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Page last updated at 12:24 GMT, Thursday, 8 October 2009 13:24 UK

Ulster v Bath (Fri)

HEINEKEN CUP POOL 4
Venue: Ravenhill, Belfast Date: 9 October Kick-off: 1930 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Ulster MW, BBC Radio Bristol and online, score updates on BBC Sport website


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Bearded fly-half Ian Humphreys hopes Ulster can be a cut above the rest when they start their Heineken Cup campaign against Bath.

Ulster have made one change for Friday's Heineken Cup opener against Bath with Andy Kyriacou replacing Nigel Brady at hooker.

Andrew Trimble's fine recent form means that fit-again Danielli has to be content with a place on the bench - with Timoci Nagusa retained at wing.

Bath make four changes to their starting line-up with Ryan Davis in for Nicky Little at fly-half.

Lee Mears, Danny Grewcock and Jonny Faamatuainu all come into the first XV.

Ulster duo Tom Court and Paul Marshall agree that Bath will be a major step up in the opening Heineken Cup game of the season on Friday night.

Hooker Pieter Dixon, lock Peter Short and number eight Ben Skirving join Nicky Little on the bench.

The inclusion of Davis for Little is the most interesting selection as Davis was dropped after the first two games of the season after struggling with his place-kicking.

For Ulster Robbie Diack holds on to the number eight jersey ahead of Chris Henry.

Henry was named in the team for last weekend's game against the Scarlets but had to pull out because of injury.

The Irish international is included in the replacements for Friday's game.

McLaughlin is still without injured trio Dan Tuohy, Cillian Willis and veteran full-back Bryn Cunningham.

Paddy Wallace will continue to captain the side from midfield.

Now sitting second in the Magners League, McLaughlin hopes Ulster will carry their new-found form onto the bigger stage.

"Hopefully we will have the crowd with us at Ravenhill again," McLaughlin told BBC Sport.

"The fans gave us such encouragement against Scarlets last weekend and we want more this Friday.

"While we will not be getting carried away, it is good to start to put a few results together again. We are slowly and surely getting there.

"We are still in a building process and are not quite there yet. I just hope that on Friday night we play with the same pride, fire and the passion.

"It's not a bad brand of rugby we are playing and the consistency is coming back into our game."


Bath head coach Steve Meehan told BBC Points West:

Meehan in confident mood

"It's going to be a nice change of focus as not everything has gone our way in the Premiership. If we hit our form at the right periods there is no reason why we can't give it a good shake.

"It would be a great boost for the players, a great reward for the city and it would be nice to see an English team up there winning it again.

"The referee we've got we had in a pre-season game against Scarlets. We'll look at a couple of his matches since then and see what his interpretations are and what he's looking for.

"You sit down and look at the pools, the teams and the talent and whoever win this competition can be very proud of themselves.


Ulster: C Schifcofske, T Nagusa, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble, I Humphreys, I Boss, T Court, A Kyriacou, B Botha, E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell, S Ferris, W Faloon, R Diack. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, C Henry, P Marshall, I Whitten, S Danielli

Bath: N Abendanon, J Maddock, M Carraro, S Hape, M Banahan, R Davis, M Claassens (c), D Flatman, L Mears, D Bell, S Hooper, D Grewcock, A Beattie, J Salvi, J Faamatuainu. Replacements: P Dixon, D Barnes, A Jarvis, P Short, B Skirving, S Bemand, N Little, J Cuthbert

Referee: James Jones (Wales)



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see also
Heineken Cup group-by-group guide
08 Oct 09 |  Rugby Union
Heineken Cup 2009/10
22 Dec 09 |  Rugby Union
Heineken Cup tables
09 Aug 06 |  Tables
European rugby archive
16 Aug 06 |  Rugby Union


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