European Champions Cup: Bath v Ulster, Recreation Ground, Saturday, 3.15pm (Live on TNT Sports)
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland spoke out earlier in the week saying that his players needed to train consistently better and that the focus, the attention to detail, had to be unwavering from one session to the next.
The timing suggested an element of frustration in the wake of an insipid display in a 27-24 home defeat to Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship last weekend, one where a late flurry of points could not compensate adequately for the shortcomings or ultimately rescue the result.
During the week, two players named among the replacements for Saturday’s game against Bath, secondrow Kieran Treadwell and flanker Matty Rea, echoed the sentiments of their coach about the need for improvement. The sheet music is therefore the same in house, but will it enable a different tune to be played in matches?
Volatility in selection is partially attributable to what has been a significant injury profile from the start of the season. However, it does not fully explain a revolving door selection at halfback and, to some extent, all three rows in the pack.
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Nathan Doak and Billy Burns will wear the nine and 10 jerseys with John Cooney and a fit-again Jake Flannery named on the bench. The point was made that Cooney did not appear to be happy when taken off during the Edinburgh match, but there are few genuine competitors that look chuffed to be summoned to the sideline.
Irrespective of the personnel, Ulster’s halfbacks must bring high-level management to the game. To do so they require a reasonable platform and that is umbilically linked to the performance of the pack. Iain Henderson’s return following injury represents a focal point in leadership terms, but everyone in the pack has to step up.
The set-piece, scrum and lineout, has to be rock-solid with a fount of top-notch possession. Ulster must be physical on the gainline on both sides of the ball. They need to be subtle and creative, to play at a high tempo and, although it seems to be stating the bleeding obvious, the more space and time that they can create for wings Jacob Stockdale and Robert Baloucoune, the better their try scoring prospects.
Stockdale has been the form wing going forward in Irish rugby this season. Stuart McCloskey has a physical advantage over Cameron Redpath, something that Ulster should look to exploit.
Bath head coach Johann van Graan has revolutionised the west country club’s fortunes since leaving Munster to take over last summer; they lie second in the Gallagher Premiership table.
Matt Gallagher, once of Munster, is at fullback, Joe Cokanasiga and Will Muir provide pace and power, similar qualities can be ascribed to the midfield of Ollie Lawrence and Redpath. Finn Russell is generally worth the admission price alone if he is at his best while Ben Spencer is a talented scrumhalf.
There is plenty of grunt in Bath’s tight five, while a fit and in-form Sam Underhill and Alfie Barbeary mean Ulster’s breakdown work will have to be precise. Among the replacements is a familiar face, Ulster-born, former Irish underage international hooker Niall Annett.
Ulster posses the talent to win but the evidence of recent matches suggests not the form. Bath start as favourites, a primacy they are likely to retain to the final whistle.
Bath: M Gallagher; J Cokanasiga, O Lawrence, C Redpath, W Muir; F Russell, B Spencer; B Obano, T Dunn, W Stuart; E Stooke, C Ewels; M Reid, S Underhill, A Barbeary.
Replacements: N Annett, J Schoeman, T du Toit, GJ van Velze, J Cotezee, L Schreuder, O Bailey, W Butt.
Ulster: S Moore; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, N Doak; S Kitshoff, T Stewart, T O’Toole; A O’Connor, I Henderson (capt); D Ewers, N Timoney, J McNabney.
Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, M Moore, K Treadwell, Matty Rea, J Cooney, J Flannery, M Lowry.
Referee: P Brousset (France)
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