Despite the seven try haul and the difference in class between
Treviso
and
Ulster
, coach
Mark Anscombe
will be guarded when Ulster travel to Italy next weekend for their return match.
A better home record for Treviso, their poor performance in Ravenhill as well as the match being Franco Smith’s last with the club could revive a team that seemed well beaten in Belfast.
But Ulster will also have to learn from lessons in the past, where they have let positions of strength in the pool slip away.
“We’ve got enough experience and we know the fact that there are no two days the same in this game,” said Anscombe.
“We’ll enjoy tonight – but there’s another challenge next week. We’re not at home. We are in Treviso and they have a proud home record.
"They've had some good performances and when they've been beaten it's been only just so.
Quality
"We know that playing teams of their quality and having the amount of internationals they have they are not going to back up next week with another performance like that and we are not going to kill ourselves to think it is just going to be a walk over."
This time last year Ulster had a ‘beware Leinster’ moment. They had just beaten Northampton 6-25 in Franklins’ Gardens and looked comfortable within the pool before crashing by a point 9-10 when the Saints arrived over to Ravenhill for the return leg.
“Respect them enormously at home on their home track,” said Anscombe.
“As Johann [Muller, the Ulster captain] said to the boys in the shed afterwards; we were sitting over in England at this time last year. We were pretty happy in what we’d just achieved. We didn’t back it up. We let ourselves down and it took away an opportunity of a home quarter-final, so hopefully, you learn from your mistake and your hiccups in life.
"I think we have and we'll have our focus and we'll have our heads on in what we need to do. There were things there that were good to today but there are things we need to be better at.
Different challenge
"We've a different challenge next week . . . it's going to be their coach's last game. He's going so he's had a great career there as a player and I'm sure the guys will want to see him off in the right manner."
While the coach was satisfied with the night's work, the bonus point for seven tries and with most of what Ulster did, there were some aspects that need to be tweaked. The post break dip for 15 minutes was one weak area, but even in that Ulster didn't conceded any points.
Lost focus
"They didn't come here and lay down," said Anscombe. "You've got to give credit to the boys to lay the foundation to put on seven tries. But we lost our focus a little bit at the start of that second half. After we came out of the tunnel it took us about 15 minutes to get into our work, which we've got to address.
"But it was a good performance and we're happy. The manner in which we took our kick-offs and exited out of our half was pleasing. The way guys that haven't had a lot of Heineken rugby stepped up - outstanding. "Sean Doyle first start – outstanding and then a few of the boys off the bench that didn't have a lot of Heinekn Cup experience I thought really proved them selves tonight which is pleasing
“The defence in that 22 was good. Set piece was good. The boys scrummed really well. Johnny (Afoa) and TC (Court) were outstanding tonight. It’s good to see them getting into their game again. Johnny has a couple (of games) under his belt now so he is starting to show what he is about.”
