Sport

Ulster need to step up a few gears

RUGBY EUROPEAN CUP: Ulster v Stade Francais  Ravenhill - 3

Sat Oct 11 2008 - 01:00

RUGBY EUROPEAN CUP: Ulster v Stade Francais Ravenhill - 3.30 AN APPRECIABLE chasm in form separates today's combatants as they jostle for an ideal opening salvo in the Heineken Cup, writes John O'Sullivan

Stade Français have won all their seven matches to date and sit atop the French Championship table. Ulster beat Edinburgh to record a first win this season last time out. They'll need to improve appreciably today.

Ulster coach Matt Williams welcomes Paddy Wallace back after a hamstring injury. The latter will partner the former underage international Darren Cave at centre. Niall O'Connor will wear the number 10 jersey.

Cave is an Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam contemporary of Munster's Keith Earls and possesses the attributes to progress to senior Test level.

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Williams's decision to omit the Fijian Timoci Nagusa from the team and bench means while there is plenty of cover for outhalf, centre and fullback, an injury on the wing would be harder to cover. Mark McCrea or Chris Cochrane would have provided more balanced back-up.

The tone for this contest will be dictated by the pack. Setpiece solidity is a prerequisite, as is aggressive pursuit of the French side's ball. Stade Français boast a hugely athletic eight, illustrated by the presence of the Scotland number eight Simon Taylor at lock - but they're not the tallest pack, only Arnaud Marchois being a genuine secondrow.

Sergio Parisse, a "world player of the year" nominee, anchors a back row that includes his Italian compatriot Mauro Bergamasco and Pierre Rabadan. An ankle injury rules out former Australian rugby league sensation Marc Gasnier.

Lionel Beauxis is at fullback and the Argentine playmaker Juan Martín Hernández at outhalf. French international Brian Liebenberg brings physicality to midfield.

Ulster will have to reignite the passion that made Ravenhill an unwelcoming arena in the past. Stephen Ferris demonstrated last weekend he's regaining form, and the veteran flanker Kieron Dawson has been a revelation.

For Ulster to prevail they'll need the pack to provide the platform for O'Connor to control the game. Stade's record this season doesn't need embellishment and on the basis of that form, they must be favoured to break a losing sequence at Ravenhill.

Match Statistics

ULSTER:B Cunningham; C Schifcofske, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble; N O'Connor, I Boss; T Court, R Best (capt), BJ Botha; E O'Donoghue, R Caldwell; S Ferris, K Dawson, R Diack. Replacements: N Brady, J Fitzpatrick, C Del Fava, M McCullough, C Willis, I Humphreys, P Steinmetz.

STADE FRANCAIS:L Beauxis; J Arias, G Bousses, B Liebenberg, J Saubade; J M Hernandez, N Oelschig; R Roncero, D Szarzewski, D Attoub; A Marchois, S Taylor; M Bergamasco, P Rabadan, S Parisse. Replacements: M Blin, S Marconnet, P Vigouroux, J Leguizamon, T Bouhraoua, M Bastareaud, D Camara.

Referee:N Owens (Wales).

Previous meetings:1999-2000 (HC semi-final): At Ravenhill - Ulster 33 Stade Français 27. 2001-2002 (Pool): At Stade Jean Bouin - Stade Français 40 Ulster 11. At Ravenhill - Ulster 19 Stade Français 16.

2003-2004 (Pool): At Ravenhill - Ulster 22 Stade Français 20. At Stade Jean Bouin - Stade Français 13 Ulster 10. 2004-2005 (Pool): At Stade Jean Bouin - Stade Français 30 Ulster 10. At Ravenhill - Ulster 18 Stade Français 10.

Betting(Paddy Power): 11/4 Ulster, 22/1 draw, 1/4 Stade Français.

Handicap (Ulster plus 9 points): Ulster 11/10, draw 22/1, Stade Français 11/10 Verdict: Stade Français to win.