26 / 68
www.
ULSTERRUGBY
.com
24
After a short summer break domestically,
and while our attention was focussed on the
twists and turns of the British and Irish Lions’
adventures in New Zealand, the domestic rugby
landscape changed at bewildering pace.
At breakneck speed the PRO12 conceived two
new arrivals, and not just from familiar shores.
The southern hemisphere is now on the itinerary
of Ulster and its regular opponents as South
Africa’s Cheetahs and Southern Kings join the
chase for glory against many of Europe’s best.
Forged in the furnace of Super Rugby, their
fixture lists bulging with the biggest club names
in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South
Africa, the newcomers add exotica and potentially
extra depth to the league.
To accommodate the recruits and yet maintain a
playing schedule which ‘works’ for players, clubs
and the international scene a new format has
been developed, and anyone who hasn’t quite
grasped all of its intricacies could be forgiven. But
stick with it, please, the sport remains the same,
the number of players too!
There are now two Conferences – or divisions –
and if the whiff of Americana can be smelt it boils
down to supporters having the same number
of games to watch in the chase for a play-off
formula which now extends to quarter-finals. En
route to those silverware-defining weeks next
May Ulster, for instance, will play its Conference
colleagues home and away, it will also take on
both South African sides and – despite their
different Conference assignations – the fables
Irish Inter-Provincial games are all secured in the
new PRO14 construct.
European Champions Cup places will be part of
the ‘prize fund’ – though the Cheetahs and Kings
will not be eligible for qualification.
Still with us? Good.
Now the bit you are really going to like! The rugby
starts here at Kingspan Stadium tonight, Ulster
under a new management team, the squad
refashioned with some exciting signings, and a
packed house hungry for action. It’s the chance
for that uniquely steadfast group of supporters
to roar on its favourites to a season which will
– at last – bring tangible reward in the PRO14
and, given the stated ambitions of all in the club,
success in the world-class arena which is Europe.
Director of Rugby Les Kiss has designed a new
coaching team to realise the potential of a squad
of players which remains the envy of many
clubs but which – by its own admission – has
not delivered the rewards its hard work under
previous managements promised. Jono Gibbes,
the uncompromising new Head Coach, has a
record – particularly at Leinster and Clermont
Auvergne – which he will not easily allow to be
soiled in his tenure at Kingspan.
With Heineken Cup and PRO 12 winner Aaron
Dundon bringing a fresh voice to the counsels
on the star-laden forwards pool, Dwayne Peel
expected to inject new energy to a group of
backs which just oozes international quality,
supporters will properly expect that when the
new recruits have bedded in at Kingspan the
frustrations of recent seasons can be consigned
to history.
The pre-season outings – on the face of it – have
hardly contrived to create the optimism which
does genuinely exist around the Ulster set-up,
and ‘spankings’ from Wasps and Northampton
cannot be dismissed as mere ‘hit-outs’, of no
importance. Lessons will have been learned by
coaches and by players, not least about each
other.
Les Kiss makes the ultimate ‘call’ on selection
and against the Cheetahs the home side which
lines out will not have played competitively
together before this PRO14 ‘opener’.
The impact of Australian out-half Christian
Lealiifano will be scrutinised intensely, and his
ability to get the three-quarters on the attacking
front foot will be crucial this evening and for the
next five months of his stay in Ulster.
Marcel Coetzee and Jean Deysel, whose
experience of the game in the northern
hemisphere could be key, offer the promise of real
heft in the back-row, but these two Springboks
will be asked to play big roles this season, as
will Chris Henry, Sean Reidy, Robbie Diack and
another South African ‘new boy’, prop Schalk van
der Merwe.
These are intriguing time for Ulster, but there are
real grounds for fans not to be fearful about the
challenges which lie ahead this campaign. When
Lions Jared Payne, Iain Henderson and Rory
Best are ready to join the fray the new coaches’
And so it begins, the big new adventure that is the Guinness PRO14 for a
new season – bigger certainly, hopefully even better and more exciting.
CHEETAHS READY TO POUNCE
ROD NAWN