Edge in savvy to reverse trend

There's a neat sense of symmetry about Mike Ruddock and Harry Williams going head-to-head at Donny brook this evening as the coaches of Leinster and Ulster in the opening Guinness Interprovincial of the season, for both have plied their coaching skills at tenants Bective Rangers. Just goes to show how the Rangers are a stepping stone to greener pastures.

Admittedly, this series is a long way from professional coaches overseeing amateur club sides, and, fittingly, the pitch itself could hardly be greener or more pristine, as conditions are set fair for the best interpro series ever. True, we went down an overtly optimistic route this time last year (mea culpa) before an anti-climactic campaign. But things are different now.

For starters, there's a bit more meat on this year's six-match, home-and-away championship - whereas before there was more meat in a cheese sandwich. There's also the innovation of a Super 12-type points scoring system - four points for a win, two for a draw, and one bonus point for scoring four tries in a match or losing by seven points or less.

To a point, that's only window-dressing, but there are distinct signs that the IRFU are getting their house in order. The Union have begun to grasp the nettle about setting up a professional representative tier below the international team.

Hence - better late than never - Irish rugby now has four full-time provincial set-ups, with professional coaching and management structures to back up squads of up to 21 professional players each and a supportive clutch of semi-pros.

There's almost a sense of controlled serenity about Irish rugby compared to its kin across the water. Granted, furious off-field machinations over a half-baked British (and Irish?) league and the consequent fall-out for the troubled European Cup have serious repercussions for the provincial Irish set-up. The provinces need the European Cup, and can't afford to be left out of a new league.

But at least the six-series interpros have given the Irish calendar the beginnings of a fixture list - the English and the Welsh can't even agree on that. As for next year, well, pretty much anything is theoretical, but it looks as if there might only be two guaranteed places in a 1999-2000 European Cup, which could therefore reduce this season's interpro qualifying threshold from three to two.

That the finale comes eight weeks into the competitive season, with a couple of European Cup games sandwiched amongst them, will make this year's interpros both far more interesting and far more equitable, as well as a greater test of depth.

As it happened, Leinster used 22 players and Ulster 21 last season in three games, and can expect to utilise as many if not more this time around.

Both Leinster and Ulster, in their ways, are manifestations of the improved structures. Mike Ruddock, very much belonging to the if-they're-good-enough-they're-old-enough school of coaches, has thrown in four debutants this evening, including a couple of 20-year-olds in open side flanker Barry Gibney and outside centre Shane Horgan.

This is a further demonstration of the good husbandry and harnessing of local talent which saw Kevin Nowlan, John McWeeney and Reggie Corrigan all progress through to the international team last season.

Ulster, for their part, welcome back three former internationals - Mark McCall, David Humphreys and Allen Clarke - and two new ones, a bulkier Simon Mason at full back and Justin Fitzpatrick at loose-head.

No less than a year ago, when Leinster won 26-25 with an injury-time try, neither side can expect to hit the ground running. Ulster at least have a game under their belts, against Morocco, on the back of last week's run-out against Dungannon.

As they are nearer full-strength and also have a discernible edge in experience, Ulster are entitled to start favourites. Certainly a straw poll amongst people in all four camps would probably place them first in the pecking order at this teething stage.

Though more of a stamina test than a sprint, a good start is still imperative and, given there was only one away win in six games last year, so is the need to win your home games. Bearing all this in mind, it's arguable that this game, which kicks off at 6.30 p.m., is more important for Leinster.

There's talent aplenty in their ranks. For example, Horgan and Brian Carey head a posse of young centres backed up by the "A" pairing of Dermot O'Sullivan and Brian O'Driscoll. Thus, with a largely remodelled, young side, a good start and the confidence that would bring could more than atone for a relative lack of experience.

By contrast, defeat this evening, with Munster favoured to beat Connacht tomorrow and Leinster then travelling to Limerick a week hence, could leave them with a lot of ground to make up very quickly. Ulster, with three games to come at Ravenhill, might arguably have more scope to make up any lost ground.

They ought to be far more positive than they were a year ago, when living off Stuart Laing's 20 kicked points and intercept try. The forecast good conditions should suit their approach too, safely presuming that Humphreys and McCall will seek to orchestrate the kind of running rugby they've been playing in England week in, week out for the past two years.

Given a reasonably equal share of set-piece ball, much will depend on the yardage haul of the target runners, and here the collision between Irish back row comrades in arms, Victor Costello and Andy Ward, could make the ground tremor.

Much of Ulster's game is liable to flow through Ward, promising a severe test for young Gibney and co. Given subsequent quick ball, then Humphreys is better equipped than anyone to use it, particularly with the under-rated McCall outside him.

Yet we should be wary of babyfaced Leinster bearing gifts, especially if they get a good start. Gabriel Fulcher is a big capture as both a lock and captain, they've a fair sprinkling of potent runners in the backs and though Alan McGowan isn't a noted launcher of the line, he is something of a prolific talisman for Leinster. What's more, his eye for a break can expose any chinks in Humphreys' questionable defence.

Ulster look to have a bit more savvy about them, but Donnybrook, with the sponsors' tent at the ready, the band singing and a decent Friday evening crowd, has the credentials to be their nemesis once more. Beaten in injury-time there last year, and hammered there the previous two times, Ulster's decade-long dominance has been replaced by five Leinster wins on the spin.

They'll be sore about that. and they're due a win. At the very least, it should be revealing.