ULSTER HOST LEINSTER tonight with both sides in desperate in need of points for very different reasons (SkySports 5, 19.35).
The visitors have accepted that an eighth defeat of the season will leave them stranded from the playoff places. The hosts, with the knowledge that Munster should tear strips off Treviso on Saturday, want nothing short of a win to keep them in the chase for a home semi.
What has brought the teams to this point is a tale of two halves of the season.
Since the teams met in the RDS on 3 January, Ulster have won six games from seven; scoring 23 times on the way to a 28-point haul. Leinster meanwhile have 17 tries and 17 points through their run of two wins, two draws and three losses.
It’s been a difficult period for the reigning champion, with players airlifted in and out to aid Team Ireland at Carton House. The greater good was well served, but with little imagination being shown on the field, another Six Nations title is little comfort to players and supporters now.
Emmett Farrell, Leinster Performance Analyst in discussion with Jamie Heaslip and Isaac Boss. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
While Rob Kearney was at pains to stress that the criticism from outsiders was ‘over the top’, he’s uncompromising in his own view of how the province’s second string matched up to expectation in the absence of the frontliners.
“Without a doubt, Dragons home and away and during the Six Nations period this year is why we’re struggling now to get back in the top four,” Kearney says of the double defeat to the Welsh side.
Asked if he expected young and fringe players to ‘step up’ closer to the required standard, his answer was short, but clear.
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“Absolutely.”
Pressed a little further, he added: “I’ve no right to pull a non-international guy aside and say ‘you need to be better in these weeks’. That’s not my place.
“I just think there needs to be across-the-board acknowledgement that that’s where we slipped up this season.”
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Meanwhile, the other Irish team beaten by Toulon this season are a textbook example of blue sky thinking:
“Probably our best period this year was during the Six Nations when we had a couple of super wins,” said Tommy Bowe this week.
“The extended squad was able to get us a bonus-point wins and some key victories that have put us from fourth-fifth in the League up to second-third.”
With a marked contrast in the preparation each team has enjoyed for this clash too, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has resisted the urge to make wholesale changes to a side who went 100 minutes with Toulon.
With Fergus McFadden missing out through injury, the three non-enforced changes for the five-day turnaround see Ian Madigan replaced by Gordon D’Arcy, Dominic Ryan comes in for Jordi Murphy and Richardt Strauss gets the nod ahead of Sean Cronin.
Ulster coach Neil Doak has been able to stick with the XV that defeated Connacht in Galway almost two weeks ago, Roger Wilson keeping Robbie Diack among the replacements and Chris Henry starting his second consecutive game following his heart surgery.
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO
Presseye / Darren Kidd/INPHO / Darren Kidd/INPHO
While many factors seem stacked in Ulster’s favour, however, the recent history between the sides most definitely belongs to Leinster. The eastern province are the last team to take a win away from Ravenhill in the Pro12 and their front-liners will take confidence from victories in the Pro12 semi-finals, final and of course a Heineken Cup final.
When it matters, Leinster have proved ruthless. But with the carrot of a home final, Ulster have the physicality, spirit and the inner drive to take another step towards their ultimate goal, a trophy.
Ulster
15. Louis Ludik
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Jared Payne
12. Darren Cave
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar
1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Dan Tuohy
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Iain Henderson
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Bronson Ross
19. Robbie Diack
20. Clive Ross
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Stuart McCloskey
Leinster
15.Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Ben Te’o
12. Gordon D’Arcy
11. Luke Fitzgerald
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss
1. Cian Healy
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Dominic Ryan
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip (c)
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Ben Marshall
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Darragh Fanning
A tale of two provinces as Leinster attempt to save season away to Ulster
ULSTER HOST LEINSTER tonight with both sides in desperate in need of points for very different reasons (SkySports 5, 19.35).
The visitors have accepted that an eighth defeat of the season will leave them stranded from the playoff places. The hosts, with the knowledge that Munster should tear strips off Treviso on Saturday, want nothing short of a win to keep them in the chase for a home semi.
What has brought the teams to this point is a tale of two halves of the season.
Since the teams met in the RDS on 3 January, Ulster have won six games from seven; scoring 23 times on the way to a 28-point haul. Leinster meanwhile have 17 tries and 17 points through their run of two wins, two draws and three losses.
It’s been a difficult period for the reigning champion, with players airlifted in and out to aid Team Ireland at Carton House. The greater good was well served, but with little imagination being shown on the field, another Six Nations title is little comfort to players and supporters now.
While Rob Kearney was at pains to stress that the criticism from outsiders was ‘over the top’, he’s uncompromising in his own view of how the province’s second string matched up to expectation in the absence of the frontliners.
“Without a doubt, Dragons home and away and during the Six Nations period this year is why we’re struggling now to get back in the top four,” Kearney says of the double defeat to the Welsh side.
Asked if he expected young and fringe players to ‘step up’ closer to the required standard, his answer was short, but clear.
“Absolutely.”
Pressed a little further, he added: “I’ve no right to pull a non-international guy aside and say ‘you need to be better in these weeks’. That’s not my place.
“I just think there needs to be across-the-board acknowledgement that that’s where we slipped up this season.”
Meanwhile, the other Irish team beaten by Toulon this season are a textbook example of blue sky thinking:
“Probably our best period this year was during the Six Nations when we had a couple of super wins,” said Tommy Bowe this week.
With a marked contrast in the preparation each team has enjoyed for this clash too, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has resisted the urge to make wholesale changes to a side who went 100 minutes with Toulon.
With Fergus McFadden missing out through injury, the three non-enforced changes for the five-day turnaround see Ian Madigan replaced by Gordon D’Arcy, Dominic Ryan comes in for Jordi Murphy and Richardt Strauss gets the nod ahead of Sean Cronin.
Ulster coach Neil Doak has been able to stick with the XV that defeated Connacht in Galway almost two weeks ago, Roger Wilson keeping Robbie Diack among the replacements and Chris Henry starting his second consecutive game following his heart surgery.
While many factors seem stacked in Ulster’s favour, however, the recent history between the sides most definitely belongs to Leinster. The eastern province are the last team to take a win away from Ravenhill in the Pro12 and their front-liners will take confidence from victories in the Pro12 semi-finals, final and of course a Heineken Cup final.
When it matters, Leinster have proved ruthless. But with the carrot of a home final, Ulster have the physicality, spirit and the inner drive to take another step towards their ultimate goal, a trophy.
Ulster
15. Louis Ludik
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Jared Payne
12. Darren Cave
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar
1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Dan Tuohy
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Iain Henderson
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson
Replacements:
16. Rob Herring
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Bronson Ross
19. Robbie Diack
20. Clive Ross
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Stuart McCloskey
Leinster
15.Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Ben Te’o
12. Gordon D’Arcy
11. Luke Fitzgerald
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss
1. Cian Healy
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Dominic Ryan
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip (c)
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Ben Marshall
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Darragh Fanning
Verdict: Ulster by 5.
Tommy Bowe: ‘We shouldn’t ever lose at Fortress Ravenhill’
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Guinness PRO12 Leinster Pro12 Rob Kearney Rugby Tommy Bowe Ulster