Rugby

Ulster head off for tough South Africa trip with spring in their step

Dan McFarland will be hoping that Marty Moore, Billy Burns and Stuart McCloskey can all make the plane

Ulster's Nick Timoney is tackled by Jac Morgan of Ospreys during the BKT United Rugby Championship match at the Kingspan Stadium. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Michael Sadlier at the Kingspan Stadium
Mon Oct 10 2022 - 06:00

Ulster 47 Ospreys 17

With mission accomplished from a seven-try dismissal of the Ospreys which barely troubled them, Ulster were already switching attention to their two-game tour to South Africa and the challenges which await them.

The northern province fly out on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s encounter with the Lions in the altitude of Johannesburg – they take on the Sharks at sea level the following week – and will be hoping that Marty Moore, Billy Burns and Stuart McCloskey can all make the plane after their enforced departures against the Ospreys.

As Dan McFarland revealed, the intention is to include all 10 squad members involved in the Emerging Ireland trip to Bloemfontein and they will be – injury permitting – waiting to hook up with Ulster after wrapping up their tour on Sunday.

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“Yes, they [the Emerging Ireland players] will stay and train with us and we’ll make decisions on whether they get to play or not. It will be great to have them back with us.”

As for the lengthy journey they face, McFarland said: “There’s no novelty any more [about going to South Africa]. A long plane trip, hot sun, no oxygen. We know what it’s like, it’s not a surprise.”

Ulster narrowly lost last season’s URC semi-final at the hands of the Stormers in Cape Town and were also beaten in their two matches there in the regulation season.

“And the South Africans starting so strong in the league tells us what we’re facing, the standard of the URC is getting stronger and stronger.

“We know the South African teams will really test us, and they seem to be able to play their first team week-in and week-out,” he added.

James Hume, who has been missing since returning home early from Ireland’s tour to New Zealand with a groin issue, should be with Ulster this week and his impending return looks timely should McCloskey have to withdraw.

McFarland also revealed that new signing Rory Sutherland will be on the flight.

“Look, these are very unfortunate circumstances for Worcester,” McFarland said of Ulster picking up Sutherland for the remainder of the season, “but it’s a benefit to us and Rory really wanted to come to Ulster, and he’s worked with a lot of us previously.

“We know and understand what a quality player he is, and he’ll bring a toughness, a hard edge and experience.”

As for last Saturday’s game, Ulster had nailed down the result by half-time when Luke Marshall smashed over for his second try of the evening, and the bonus-point score, after just 33 minutes, John Cooney’s conversion putting the hosts 28-10 in front.

The Ospreys, missing a host of established names and with Dan Lydiate pulling out before kick-off, brought little to the occasion. And though Ulster were also stripped of personnel this encounter clearly demonstrated just how their depth chart is in much ruder health than that of the Welsh region.

John Andrew and Sam Carter had also crossed for Ulster in the opening 40 minutes on an evening when close-in surges to the line, as opposed to dazzling attacking, were in vogue even though the weather was benign.

The second half saw some disruption to Ulster’s momentum as they were forced to make some backline changes. After losing Ian Madigan at the break, McCloskey also left after his 41st minute try and when Burns went, Michael Lowry was put in at 10 and Cooney ended up on the wing.

Scores still came, though, with Carter surging through for his second ahead of replacement Marcus Rea doing the same and Cooney kicking his sixth conversion with five minutes remaining.

The fact that the impressive Morgan Morris touched down with the clock in red for the Ospreys’ first points since the 27th minute was a barely noticed footnote on an evening which belonged to Ulster.

ULSTER: M Lowry; C Gilroy, L Marshall, S McCloskey, R Lyttle; I Madigan, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, J Andrew, M Moore; A O’Connor (capt), S Carter; N Timoney, J Murphy, D Vermeulen.

Replacements: T O’Toole for Moore (11 mins); B Burns for Madigan (h-t); A Sexton for McCloskey (41); A Warwick for O’Sullivan, F Bradshaw-Ryan for O’Connor (both 52); Marcus Rea for Vermeulen, D Shanahan for Burns (both 61); D Moore for Andrew (77).

Ospreys: M Nagy; L Morgan, O Watkin, M Collins, K Giles; J Walsh, R Morgan-Williams; G Thomas, D Lake, T Botha; R Davies, H Sutton; W Griffiths (capt), J Morgan, M Morris.

Replacements: J Regan for Griffiths (53); S Baldwin for Lake, N Smith for Thomas, R Henry for Botha, C Evans for Nagy, J Hawkins for Collins (all 61 mins); H Deaves for Morgan (66), R Webb for Giles (70).

Referee: B Blain (SRU).

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