Ulster Rugby v Edinburgh

ARTICLE BY ROD NAWN FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND SPORTS ENTHUSIAST @RODNAWN1

Townsend’s Scottish team, unsurprisingly all forwards, and it is the well-drilled pack which has built the platform for players of undoubted quality such as Bennett, winger Duhan van der Merwe and full- back Blair Kinghorn to shine. With Edinburgh boasting the division’s third best defence, Ulster knows it will need to be inventive and aware in equal measure this evening chasing what be valuable, almost priceless, winning points. Last week there was a sort of purging of the darker notions surrounding Kingspan Stadium, the game with Edinburgh should see the positive character of the home squad thrive, especially if the stadium is filled and providing that very special atmosphere Ulster fans can provide. Now they need the rigorous backing with which they’re familiar and which has driven the players to some outstanding demonstrations of skill and character even this uneven season. Optimism can be a delicate flower, that’s certain, but it needs a two-way

nourishment: evidence of what we know this squad

can produce, and a cacophony of vocal encouragement from around this wonderful venue.

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