A TYPICALLY slow-burning start to the season rises a few degrees at Ravenhill tonight for the first derby and first five-figure attendance of the season. That last April’s seismic Heineken Cup semi-final is still a relatively recent memory adds an interesting reference point, as do two wins apiece from two outings under new Kiwi head coaches.
In making seven changes from the Ulster side which started last week’s 16-13 win away to the Ospreys, Mark Anscombe has virtually gone with the team that completed that comeback from 13-3 down as all seven appeared off the bench. Into this category fall Stephen Ferris, who will earn his 100th cap for the province, along with the frontrow of Tom Court, Nigel Brady and John Afoa, which instigated a much stronger scrummaging effort in the final quarter, and half-backs Paul Marshall and Paddy Jackson, as well as Andrew Trimble.
He starts on the right wing for Craig Gilroy rather than 21-year-old left-winger Michael Allen, who he replaced last week.
Although named in an extended squad earlier in the week, summer tourists Chris Henry and Dan Tuohy are re-routed to the Ulster Ravens team which will host their Munster A counterparts earlier at Deramore Park (kick-off 3pm).
Along with the all-round talents of Afoa, Marshall and Jackson were also strikingly influential in last week’s turnaround, Marshall whipping the ball away from the base as well as pouncing opportunistically for the try, while Jackson added real presence at outhalf in coming on to the ball from deep and moving the ball on quickly and with variety to ask more questions of the Ospreys defence.
All in all it looks a strong Ulster selection, and as the match-winning drive showed, Jarred Payne and co have given them more of a counter-attacking option with, it seems, a desire to up the tempo with their offloading.
Similarly, although it’s early days yet, there is perhaps even clearer evidence of an evolution in Munster’s game under their Rob Penney and his backs coach Simon Mannix, with the numbers on their backs after a few phases counting for little as tight forwards and outside backs alike make decisions on the ball across the full width of the attacking line.
As with their hosts, whether youngsters such as flanker Dave O’Callaghan or Duncan Williams and Ian Keatley at half-back, or that remarkable spring chicken Doug Howlett, players also look rejuvenated as new coaches generate a customary pick-me-up.
Over 9,500 tickets had been sold as of yesterday but in light of Anscombe’s selection – especially the return of Ferris on his landmark night – and indeed the return of Conor Murray, Ronan O’Gara and Keith Earls to the Munster bench, that will assuredly be exceeded come kick-off.
“Obviously, like us, they don’t have their full content of players back yet,” observed Anscombe. “They seem to be playing a different brand of rugby; there’s a bit of a Canterbury flavour to it with Rob, and the players, like here, are adapting to that.
“It’s going to be a good challenge, and when the big teams come against each other it lends a little edge to the game. And when they happen, it goes back to the fundamentals, you’ve got to do the business up front, get the quality of ball and play at the right end of the park.”
Barring the long shot of a first draw, there will be a loser tonight, even if the stakes aren’t as high as last April in Thomond Park. That day, Ulster could travel down to Limerick with something of a chip on their shoulders as the perceived underdogs, and had a lead courtesy of Ryan Pienaar’s remarkable boot and Gilroy’s try to keep Munster largely at arm’s length with a ferociously intense defensive effort and thereby storm the most famed Euro fortress of them all.
Tonight, backing up that victory, but also as the home side, they are under more pressure to win.
They may only have six of their Heineken Cup quarter-final starting line-up, but Munster retain only three and with Ferris, especially, back in harness may just have fractionally more about them. And while Munster have had a marginal edge in this fixture over the years in the league (leading 11-10) they have lost on seven of their last 10 league visits to Ravenhill.
ULSTER: J Payne; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, M Allen; P Jackson, P Marshall; T Court, N Brady, J Afoa, J Muller (capt), L Stevenson, S Ferris, S Doyle, N Williams; Replacements: R Herring, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, M McComish, M Heaney, P Nelson, C Gilroy.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett (capt), C Laulala, J Downey, L O’Dea; I Keatley, D Williams; D Kilcoyne, D Varley, BJ Botha; Donncha O’Callaghan, B Holland; Dave O’Callaghan, S Dougall, J Coughlan. Replacements: M Sherry, M Horan, S Archer, D Foley, T O’Donnell, C Murray, R O’Gara, K Earls.
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU).
Last five meetings: (09-10) Munster 24 Ulster 10; Ulster 15 Munster 10; (10-11) Ulster 6 Munster 16; Munster 35 Ulster 10; (11-12) Ulster 33 Munster 17; Munster 16 Ulster 22 (HC); Munster 36 Ulster 8. Results so far: Ulster – 18-10 v Glasgow (h); 16-13 v Ospreys (a). Munster – 23-18 v Edinburgh (a); 19-6 v Treviso (h). Betting (Paddy Powers): 4/9 Ulster, 20/1 Draw, 7/4 Munster. Handicap odds (Munster + 5pts) 10/11 Ulster, 22/1 Draw, 10/11 Munster.
Forecast: Munster to win.
