URC: Ulster v Munster, Affidea Stadium, Saturday, 5.30pm – Live on Premier Sports
Interprovincials have a unique charm, one that’s predicated on the number of layers with which it’s possible to examine a contest.
First, there is the collective performance of the respective teams, before drilling down to individual tussles, and finally the result, all wrapped in an 80-minute bow.
Then there is the broader context. What will Ireland head coach Andy Farrell glean? No one talks directly or publicly about that in the build-up to the match, but it hovers in the background. The Irish squad for the Nations Championship games in November will be announced on Wednesday week.
Tadhg Beirne returns to captain Munster in this United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture, his first outing of the season, and he is joined in the secondrow by the promising Evan O’Connell.
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Two of the summer signings, hooker Marnus van der Merwe and tighthead prop Kieran Brookes, have already made a positive impression, namechecked by head coach Clayton McMillan.
The New Zealander has pointed to the manner in which his team excelled against the Bulls in the scrum, an area that he conceded was “problematic” last season, before saying: “We feel like we have recruited really well, even though we were criticised for some of those recruitments over the summer.”
McMillan singled out another summer recruit, tighthead prop Jack Aungier, as his team’s player of the match against the Bulls. He starts on the bench.
Ulster, too, had their scrum issues last season and it’s interesting that a Munster old boy, South African-born, Irish-qualified Keynan Knox, starts alongside captain and hooker Tom Stewart and Eric O’Sullivan.
Irish international Tom O’Toole is on the bench, ostensibly covering loosehead, with 21-year-old Tom McAllister, a former age-grade international with eight Ulster appearances and two starts, slated to cover the other side – although head coach Richie Murphy might be less linear in choosing how he refreshes the frontrow resources.
The lineout will also inform who gets to play off a decent platform. Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu, playing in the backrow, and Munster’s Jack O’Donoghue are standout exponents, irrespective of the throw. The backrows are built along similar lines, a power carrier at eight and good athletes at six and seven.
The two benches contain a selection of the best backrow prospects in Irish rugby: James McNabney and David McCann for the home side and Brian Gleeson in the red of Munster. Then there is John Hodnett, who rarely disappoints in unearthing game-changing moments. McMillan’s 6-2 split is a gamble, but he’ll argue that it’s shrewdly calculated in anticipation of where the wear and tear will be keenest.
Jimmy Duffy, Ulster’s forwards coach last season, and now Munster’s, will bring a certain “intel”, while another visiting assistant coach, Jared Payne, was once revered as a player in Belfast.
The respective scrumhalves Nathan Doak and Craig Casey are Ireland squadmates and contest the backup role to Jamison Gibson-Park. It will be instructive to note who has the bigger influence on proceedings, but it will come down to the platform provided by the respective packs.
Indeed the performances of four number nines, including replacements Ben O’Donovan (Munster) and Matthew Devine (Ulster), will be of short- to medium-term interest to Farrell.
McMillan took time during the week to explain how well JJ Hanrahan played against Glasgow as he has returned to the 10 jersey in place of last week’s player-of-the-match Charlie O’Shea. The 20-year-old O’Shea took his chance and will no doubt be looking for a standout cameo when summoned.
When Ulster are humming, Jack Murphy is intrinsically involved in decision-making and distribution. The returning Ireland international Stuart McCloskey will offer a benchmarking process for Dan Kelly and Alex Nankivell, who are fluid in a positional sense.
Irish-qualified Jamie Benson gets a chance to show his versatility by moving one position to outside centre, while there are few more potent wings in the URC than Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale. Ethan McIlroy has the pace and footwork to break open a game.
Munster’s edge out wide is different, but in Shane Daly and Seán O’Brien they possess players who bring a consistent quality. Fullback Ben O’Connor has the talent to be a factor if given some decent ball. The visitors’ bench has an edge in experience in the forwards, but Ulster have the jet-heeled Chay Mullins in reserve.
Both teams appreciably stepped up the quality last weekend from week one, Munster in beating the Bulls, Ulster in earning a draw in Glasgow.
The key for Munster is to squeeze in the set piece and get their hosts to overplay off slow ball. For Ulster it’s about front-foot, high-tempo possession and getting to width. The team that gets closer to those goals will prevail. The odds suggest that Ulster are favourites to do so.
ULSTER: E McIlroy; R Baloucoune, J Benson, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, T Stewart (capt), K Knox; B Donnell, E Snyman; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, J Augustus. Replacements: H Walker, T O’Toole, T McAllister, J McNabney, D McCann, M Devine, J Flannery, C Mullins.
MUNSTER: B O’Connor; S Daly, A Nankivell, D Kelly, S O’Brien; JJ Hanrahan, C Casey; J Loughman, M van der Merwe, K Brookes; E O’Connell, T Beirne (capt); J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, G Coombes. Replacements: D Barron, J Wycherley, J Aungier, T Ahern, B Gleeson, B O’Donovan, C O’Shea, J Hodnett.
Referee: C Evans (Wales).
