URC: Sharks v Ulster, Kings Park, Saturday, 3pm Irish time – Live on Premier Sports 2
Richie Murphy’s Ulster produced arguably the performance of the round last weekend when defeating the Bulls in Belfast. But there is little chance to savour a second bonus-point win – their game against Edinburgh a fortnight ago was postponed due to Storm Amy – in an unbeaten start to the season in the first of two games in South Africa.
The Irish province faces a Sharks side that were trimmed 31-5 by Leinster last weekend in Dublin and who managed just a draw with the Dragons in Rodney Parade the previous week.
However, John Plumtree’s side are able to welcome back five Springboks in Ox Nche, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Grant Williams and André Esterhuizen to take the total to nine current South African internationals in the starting team, with Jordan Hendrikse returning from injury to join the replacements.
Plumtree said: “Our challenge this week has been getting ourselves as organised as possible. Luckily the coaches have been very good, they’ve sent a lot of information to the boys coming back in to speed up the [process]. We feel like we are ready to go.
RM Block
“We are all hurting a little bit. The players are aware of what needs to be done but we’ve shown them how Ulster have come on well as a team and will be confident at the moment. The challenge is for us to gel quickly. But we are pretty desperate to get things back on track and it’s got to show in our performance.”
Murphy makes five changes from the side that beat the Bulls. Michael Lowry has recovered from a knock and returns at fullback, Jacob Stockdale reverts to wing as Zac Ward drops out, while Werner Kok comes in on the other flank for Rob Baloucoune. The remainder of the backline remains intact.
Up front Tom Stewart starts, Scott Wilson comes in at tighthead prop while the other alteration in the pack sees Harry Sheridan replace the injured Cormac Izuchukwu in the secondrow. Academy prospect and former Ireland Under-20 international Joe Hopes is set to win a second cap off the bench.
It represents a huge test for the visitors, not least in the scrum where Nche is joined by fellow Springboks Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch, who came on as replacements against Leinster. Ulster just about survived in this area against the Bulls.
If Ulster can get something from this match, it will represent a tidy afternoon’s work and to do so will require them to take chances at times in possession and to avoid getting dragged into a forward dominated collision-fest. Fast and loose is the way forward.
SHARKS: E van der Merwe; E Hooker, J Julius, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; S Masuku, G Williams; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth, M Orie; S Kolisi, V Tshituka (capt), Phepsi Buthelezi.
Replacements: F Mbatha, S Matanzima, R Dreyer, B Hlekani, E Tshituka, J Hendrikse, J Hendrikse, L Am.
ULSTER: M Lowry; W Kok, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, T Stewart, S Wilson; I Henderson (capt), H Sheridan; D McCann, N Timoney, J Augustus.
Replacements: R Herring, C Reid, T O’Toole, J Hopes, S Reffell, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.
Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales).
