STEPHEN FERRIS was yesterday named in Ulster’s 30-man squad for Sunday’s seismic Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Munster, but more pertinently coach Brian McLaughlin gave every indication that their Lions’ force of nature will be named in the team on Friday and given until just before kick-off if necessary to prove his well-being.
Come the 1.45pm kick-off at Thomond Park, it would thus be no surprise to see Ferris lining up, albeit with strapping and painkillers to ease the strained ankle ligaments he sustained in last Friday’s bonus-point PRO 12 League win at home to Aironi.
While still describing Ferris as doubtful and in a race against time, McLaughlin admitted at their Belfast base in Newforge Sports Club: “As the week progresses we’ll leave it very much with the medics and with Stevie and see how he progresses, and yes, we’ll leave it as late as possible.”
This, he said, is a measure of Ferris’s importance to Ulster’s hopes of reaching a first semi-final since their victorious campaign of 1999 as for the player himself, bearing in mind he missed last season’s quarter-final defeat away to Northampton.
While the rest of his settled team pretty much picks itself, McLaughlin would have a few options to consider were Ferris ruled out. Willie Faloon could come in at openside, with Chris Henry switching flanks, Robbie Diack could start or Dan Tuouhy could be moved to blindside, with Lewis Stevenson starting.
Either way, the Ulster coach was mindful that Munster’s defeat at home to Leinster was a decidedly double-edged sword. “It gives us confidence but you have also got to realise the Munster psyche as well. They’ll be smarting, they’ll be hurting and they’ll be wanting to make sure we’re suffering because of it. We’re under no illusions, it is going to be an exceptionally tough game. There is a lot at stake for both teams. We have to go down there, match and beat their physicality because that is where they are going to be coming at us.”
Given their familiarity with Thomond Park, Ulster ought not be as intimidated as others, all the more so as they will be bringing a full, vocal and colourful allocation of 6,500-plus supporters. They also won there by 37-11 three seasons ago, but as their 42-10 league semi-final defeat in 2002-03 at the same venue highlights – when Justin Fitzpatrick was red-carded – there’s always the risk of them being too pumped up.
“The first 20 minutes are going to be an all-out war. It will be an exciting 20 minutes,” McLaughlin said with a knowing smile, but citing their 19-15 defeat in Clermont Auvergne, Ulster have been proving their big-game away mentality.
“One thing I will never forget as a rugby coach was that day in Clermont. Even warming up, the atmosphere was special.
“Half an hour before kick-off it was electric and that was something the players will use to their advantage. Yes, the players were disappointed that we didn’t get the win that day but it is something that will stand us in good stead when we run out at Thomond Park at the weekend.”
With the additional carrot of a “home” semi-final at the Aviva Stadium, they certainly shouldn’t lack for motivation, individually and collectively, and McLaughlin concurred with Andrew Trimble’s view that their envy over Munster and Leinster hogging the limelight can only be eased by beating one of them in a game such as this.
“If you’re looking at Irish rugby over the last six or seven years, Munster and Leinster have been dominant. Munster firstly and then Leinster laterally. So from that point of view yes, I have to 100 per cent agree but we’re here, we have climbed a lot of hurdles. We are still moving forward and we believe we are in the best shape possible to go down there and get a result.”
Amongst the many intriguing head-to-heads, old acquaintances will be renewed with BJ Botha, whom the Ulster captain Johann Muller has been texting during the week.
“He is a very good friend of mine. I played with him for nine years with the Sharks and a year here.
“This will be my first game against him so it should be interesting. I am sure Rory (Best) and the boys will have a crack at him at scrum time and have a good laugh after. It should be good fun,” he said with a broad grin.
Nor did Muller doubt the importance of his counterpart, Paul O’Connell, returning to lead Munster. “I have played a couple of games against Paul and he is one of the best locks I have ever played against, if not the best. He is an outstanding rugby player and an outstanding leader and that is what he brings to the team. He lifts everybody around him.
“He is probably as important as Stephen Ferris is to us. He is massive. He is a great player and it is difficult just to get another player to fit into their shoes. They are world-class players. They are definitely a different team when he plays.”
As, of course, are Ulster with Ferris.
ULSTER(probable team v Munster): Terblanche; Trimble, Cave, Wallace, Gilroy; Humphreys, Pienaar; Court, Best, Afoa, Muller, Tuohy, Ferris, Henry, Wannenburg. Replacements: Brady/Kyriacou, McAlister, Macklin, Stevenson, Faloon/Diack, Marshall, Spence, Whitten, D'Arcy.
