Ulster Rugby vs Ospreys

OSPREYS PREVIEW

ULSTER 10 OSPREYS 7

HEAD TO HEAD

FRIDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2014 KINGSPAN STADIUM

MATCH STATS:

ULSTER TRY

OSPREYS TRY

Darren Cave Ruan Pienaar Ruan Pienaar

Sam Lewis Sam Davies

CONVERSION

CONVERSION

PENALTY

FORM GUIDE All four Guinness PRO12 Unions have enjoyed autumn international wins over the past few weeks, and will be seeking consistency and victories in their remaining games. Ireland are the only side so far to have won both of their fixtures, against Georgia on Sunday, and more significantly against South Africa the weekend before, moving them up to third in the IRB world rankings. Ulster players Rory Best, Tommy Bowe and Robbie Diack are currently at Ireland camp ahead of their last Autumn International fixture against Australia tomorrow, kick off 4.30pm. Initially 119 PRO12 players were selected in the original squads for autumn internationals, the best representation of any world league, but the next couple of weeks will give players a chance to stake their claim for forthcoming Guinness PRO12 and European matches. Ulster’s only defeat in the Guinness PRO12 this season came against Zebre in Parma in Round 4. This is Ulster’s fourth successive home game in the tournament, a venue where they have been defeated only once in the PRO12 since September 2013. Ulster’s single defeat in their last seven fixtures against Welsh regions was by Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park in March. Ospreys have made the perfect start to the Guinness PRO12 season with seven successive victories equalling their best ever start in the tournament set a decade ago. Ospreys have won their last four games against Irish provinces since Munster were victorious at Liberty Stadium in February. Ulster have won four of their last five encounters with Ospreys, although in all five instances the losing side achieved a bonus point with the highest match tally being only 30 points. Ospreys have won in Belfast just once in their last four visits: 16-12 on 8th February 2013.

ULSTER SCORERS

OSPREYS SCORERS

U O

DATE

VENUE

Fri 4 Oct 13 Liberty Stadium 18 12

Paddy Jackson (6P)

Dan Biggar (4P)

Stuart Olding (P) Ruan Pienaar (3P)

Matthew Morgan (C/3P) Ryan Bevington (T)

Fri 8 Feb 13

Kingspan Stadium

12 16

Sat 8 Sep 12 Liberty Stadium

16 13

Paddy Jackson (C/2P) Paul Marshall (T) Niall O’Connor (P) Paddy Wallace (T) Penalty Try (T) Ruan Pienaar (C/P) Paddy Jackson (T/C) James McKinney (C) Penalty Try (T)

Matthew Morgan (C/2P) Hanno Dirksen (T)

Dan Biggar (2C) Eli Walker (T) Joe Bearman (T)

Fri 24 Feb 12 Kingspan Stadium 15 14

Sun 25 Sep 11 Liberty Stadium

14 32

Dan Biggar (C/6P) Matthew Morgan (C) Richard Fussell (T) Penalty Try (T)

11

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ULSTER RUGBY