McCall not intimidated by Toulouse tie

Pool Five/Ulster v Toulouse: "We're doing okay," says Ulster coach Mark McCall. As the training day draws to a close and his side's first Heineken European Cup match looms, there are a number of matters going through his mind. This week McCall contemplates the visit of one of the European powerhouses to Ravenhill Road. It's no small concern playing host to Toulouse.  Johnny Watterson Reports

Although it is McCall's job to be concerned, the former Ireland centre is not overly worried as Ulster ride high on top of the Magner's Celtic League with 24 points from seven games played. They now look on the Toulouse game as a challenge as much as a worry. While he understands the days of French teams with aspirations to win the premier club trophy not turning up for away games are long gone, he also believes in his side's ability.

"We've had a decent season so far and the team is in reasonable form," he says. "We've some injuries, which is never ideal, but we have learned how to deal with that. Sure it's always important to be winning matches, which is happening for us at the moment. At the same time it doesn't really count much in terms of Saturday's game against Toulouse."

If luck is getting the former trophy winners in your pool and then being drawn out of the hat first up against them in Belfast, then Ulster have had some luck.

Despite what McCall suggests, early and away from home is not a bad time to get one of the strongest French sides in the competition.

"People have said that in the past," he says warily. "Last season they had their first away match against Wasps and they scraped a draw. I think while there might have been some truth in French teams not going so well on the road some years ago, I don't think it is true now"

Yesterday McCall announced a 25-man squad from which he will make his final team selection. The panel has been strengthened by the inclusion of Simon Best, who broke a leg at the end of the 2005-2006 season against Llanelli and was forced out of the Celtic League decider against Ospreys and the Irish senior tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe (hamstring) and centre Paul Steinmetz (shoulder) also return to the squad following injury but to give them both maximum time to recover, McCall will not announce his starting team until tomorrow at lunchtime.

As usual, injuries entail a waiting game, and in dealing with various pressures over the years, Ulster's mentality has also changed. They have played so many top teams and have beaten so many champions that their meeting with Toulouse is seen as no more or less than a coming together of equals.

"The change in our mentality from maybe two or three seasons ago is that if Toulouse had an off-day and we had an exceptional day we could do well enough to win. Now there is a definite mind-set change. We expect to win against sides like Toulouse and we prepare well to do it.

"The form we are in at the moment is reasonable. It has been patchy from time to time. We stuttered against Munster but also showed we could play some good rugby.

"We've won 15 out of the last 17 rugby matches so we are winning games and, coming into a competition like this, that is important to a team."

With Aussie Justin Harrison established as captain after a first year in which he proved himself more than just a player in the Ulster second row, the pack, most of whom are 25 or younger, have drawn from his international experience and combative attitude. The outsider has gelled the natives.

"We knew we were getting a world-class player when he was brought in," says McCall.

"But the amount of add-on he's brought has been huge. He has helped us in all sorts of ways and his influence on the rest of the born-and-bred Ulster pack has been incredible."

For now at least there are a bunch of positives. Harrison is tailor-made for big games like this and the team will follow. McCall's understated, sensible views rarely make headlines. But you do get the impression that the coach is somewhat less than concerned.