s finish to the Six Nations and with that they will post a real threat to us and our ability to retain our control on our play-off ambitions.

“They’re well-coached and we are going to have to be really up for this and need a strong performance to get the result we need.

“We’ve hopefully managed time off with some good rugby preparation as well with our players – we will see the response to that on Friday night.”

“A play-off place is still in our control and that’s up to us to follow through with that now with results.”

Easterby said an exciting finish to the season was really building: “There is plenty to go in terms of the fixtures left, we have to play Glasgow and a lot of the top placed sides still have to play each other – so it’s going to be about points taken from taken from sides as well as the ones you win.  We are in the mix and it’s great that there is still so much to play for in the short amount of games left; we have potentially a really good run in.”

Scarlets Team v Zebre Friday March 22nd 2013 kick off 7pm at Stadio XXV Aprile; 15 Gareth Owen 14 Liam Williams, 13 Gareth Maule, 12 Adam Warren, 11 Andy Fenby, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Phil John, 2 Matthew Rees, 3 Deacon Manu, 4 George Earle, 5 Johan Synman, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Rob McCusker (capt)

Replacements: 16 Emyr Phillips, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse,  19 Jake Ball,  20 Sione Timani, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Scott Williams.

Wales internationals Ken Owens, Jon Davies and George North are rested following their intense campaigns during the Six Nations. The Scarlets internationals are expected to return for the big Double Header Welsh regions fixture ‘Judgment Day’ at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday March 30th (kick off 2.30pm Dragons v Scarlets & 5.15pm Blues v Ospreys).

Injured Scarlets players not available for selection include:  Rhys Priestland (Achilles), Josh Turnbull (shoulder), Tavis Knoyle (wrist), Samson Lee (back), Jordan Williams (pectoral), Richard Kelly (hand).

Muller, Williams and Payne included in Ulster squad for Edinburgh clash

Posted on Mar 19, 2013 in Edinburgh

Johann Muller, Nick Williams and Jared Payne have all recovered from injury and have been included in the Ulster squad for Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 game against Edinburgh at Murrayfield (Kick Off 7:30pm).

Ulster Head Coach, Mark Anscombe, has also named Paddy Jackson and Paul Marshall who represented Ireland against Italy in the RBS 6 Nations last weekend.

Iain Henderson and Luke Marshall both suffered injuries on international duty and therefore miss the game. Henderson suffered a foot injury and will be assessed later today. Luke Marshall sustained concussion against Italy and will be monitored over the next seven days.

Ulster are second in the RaboDirect PRO12, level on points with leaders Glasgow Warriors, going into the round 18 matches.

Extended Ulster squad to face Edinburgh in the RaboDirect PRO12, Friday 22nd March, Murrayfield, 7.30pm;

Forwards (14)

Neil McComb, Callum Black, John Afoa, Robbie Diack, Mike McComish, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Johann Muller, Nick Williams, Rob Herring, Niall Annett, Ricky Lutton, Tom Court, Nigel Brady;

Backs (11)

Ricky Andrew, Jared Payne, Michael Allen, Paul Marshall, Peter Nelson, Michael Heaney, Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble, Niall O’Connor.