HEINEKEN CUP Biarritz v Ulster:HERE COMES the first real test of Ulster's recruitment process. The Afrikaners have settled in. A game plan has been put in place. Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble are at the peak of their careers. Stephen Ferris is fit. So is Rory Best.
Ian Humphreys is being trusted at outhalf. It helps that Wallace is outside him while it is Ruan Pienaar who is really controlling matters at scrumhalf, as Johann Muller explained this week.
“Ruan has free rein from the coaching staff. He can run the side and make decisions. It is obviously paying off,” he said.
With Pienaar at halfback and four South Africans in the pack it seems fairly apparent how Ulster intend to finally win a game in France.
“I think we’ll see a big pack-against-pack battle and feel that the game will be won and lost up front,” was how Ferris hopes matters will unfold.
The powerful flanker is clearly eager to test himself against Imanol Harinordoquy having been absent with damaged ribs since the draw with Connacht a few weeks back.
“Biarritz don’t like to play too much rugby when they do get front-foot ball it’s because of their forwards – that’s where it’s all going to start for them,” said Ferris.
“We will be facing a very good, tough backrow and we’ll really have to dig in but we’re every bit a match for Biarritz and I’m looking forward to the contest.”
Biarritz have marched into two Heineken Cup finals – losing to Munster in 2006 and Toulouse last season – with the forwards laying a platform for Dimitri Yachvili to plant every kickable opportunity between the sticks.
However, their captain, Jerome Thion, is still injured along with explosive prop Fabien Barcella.
With Damien Traille due off the bench, the temptation must be there for backs’ coach John Isaac to be given more latitude. It is no secret that Serge Blanco is the boss around these parts and with the Anglo-American pace of Iain Balshaw and Takudzwa Ngwenya on the wings, Ulster should not be surprised by a change in tactics in the Basques country where Stade Francais and Toulouse have already been beaten this season.
Or, most likely, both teams will tear lumps out of each other making it a kicking contest between Yachvili and Pienaar. That means territorial dominance will be crucial.
Should Humphreys struggle to put Ulster into the Biarritz 22, the lack of cover on the bench (no Niall O’Connor) means Pienaar will switch to outhalf with Paul Marshall coming on.
The team has been further offset by injuries to fullback Jamie Smith, placing a lot of pressure on David McIlwaine, while Darren Cave is replaced in the centre by Ian Whitten.
Word from the camp is everyone has bought into the leadership and mentality of Johann Muller, but the new Ulster way may not have had enough time to gel to end their poor record in France. A bonus point would be a victory in itself.
ULSTER: D McIlwaine; A Trimble, I Whitten, P Wallace, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best, BJ Botha; J Muller, T Barker; P Wannenburg, S Ferris, R Diack. Replacements: A Kyriacou, P McAllister, B Young, D Tuohy, C Henry, P Marshall, N Spence, A DArcy.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE PAYS BASQUE: D Haylett-Petty; T Ngwenya, C Gimenez, M Bond, I Balshaw; J Peyrelongue, D Yachvili; E Coetzee, B August, C Johnstone; J Thion, E Lund; M Lund, I Harinordoquy (capt), R Lakafia. Replacements: R Terrain, S Marconnet, A Barozzi, M Carizza, B Guyot, D Traille, A Mignardi, I Bolakoro
Referee: D Pearson(England).
Previous meetings: Played 4, Biarritz 3-1 (points aggregate 90-61).
Formguide: Biarritz v Bath 12-11; Bayonne 19-22; Racing Metro 92 12-17. Ulster – Aironi 30-6; Warriors 19-17; Connacht 15-15.
Betting: Biarritz 1/5. Ulster 7/2.
Forecast: Biarritz to win by less than seven.
