URC, Round 18: Ulster v Glasgow Warriors, Affidea Stadium, Friday, 7.45 - Live on Premier Sports
It may be a case of happenstance but the presence of Stuart Lancaster’s son, Dan, at outhalf for the Glasgow Warriors provides an interesting aside to Friday night’s tussle. While his focus is on ensuring the Scottish club retain their status at number one seed, a byproduct of a win for the visitors would be in assisting his father.
It is not the only family element to the respective fates of Ulster and Connacht, separated by a point and a place in the URC standings going into the final round of matches that will decide the top eight qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament. The western province lie ninth.
Scrumhalf Ben Murphy will be an integral part of Connacht’s pursuit of a victory in Edinburgh while brother Jack and dad Richie are directly disposed to the Ulster cause, as outhalf and head coach. A difference on the night is that the Lancasters are aligned by a common and expedient wish.
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There are other outcomes which wouldn’t have to split the Murphy family as Cardiff and Munster are also vulnerable when it comes to being written out of the knockout script. Ulster’s date with Montpellier and a Challenge Cup final in Bilbao in seven days has informed Murphy’s selection. Injury and suspension are other considerations.
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He has tried to strike a balance, reflected in the presence of Tom Stewart, Angus Bell, Cormac Izuchukwu, Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy among the replacements. In an ideal world he would be able to use them sparingly if at all.
James Hume is back after injury and is joined in the centre by 21-year-old Wilhelm de Klerk, who is set to make his first appearance of the season having been an unused replacement against the Stormers last week. De Klerk, a talented footballer as he demonstrated in his days with the Ireland Under-20s, has played just twice for the province, both games last season.
Jake Flannery and Connor McKee come in at halfback, while the back three of Michael Lowry, Werner Kok and Zac Ward, all of whom scored tries against the Stormers, is unchanged. Tom O’Toole is back after illness, Harry Sheridan replaces Iain Henderson in the secondrow, while Joe Hopes joins captain Nick Timoney and Bryn Ward in the backrow.
Ireland international hooker Rob Herring returns to the run-on team after a spell on the sidelines because of injury. Lorcan McLoughlin was superb in difficult circumstances in the defeat to Munster and is named among the replacements, so too Ethan McIlroy, who has looked comfortable and accomplished in an unfamiliar role of outside centre.
Scotland international Gregor Brown is one of three changes to the starting team made by Glasgow coach Franco Smith for the visit to Belfast. His return, for his first match since the Ireland game on the final weekend of the Six Nations, sees Ally Miller shift to blindside flanker. Prop Nathan McBeth joins Johnny Matthews and Zander Fagerson in the frontrow.
Rory Sutherland, who spent time at Ulster, is named on the bench. The backline is unchanged. Smith said: “Ulster are a quality team who will be desperate to make it into the playoffs and to continue their run of form ahead of the Challenge Cup final next week.
“We are pleased to welcome Gregor back into our matchday squad. He has worked hard with our medical and S&C teams to put himself in the best position possible. We know that a strong challenge awaits us in Belfast, (one) we look forward to facing.”
Another sidebar to this contest is the battle of the backs’ coaches, Galway’s Nigel Carolan, who does a brilliant job at Glasgow, making them one of the best teams to watch, and Mark Sexton, who has elevated Ulster’s attacking patterns since joining last summer. Neither team is likely to die wondering.
There is no doubt, with the European final looming it’s added a bit of a pinch point in selection terms for Murphy. To control their own destiny Ulster must win and therein lies the rub. How? They’ll have to be solid at the set piece, accurate and aggressive at the breakdown, with the twin goals of earning quick ball and spoiling and slowing Glasgow’s delivery.
The halfbacks will have to manage possession and the game minutiae shrewdly, while the new centre partnership will have to deal with the strong, direct running of Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall.
Ulster have shown oodles of character this year to supplement rugby qualities but with Glasgow closer to full strength, it will take an upset if the home side is to prevail. Getting something from the game is a more reasonable remit.
Ulster: M Lowry; W Kok, J Hume, W de Klerk, Z Ward; J Flannery, C McKee; S Crean, R Herring, T O’Toole; H Sheridan, C Irvine; J Hopes, N Timoney, B Ward. Replacements: T Stewart, A Bell, S Wilson, C Izuchukwu, L McLoughlin, N Doak, J Murphy, E McIlroy.
Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; K Steyn (capt), S McDowall, S Tuipolotu, K Rowe; D Lancaster, G Horne; N McBeth, J Matthews, Z Fagerson; G Brown, A Samuel; A Miller, M Fagerson, Mackenzie Duncan. Replacements: G Hiddleston, R Sutherland, S Talakai, J Oguntibeju, E Ferrie, S Vailanu, B Afshar, O Smith.
Referee: G Gnecchi (Italy).
