Ulster Rugby vs Edinburgh

For rugby fans the months of February and March are the weeks of sporting nirvana – the Six Nations in full flow, while the chase for the Guinness PRO12 continues apace. WHEN NEW START BRINGS CHEER!

The sides at the top of the table, not unnaturally, are shorn of many key players while the international season garners so much attention, and logic would suggest that those such as Munster, Ospreys, Leinster and Glasgow – occupying the coveted Top Four places currently - might lose ground as the league reaches a critical phase. But such is the depth of talent in club squads now that there is capable – often international- class - cover in most positions. But in this age of ‘tiny margins’ some sides do lose key figures, though in truth the teams struggling in the PRO12 often feel the absence of their stars more keenly in times of stress. Ulster might not want to be in that category, but its fall from grace in the Championship has been dramatic, from top-of-the-heap in the early autumn to the fringe of mid-table mediocrity, in sixth. Eight points adrift of fourth-placed Glasgow, and seven behind the in-form Scarlets in fifth. It would be facile and unrealistic to think that anything but a great challenge faces the players and management over the next two months, and in the ten matches remaining in pursuit of a Top Four semi-final spot in May. But there is genuine reason to believe that Les Kiss and his coaching team will send out a side this evening which will not be burdened with too much expectation, and actually may feel that the next block of matches can provide a route back to PRO12 contention. Edinburgh Rugby arrived in Belfast still smarting from a 10-9 defeat by Munster in horrible conditions at its new Myreside home last weekend, and Acting Head Coach Duncan Hodge – who succeeded Alan Solomons in the autumn – has overseen a decided lift in squad confidence in recent weeks. A run to the quarter- finals of the European Challenge Cup has meant there is still much to play for this season, and the hope is that the club’s PRO12 fortunes will improve. Certainly there is the quality in the pool to suggest that languishing in tenth place, and finding itself very much in the shadow of Glasgow, does not reflect the true potential of a club which contributed handsomely to Scotland’s impressive

upset of Irish Six Nations’ hopes last weekend. Flanker Hamish Watson was in his element at Murrayfield, while prop Alan Dell stood up well to his first Championship test, and how Hodge would love to have them available at Kingspan Stadium this evening. But he still has a formidable panel from which to select, and with lock Ben Toolis and back-rowers John Hardie and Cornell du Preez stiffening a competitive pack Ulster’s ‘eight’ will be physically challenged, and must look to secure quick possession and stretch its counterpart. Behind the scrum, Jason Tovey is a gifted out-half with a reliable kicking game, and centre Phil Burleigh and Tom Brown are positive, try-scoring three- quarters and scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne may get his chance, the Scottish international pivot gradually returning to full fitness and form. And there is the possibility too that two former Ulster favourites, Michael Allen and Rory Scholes, could be given the opportunity to shine in front of fans very familiar with their pacey, robust styles. From Ulster’s perspective there is nothing to fear but so much to gain. Kiss will hope that perhaps Joe Schmidt will allow some of his charges not needed in green this weekend to get some competitive action, but there won’t be any worries if that doesn’t happen. The coaches remain determinedly confident in the players readily available, and with names like Cave, Ludik and Piutau ready to pose the attacking threat, and van der Merwe, Treadwell, O’Connor, Herbst, Reidy and Henry on hand there’s mobility, power and intelligence in the pack. It’s tempting to muse over the possible debut of South African Marcell Coetzee, so unfortunate to suffer a serious injury at home after signing on for Kingspan duty, but it’s surely far too early to expect an instant turnaround because of the possible appearance of new blood, high-energy though it might be! After a welcome break the players will be refreshed, certainly, but will have been worked

ROD NAWN

hard on and off the training pitches in the last week. The blights of so many Ulster

performances recently have been of an alarmingly basic nature: slipping tackles, poor handling at critical moments and questionable decision-

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