Edinburgh team for Celtic Cup final announced
17 December 2003
The two Simons, Cross and Webster, are back to full fitness and will start in Edinburgh's team to face Ulster in Saturday's Celtic Cup final, kicking off at 2.30. Hugo Southwell and Ally Hogg drop out of the lineup that comfortably beat the Ospreys away last Friday in the Heineken Cup.
The only slight surprise in the Gunners' XV sees Craig Smith relegated to the bench, with Ramin Mathieson coming in at tighthead. The move is likely to be aimed at bolstering the Edinburgh scrummage, which will have to look to its laurels in the set-piece against an Ulster pack featuring South African Robbie Kempson.
The Edinburgh front-row coped well in the scrum when they visited Ravenhill in the Celtic League last season, however, and have also fronted up against Munster and Toulouse in recent weeks. If they can achieve parity in the set-piece, they should be just a little too strong for Ulster on the day, despite the men from the Province being notionally the "home" team following a coin toss by SRU president, Bert Duffy, in Belfast.
Todd Blackadder, Edinburgh Rugby captain, commented: "It's a big game for us this weekend and we know we have to go out and work hard. Ulster are going to be a tough team to beat but we are going to give it our best shot and hopefully give the crowd a good game to watch."
Ulster have made two changes to the side that beat Stade Francais at Ravennhill, with Wallace coming in for Cunningham at full-back, and Mustchin replacing Ireland cap Longwell in the second row. From an Edinburgh point of view, it is perhaps encouraging that their Australian tormentor-in-chief from the 41-3 defeat at Meadowbank, hat-trick hero Ryan Constable, is out through injury. Some reservations have been expressed in Belfast about Wallace's ability under the high ball, although he is an exciting runner.
Edinburgh: Lee; Webster, Di Rollo, Laney, Joiner; Paterson, Blair; Jacobsen, Hall, Mathieson, Hines, Murray, Blackadder (captain), Taylor, Cross. Subs: Kelly, Smith, Kellock, Hogg, Burns, Dickson, Southwell.
Ulster: Wallace; Topping, Stewart, Steinmetz, Howe; Humphreys, Doak; Kempson, Sexton, S Best, Frost, Mustchin, Ward (captain), Wilson, N Best. Subs: Shields, Moore, McCullough, McWhirter, Campbell, Larkin, Cunningham