URC: Ulster v Bulls, Affidea Stadium, Saturday, 7.45pm – Live on Premier Sports 1
Both protagonists arrive at this point knowing that what comes next is a definite ramp up; Ulster with just the one game behind them thanks to Storm Amy, the Bulls having banked two wins, but both achieved in Pretoria.
For Ulster this is probably as good a time as any to meet last season’s beaten finalists who will be playing on an unfamiliar surface at the Affidea Stadium as well as dealing with the travel implications and equally uncomfortable climate from the one left behind earlier this week on the Highveld.
Yet the hosts, though presumably fresher after the postponement of last weekend’s match in Edinburgh, could be somewhat undercooked with just one game done and that hardly an overwhelmingly convincing defeat of the Dragons in Belfast.
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While it might appear that the return of double World Cup-winner Handre Pollard to Bulls ranks, on what will be his first game for the club since 2019, and the deployment of Canan Moodie, Wilco Louw and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, from the Springboks 23 who secured last weekend’s Rugby Championship, suggests that the visitors ought to collect a first win in Belfast, things are by no means that clearcut for the visitors.
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Johan Ackerman has made 11 changes to the squad which defeated Leinster 39-31 at Loftus Versfeld which will hardly be ideal for cohesion, even though there are eight Springboks in the starting team, while another factor is that is the Bulls first outing on their three-game tour to the northern hemisphere.
The overriding worry for Ulster is that when it comes to physicality being deployed the South Africans will possess the means to steamroll them allied to Pollard running the show, even when playing with his new team-mates.
Ulster will attempt to counter all this by launching their own South African as Richie Murphy has handed a first start to Juarno Augustus, the idea doubtless being that his ball-carrying and all-round presence will give the province enough front-foot to work off.
The width and smart attacking plays which Mark Sexton has brought to Ulster were in evidence against the Dragons and if the province can get enough quality possession then they have genuine pace and scoring capability in their back three of Zac Ward the returning Rob Baloucoune – who only played twice for the senior team last season – and Jacob Stockdale who features at 15 for this game.
Much will hinge on the experienced heads of Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, and skipper Iain Henderson to keep Ulster ticking over up front while Nick Timoney and Cormac Izuchukwu have to make inroads on both sides of the ball.
Stuart McCloskey will also be key in the option taking while half backs Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy have to be on point whether from hand or tee.
For all their ball-handling abilities, the jury remains out on Ulster’s defence, and this is where the Bulls can get up a head of steam particularly if the game should become a contest of pure attrition in which case its advantage Bulls.
ULSTER: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, R Herring, T O’Toole; I Henderson (capt), C Izuchukwu; D McCann, N Timoney, J Augustus.
Replacements: T Stewart, E O’Sullivan, S Wilson, H Sheridan, S Reffell, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.
BULLS: D Williams; S de Klerk, C Moodie, H Vorster, S Jacobs; H Pollard, Z Burger; G Steenekamp, J Grobbelaar (capt), W Louw; C Wiese, N Janse van Rensburg; M van Staden, M Gumede, J Rudolph.
Replacements: J Else, J-H Wessels, M Smith, R Ludwig, N Xaba, P de Wet, D Kriel, W le Roux.
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU).
