Ulster's options key to growth

After two early wins, Mark Anscombe has reason to be happy with Ulster's prospects, writes GERRY THORNLEY

AS OPENING hands go, there have been more auspicious looking starts than the one afforded Mark Anscombe. A somewhat controversial choice to replace the home-grown Brian McLaughlin in the midst of the latter guiding Ulster to the Heineken Cup final, he and they were duly dealt three of last season’s semi-finalists with the core of their Euro heroes still wrapped in cotton wool.

Yet, after wins at home to Glasgow and away to the reigning champions, the Ospreys, Ulster and Anscombe welcome Munster and their new Kiwi coach Rob Penney to Ravenhill on Friday for the season’s first interpro with two wins apiece. Early days yet, but David Humphreys must be mightily relieved, while Anscombe himself can only have been encouraged thus far.

“We’ve had two wins, and were a bit fortunate at the weekend, and have grown as a group,” said Anscombe yesterday. “We’ve still a lot of work to do filtering guys back into the mix. But we’ve taken advantage of their absence to give opportunities to some of our younger guys, and that’s been working well but we’ve still a lot of work to do as far as growing the team to where we need to be.”

For all the new coach’s understandable caution, Ulster had been very reliant on their 15 near untouchables last season. Yet 10 of Ulster’s Heineken Cup final XV have not made the starting line-up to date and only two, Johann Muller and Craig Gilroy, have started both Pro 12 games.

Ulster’s hand has been further strengthened with the inclusion of another couple of summer tourists, Dan Tuohy and Chris Henry, for the first time this season in the 25-man squad for Friday’s rendezvous.

Indeed, when one considers that Rory Best, Paddy McAllister, Tommy Bowe, Roger Wilson, Paddy Wallace and Ruan Pienaar are “all still a few weeks away yet”, Ulster’s options do indeed look more plentiful than their supporters might have wished thanks to the conveyor belt of indigenous talent coming out of their Academy which Anscombe has placed his trust in.

The average age of the back line against Glasgow was 21, and against Ospreys under 23. Not alone have Michael Heaney, Luke Marshall and Michael Allen stepped up to the mark – with Jarred Payne showing some nice touches at fullback – and strengthened Ulster’s options, they’ve also galvanised the more established players and thus energised the whole squad.

“Sometimes the older guys, year after year, can get a bit complacent – not purposely – and young players bring that bit of energy and enthusiasm, and that can lift the spirits and challenge the older guys, and keep them on their toes,” noted Anscombe.

“At the end of the day, in a big season like this we can’t be complacent. We want players who are accountable for each performance. So the more challenged we’re going to be in selection, the better we’re going to be as a group.”

The 80-metre, four-phase, counter-attacking and offloading try which Paul Marshall finished off to earn the win at the Liberty Stadium was worthy of winning any match on the road – even if it was out of kilter with much of a scrappy contest.

Anscombe reintroduced Tom Court, Stephen Ferris, Darren Cave and Andrew Trimble last week, all of whom, along with the profoundly-influential John Afoa, Lewis Stevenson, Paul Marshall and Paddy Jackson, made sizeable contributions off the bench and Anscombe indicated many are all well placed for starts this Friday.

“Certainly Paul Marshall has had a couple off the bench, Stephen Ferris had a good 25 minutes last weekend and those guys have been training for a few weeks with us. They bring a lot of experience and they’re big-match players, so we’ve also got to look at what’s best for the player, also the content of the year and what suits the team best this coming week.”

Friday’s fixture has been given added spice by the anticipated return of some of Munster’s big guns and the memory of last season’s collision in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Despite Ulster’s win that day, Anscombe gives the impression they still aspire to emulate Munster in ways. “Munster have shown they’re one of the top teams in Europe, not just in Ireland. They’ve started the season off well again, as they do, and to do that you’ve got to be consistent. They make the semis every year, they always seem to make the play-offs of the Heineken, and that’s what we want to do as a union; be consistent and do that week after week and year after year, and that’s our challenge this season.”

ULSTER SQUAD(v Munster): Forwards– Rob Herring, Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick, Callum Black, Tom Court, John Afoa, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Mike McComish, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Sean Doyle, Nick Williams. Backs– Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney, Niall O'Connor, Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Michael Allen, Craig Gilroy, Andrew Trimble, Peter Nelson, Jared Payne.