URC: Ulster v Benetton Rugby, Kingspan Stadium, Friday, 7.35 – Live on RTÉ2, BBC2 and Premier Sports 1
If Ulster are as determined as they claim to be serious contenders for the URC playoffs, then the time is now to begin elbowing their way back into the top eight.
With four rounds remaining and precious little evidence that Richie Murphy’s 10th-placed side are functioning as they should in terms of performance, nevermind the off-field issues, the latest being Steven Kitshoff’s permanent return home for knee surgery, there is a real sense that Ulster’s season could be about to slide away from them.
Their two wins from five games in all competitions since Murphy came in as interim head coach have been anything but convincing efforts, while the implosion at Clermont in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals looked particularly concerning.
It all certainly suggests that their bid for knockout rugby in the league with its accompanying and essential qualification for next season’s Champions Cup – they will need to finish seventh at least should the Sharks claim the Challenge Cup – might yet prove too difficult a terrain to negotiate for this year of tumult in Belfast.
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They did manage to beat Cardiff last Friday but only just and the four points from the 19-17 result came through several controversial decisions from the match officials. And then, due to other outcomes, the province still managed to slip out of the top eight.
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Helpfully for Ulster, there is only a three-point spread between themselves and Friday night’s opponents Benetton Rugby who are mid-table and turning out at the Kingspan with four straight victories in all competitions at their backs.
Though Marco Bortolami’s squad may have one eye on next weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final at Gloucester, they still look strong enough for this encounter, with Michele Lamaro leading them. Especially so against an Ulster side not only low on confidence but increasingly having to mine the depths of their squad due to a swathe of injuries which have robbed Murphy of Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Nick Timoney, Tom O’Toole, James Hume, Kieran Treadwell, Marty Moore, Nathan Doak and Kitshoff.
Will Addison is handed a start at 13 in the wake of Hume’s likely season-ending injury, while with Kitshoff gone the mostly unused Eric O’Sullivan gets another outing as starting loosehead prop.
In the backrow, Reuben Crothers is brought in at openside flanker for his first involvement since last November and in a situation where Ulster’s breakdown work has been notably poor.
On the bench, the soon to retire Luke Marshall, the rarely deployed Greg Jones and prop James French - last seen five months ago - are expected to provide impact.
All this places quite the burden on Ulster’s go-to players such as John Cooney, David McCann and the returning Stuart McCloskey, though there have been encouraging signs from the recent performances of younger forwards Harry Sheridan and tighthead prop Scott Wilson, the latter in his breakthrough year from the Ulster academy.
“This is a big game, they are a physical side, and they’ll bring a lot of dominance around the set-piece which is obviously something we’ve been going after with Fogs [Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty] coming in,” said 21-year-old Wilson who has been combining playing for the senior team with his final year at teacher training college.
“It was a tight game last week [against Cardiff] where we showed what we’re capable of but not finishing out opportunities, so hopefully that’s something we can go and out and do this week.”
Wilson has thrived after being brought in as emergency injury cover against Munster last November, with the former Ireland U20s player forging a reputation as a strong scrummager and ball-carrying option.
An all too rare uplifting tale from the northern province, Wilson has praised Murphy’s input in assisting with his confidence.
“I have probably felt out of my depth in certain aspects of the game, but I’ve known Richie a long time having been with him in Ireland U20s and have kept in contact with him since.
“He says that I have got all his faith and that he believes in what I’m capable of doing so it’s just about me going out and doing what I’m capable of doing.”
If ever Ulster needed a collective effort to gel, it is now.
ULSTER: M Lowry; R Baloucoune, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; E O’Sullivan, T Stewart, S Wilson; H Sheridan, A O’Connor (capt); D Ewers, R Crothers, D McCann
Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, J French, C Izuchukwu, G Jones, D Shanahan, L Marshall, E McIlroy
BENETTON: J Umaga; L Marin, T Menoncello, M Zanon, R Smith; T Albornoz, A Uren; T Gallo, G Nicotera, S Ferrari; S Scrafton, E Iachizzi; A Izekor, M Lamaro (capt), L Cannone.
Replacements: G Lucchesi, I Nemer, T Pasquali, N Cannone, R Favretto, T Halafihi, A Garbisi, F Drago
Referee: S Grove-White (SRU)
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