URC: Leinster v Ulster, Aviva Stadium, Friday, 7.45pm – Live on TG4 & Premier Sports
The oldest fixture in the history of Irish rugby, which dates back 150 years to 1875, has a relatively novel twist of late. For the first time in yonks, seemingly in living memory, not only are Leinster not top of the table, but Ulster are above them.
When the sides met in the corresponding round seven fixture in Belfast a year ago, for example, Leinster sat atop the URC table with 29 points out of a possible 30 from their first six matches, whereas Ulster had won three from six and were on 16 points.
Leinster duly made it seven wins out of seven with a 27-20 bonus-point victory at what is now the Affidea Stadium to open a 17-point gap over Ulster.
But this time it is Leinster who’ve suffered a couple of defeats in South Africa rather than Ulster, who sit two places and five points above the reigning champions in fourth place.
RM Block
“You need to keep working to stay ahead of the rest, and we’re not ahead of the rest at the moment, we’re the ones who are chasing,” admitted Leo Cullen on the eve of this derby. “We’re three from six. Ulster are ahead of us in the league and they always say the league table doesn’t lie. We’re chasing them down and we need to see that in our performance.”
Richie Murphy’s rejuvenated Ulster team have been playing some high-tempo, running rugby and are the joint leading try scorers in the URC this season. Murphy has also restored eight frontliners who were rested for last week’s 29-26 Challenge Cup defeat in Cardiff after leading 26-12 and has recalled the fit-again Stuart McCloskey.
Like him, Jacob Stockdale will also be itching to prove a point at fullback given Mack Hansen, Jamie Osborne and Hugo Keenan are all sidelined, although the latter hopes to be back next month.
Amid the customary clamour for Ulster players to be picked by Andy Farrell, the recalled trio of Rob Baloucoune (seven tries in five games this season), Jude Postlethwaite and Nathan Doak join three forwards who featured in the Ireland XV’s win over Spain last month – Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole and David McCann.
Perhaps the biggest statement of intent though is Murphy affording the explosive Wallabies prop Angus Bell his first start after two Challenge Cup cameos and recalling big summer signing Juarno Augustus.
“It’s a good team, a nice physical looking 15. We came up against Augustus in the famous game we didn’t win unfortunately,” said Cullen in reference to last May’s Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton. “Because they’re in the Challenge Cup and managing certain guys last week, they have clearly been targeting this game. It will show us what we’re made of and we’re looking forward to it.”
Ahead of facing Munster in Thomond Park on Saturday week and hosting Connacht on January 3rd, Cullen said: “We will chop and change in the next few weeks. Other teams will do it differently. There is a chance Connacht and Ulster have already done that and we know Connacht are going to be locked and loaded.
“It’s an absolutely big match, with so much at stake for players, current and aspiring internationals going against each other. There are lots of different themes. Hopefully we will get a big crowd and that will add to the edge of any game.
With a pre-Christmas Friday night attendance around the 22,000 mark, this will still be bigger than the 20,600 capacity in the revamped RDS when it opens for business next season.
In the midst of a 10-game block, Cullen is also obliged to juggle his resources, but with less elbow room after three defeats. For example, Leinster have to target revenge for their Croke Park loss to Munster in October when the sides meet again in the traditional festive fixture in Limerick on Saturday, December 27th.
Cullen makes 11 changes to the starting XV which beat Leicester in the Champions Cup by 23-15 last Friday from 15-6 down at the break, which he maintained was a better performance than has generally been portrayed.
Only Rieko Ioane, on his full home debut, James Ryan, Jack Conan and James Lowe are retained, with Ryan earning his 100th Leinster cap and Conan named as captain. Sam Prendergast is restored as the starting outhalf alongside Luke McGrath.
Paddy McCarthy, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong will be the back-up frontrow in a strong-looking bench also featuring Joe McCarthy and Max Deegan, as well as Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne and the talented 21-year-old UCD fullback Ruben Moloney. His only previous appearance for Leinster was a three-minute cameo against the Scarlets last April.
“We’ve made more changes this week but in terms of mindset, it’s making sure we’re a little more clinical than we have been in the last couple of weeks,” said Cullen. “It will be a proper challenge for us, as will the following two weeks. But that’s what you want, isn’t it, at this time of year.”
Ulster have only won once on their last 10 visits to the Aviva Stadium, and that was against Edinburgh in 2012, and they haven’t beaten Leinster in this ground since its old Lansdowne Road days in 1989.
But their record in the RDS has improved of late, enabling them to complete doubles over Leinster four and two seasons ago. They travel with justifiable belief.
These are two sides who don’t box kick ad nauseam and are good to watch. Only the Lions have made more offloads and more breaks more than Leinster (79 and 61) and Ulster (78 and 68). Given the derby rivalry, the high individual and collective stakes and the favourable forecast, it’s set fair for an entertaining and competitive contest.
Leinster’s bench may help tip the contest their way.
LEINSTER: Ciarán Frawley; Joshua Kenny, Rieko Ioane, Charlie Tector, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; Brian Deeny, James Ryan; Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Max Deegan, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Ruben Moloney.
ULSTER: Jacob Stockdale; Rob Baloucoune, Jude Postlethwaite, Stuart McCloskey, Werner Kok; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; David McCann, Nick Timoney (capt), Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: John Andrew, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Ethan McIlroy.
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU).
Forecast: Leinster to win.
