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Yes, the chase for the Guinness PRO12 title is
well-and-truly ‘on’, some expected challengers
have dropped off the radar, others – many of
them familiar – are navigating the demands of the
Six Nations to keep their hopes alive.
Ulster, for so long the leading side, finds itself in
a position where it must hunt down the teams
at the moment in pole position for a place in
the play-offs. Recent results have been very
satisfactory, players have responded to the
task of claiming a top four place by the end of
the regular season when current table-toppers
Leinster visit Kingspan Stadium on Saturday,
6th May.
That fixture could have even more at stake than
is commonplace when these two fierce, historic
Irish rivals meet. But in the coming weeks, just
how important that game will be to Ulster will be
decided by its performances and results against
others, and tonight’s encounter in Belfast is one
which might appear less formidable but it is
certainly no less critical to any trophy aspirations.
The trio of games in a fortnight against Italy’s
best continues tonight with the visit of Treviso,
and for understandable reasons supporters
believe that given the ‘maximums’ registered
against Edinburgh and Glasgow, and again away
to Zebre on Sunday last, there is the prospect
of edging closer to the Top Four in the PRO12
Championship with another try-bonus win.
The immediate target of the coaches and the
players will be a win and four crucial points, but
such is the fierce competition for play-off places
in May they all realise that only a sound forward
platform can release a free-scoring backline to
pluck those precious ‘extras’!
Last weekend Les Kiss, Ulster’s Director of
Rugby, described the 40-17 win in Parma against
Zebre as ‘mission accomplished’, and he was
admirably candid about the frustrating nature
of the team’s performance despite, ultimately,
registering six tries. A great start, with Ruan
Pienaar and Tommy Bowe to the fore in Chris
Henry’s very early touchdown promised much,
and when Pienaar scored shortly after it did
augur well for an Ulster display of ruthless,
attacking consistency.
Kiss said there were ‘some choice’ words in
the dressing room at the interval in Italy with the
bottom-of-the-table opposition just four points
adrift, and certainly there was a sharper edge to
individual and collective application in the second
period.
Against Treviso this evening the players and staff
know that the errors and poor decision-making
at times in Parma will be more robustly punished.
The visitors to Kingspan will hope to have some of
their internationals released by Italy coach Conor
O’Shea to strengthen a team which has invariably
posed Ulster some problems in PRO12 history.
Seven of the Italian squad was in the Italy panel
on duty at Twickenham last weekend, and it’s
unlikely that classy backs such as Tomasso Allen
and Luke McLean, and influential forwards like
Marco Fuser will be in Belfast, but the home side
will have looked at Treviso’s defeat at home to
Connacht in some detail, and will have identified
some of the areas which – particularly early on -
gave the men from the West real problems.
The fans on the terraces and in the seats at
Kingspan will surely be in good voice after three
consecutive games yielding 15 league points and
the pursuit of Leinster, Ospreys, Munster and the
Scarlets - perhaps the surprise packets of this
year’s campaign – demands another big return
this evening. The focus will be solely on getting
the desired result but everyone knows that a swift
return encounter is in prospect against Zebre
next weekend here in Belfast.
The leading sides, those occupying the four play-
off spots currently, are setting a hot pace, but the
fixture list for the next month or so pitches all of
them against each other, and Ulster must be in a
position to capitalise – and be in the sort of form
and determined to come out on top when sides
like Leinster come calling, and when the games in
Swansea, Limerick and Cardiff arrive.
One of the very definite ‘plusses’ of the trip to
Parma was the sight of Jared Payne returning to
the team, and his impact was almost instant, that
calm authority and eye for space and the right
pass or kick producing an important try to settle a
wobbly Ulster psyche.
Votes are being counted, candidates hoping for success, but there’s still
some way to go before a winner can be firmly revealed.
PLAYING TO THE MAXIMUM
ROD NAWN