Ulster v AironiEVEN a rudimentary knowledge of Italian rugby without recourse to exhaustive video analysis would have forewarned Ulster about the Aironi threat when they present their credentials in Belfast tonight. The visitors will offer a brutish, physical challenge for as long as they spy any chinks in the home armoury.
After that moment passes they’ll be pining for more temperate climes on and off the pitch.
There’s no doubt the two Italian franchises have profited in terms of experiencing higher grade competition from their introduction to league fare alongside their Celtic cousins, but Aironi are still a little way off being as spirited away from their home turf.
Their most recent outing saw them ship 50 points in Edinburgh, not long before a 38-0 shut-out in Cardiff, while in the last game they played in the Heineken Cup, Clermont Auvergne thumped them 54-3 at the Stade Marcel Michelin.
In their two matches to date in this season’s European tournament they have managed a total of 15 points, all from the boot of Argentine-born, Italian international outhalf Luciano Orquera. He’s not playing – a scrumhalf, Tito Tebaldi, wears the number 10 jersey – so if Aironi score at Ravenhill, the player in question will remove the solitary look from one side of the balance sheet.
In a neat piece of symmetry Ulster outhalf Ian Humphreys has contributed all his team’s points (25), albeit scoring a try in the process. It is the latter commodity the home side need to go chasing this evening. They need a four-try, bonus point, a win and must repeat the feat in a week’s time when they travel to Italy.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin will have impressed upon his charges the need to bring intensity, precision and flair to the task in hand. Aironi’s set-pieces, marshalled by captain Marco Bortolami, will be strong and abrasive and it’s an area in which the Irish province will have to be more than competent but providing they can manage that they possess more clout behind the scrum.
Paddy McAllister gets a chance to start at loosehead prop in what will be a tough examination of his primary duties.
McLaughlin has opted for Springbok Ruan Pienaar at scrumhalf, now happily recovered from injury and needing game time. Paul Marshall has deputised impressively but the South African’s extra physicality and shrewd game management should give Humphreys a little more latitude to run the game.
The Ulster coach explained: “Paul (Marshall) is a terrific player and has proved himself over the past few weeks. But Ruan (Pienaar) was the Magner’s League Player of the Year last season so he deserves a chance. His match time has been limited so it will be good for him to get some time on the pitch. We now have two quality scrumhalves.
“It was important for Paddy McAllister’s development to start in a match at this level. And it means we have the option to bring a quality player like Tom (Court) on if we need to.”
Humphreys will be a pivotal figure because when he’s on his mettle Ulster tend to fire. He will need to coax Nevin Spence and Darren Cave into using their running skills. Adam D’Arcy has excelled when introduced from the bench and his intelligent running lines and balance can give his side an extra dimension out wide, where Andrew Trimble and Craig Gilroy have been under utilised in orthodox fashion.
Tonight is about what Ulster does, first and foremost. If they attune mentally and get their patterns right then the result will be a positive one.
ULSTER: A D'Arcy; A Trimble, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; P McAllister, R Best, J Afoa; D Tuohy, J Muller (capt); S Ferris, C Henry, P Wannenburg. Replacements: A Kyriacou, T Court, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, P Jackson, S Terblanche.
AIRONI: G Toniolatti ; S Sinoti, R Quartaroli, G Pizarro, M Pratichetti; T Tebaldi, T Keats; S Perugini, F Ongaro, L Romano; C del Fava, M Bortolami (capt), N Cattina, S Favaro, J Sole, Replacements: T D'Apice, A de Marchi, L Redolfini, G Biagi, F Ferrarini, G Bronzini, N Olivier, G Pavan.
Referee: Andrew Small (England).
Verdict: Ulster to win.
