Looking at that back-line, I suspect Rasolea is the only fit player not involved. Hoyland, Brown, Graham must be injured, as well as Tovey and Johnstone (and Burleigh obviously). I'm a bit less confident in our back three without Graham who had also some experience at FB to help Dougie. Bryce must wonder why he doesn't start but he is anyway a useful substitute, covering all the back-line. The centre combo is really seducing (and they seem to play well together).
Good to see Cochrane starting, as well as McCallum. We'll see if Du Preez recovered well from his drop out of the scotland team. Strange that Ritchie is left out : selection or injury ? We'll see if the scrum improved from last week too : I would have liked to see Suzzy starting as Lay struggled a bit. As noticed by other posters, there's a lot of carrying abilities in that pack. SHC will be there to light some fires and lead the way. Sam will do is best to make us regret his departure !
The bench is not as powerful as last week without SHC, Cochrane, Hardie and co. We'll have to be the one leading when we'll enter the last quarter
, and then Weir will be there to secure the result
with the big lads, Suzzy, Crosbie and Bradbury holding them back.
Ulster will see that one a decisive game for the play-offs qualification. They will put everything on the pitch. This game will really show us where we are. Can we compete against one of the best side in the league, regularly in the play-offs and every year in the Champions Cup ?