The Front Row Union - Ulster's Finest!

Issue 117

15th September 2008

Ulster Rugby, Cardiff v Ulster Holding Picture.

Pre-match huddle!

Cardiff 16 Ulster 15

My own personal opinion is that this was a much better performance from Ulster. Yes there were still plenty of mistakes, and as the coach said, there was a certain amount of naivety in the second half when they should have closed the game out when but it was really the first time for a while where man for man Ulster were the dominant team.

Watching from the terrace in Cardiff doesn’t always give you the best perspective of the game, particularly if you’ve been sampling the delights of Cardiff for most of the day, but it does give you a good feel for how the game is progressing. The Cardiff fans were definitely worried and in most phases Ulster played the better rugby. Scrummaging skills were better and handling skills were better, the only things that appeared to be missing were breakdown skills and a bit of nous to play the ref and the ability to close out the game. For the first time this season I got the impression that there is the makings of a fairly decent side here.

More here ...

Cardiff Man of the Match?

Rory Best, Ulster Rugby Rory has went into the lead in a close vote for Cardiff motM.

Do you agree? vote here. This is the only award that gives every supporter the chance to vote. No log-in, no registering, no membership, just vote.

Vote now (ends midnight Thursday) ...

Predictions Week 2 Results.

Cooke Ladies The results are out for Week 2 (midweek) and Week 2.

bags is still holding onto the lead, but only just.

Full results here...

Week 3 Predictions here...

Panthers Rampant!

Meghan Hausman, Mollie Martin. UWM Lady Panthers The gorgeous girls of UW Milwaukee Lady Panthers continued their impressive pre-season with a narrow win over local rivals Indiana University 34-31.

Despite constant rain the Lady Panthers and Red Storm Women served ...

More here ...

Good Luck Percy!

Percy Montgomery, South African Rugby Percy Montgomery announced his retirement from international test rugby on August 30th, 2008, after the Springboks hammered Australia 53-8 in their last game of the 2008 Tri-Nations. When he retired he held the all-time records for both caps and points for the Springboks.

More photos here ...

We Know What You Did Last Summer!

Cooke Ladies Well you all will if you read this piece by Cooke Ladies' Emma Lowe.

Emma looks back on the highs and highs of life on tour with Ulster's premier ladies rugby side. (With plenty of pictures!)

Read it all here ...

By Royal Appointment?

Mike Tindall, Zara Philips As I was in Cardiff this weekend I took the opportunity to pop down to Bath with my old mate Flat Top to watch the cream of the Guinness Premiership in the Bath v Gloucester game.

Read it all here ...

Ballpark.

Ballpark, The FRU There is a painting in the Ballpark Art section of this site which I painted a few years back and resided in the archives until one of the featured players in the picture took ownership of it. It depicts the regular starting Ulster front row ...

More here ...

Rugby on TV

FIXTURE DATE/TIME	FIXTURE	TOURNAMENT	CHANNELS & BROADCAST TIMES
Tue 09 Sep 19:35	Ospreys v Cardiff Blues	Magners League	S4C (19:25-21:30) Setanta Sports 2 (19:20-21:35) Setanta Ireland (19:20-21:35)
Wed 10 Sep 19:05	Dragons v Llanelli Scarlets	Magners League	BBC2 Wales (19:00-21:00) BBC Interactive (19:00-21:00)
Fri 12 Sep 18:10	Blue Bulls v Boland Kavaliers	Currie Cup	Sky Sports Xtra (18:00-20:00)
Fri 12 Sep 19:05	Cardiff Blues v Ulster	Magners League	BBC2 Wales (19:00-21:00) BBC Interactive (19:00-21:00) Setanta Ireland (18:50-21:05)
Fri 12 Sep 19:30	Leinster v Edinburgh Rugby	Magners League	Setanta Sports 2 (19:00-21:30)
Fri 12 Sep 19:30	Toulon v Stade Francais	Top 14	British Eurosport 2 (19:30-21:15)
Sat 13 Sep 06:35	Southland v North Harbour	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 3 (06:30-08:30)
Sat 13 Sep 08:35	Wellington v Waikato	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 3 (08:30-10:30)
Sat 13 Sep 11:05	Australia v New Zealand	Tri-Nations	Sky Sports 2 (10:30-13:00) Sky Sports HD2 (10:30-13:00)
Sat 13 Sep 14:45	Bath v Gloucester	Guinness Premiership	Sky Sports 2 (14:30-17:00) Sky Sports HD2 (14:30-17:00)
Sat 13 Sep 17:30	Llanelli Scarlets v Connacht Rugby	Magners League	S4C (17:10-19:25) Setanta Ireland (17:25-19:40)
Sun 14 Sep 18:00	Munster v Dragons	Magners League	Setanta Sports 2 (17:30-20:10) Setanta Ireland (17:30-20:10) S4C (17:45-20:00)
Fri 19 Sep 18:10	Western Province v Griquas	Currie Cup	Sky Sports Xtra (18:00-20:00)
Fri 19 Sep 19:30	TBC	Top 14	British Eurosport 2 (19:30-21:15)
Fri 19 Sep 19:35	Leinster v Ospreys	Magners League	Setanta Sports 2 (19:05-21:30) Setanta Ireland (19:00-21:45) BBC2 Wales (19:30-21:30) BBC Interactive (19:30-21:30)
Sat 20 Sep 06:35	Hawke's Bay v Waikato	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 3 (06:30-08:30)
Sat 20 Sep 08:35	Auckland v Wellington	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 3 (08:30-10:30)
Sat 20 Sep 14:30	Help for Heroes	Charity Match	Sky Sports 3 (13:30-16:30) Sky Sports HD3 (13:30-16:30)
Sat 20 Sep 19:30	Munster v Cardiff Blues	Magners League	Setanta Ireland (19:20-21:40) S4C
Fri 26 Sep 18:10	Valke v Free State Cheetahs	Currie Cup	Sky Sports 2 (18:00-20:00) Sky Sports HD2 (18:00-20:00)
Fri 26 Sep 19:05	Cardiff Blues v Connacht Rugby	Magners League	BBC2 Wales BBC Interactive Setanta Sports 2 (18:35-21:15) Setanta Ireland (18:35-21:15)
Fri 26 Sep 19:30	TBC	Top 14	British Eurosport 2 (19:30-21:15)
Fri 26 Sep 20:05	Leicester v London Wasps	Guinness Premiership	Sky Sports 2 (20:00-22:00) Sky Sports HD2 (20:00-22:00)
Sat 27 Sep 06:35	Wellington v Tasman	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 2 (06:30-08:30)
Sat 27 Sep 08:35	Canterbury v Hawke's Bay	Air New Zealand Cup	Sky Sports 2 (08:30-10:30)
Sat 27 Sep 14:00	TBC	Top 14	British Eurosport 2 (14:00-15:30)
Sat 27 Sep 14:45	Saracens v Northampton	Guinness Premiership	Sky Sports 2 (14:30-17:00) Sky Sports HD2 (14:30-17:00)
Sat 27 Sep 17:30	Ospreys v Ulster	Magners League	S4C
Sun 28 Sep 19:00	Leinster v Munster	Magners League	Setanta Sports 1 (18:30-21:15)