Montpellier v Ulster, Sunday, GGL Stadium 12.30pm Irish time
Off to the south of France on the back of two United Rugby Championship defeats in their mini-tour to South Africa, going down in hard-fought contests against Sharks (22-12) and Stormers (13-7) and Richie Murphy is having a baptism of fire as Ulster’s interim coach.
This week he recognises the perils for his team in the Montpellier pack. Describing them as “a big physical team with a good home record”, Murphy opts for a 6-2 split with Jake Flannery and Jacob Stockdale the only two backs on the Ulster bench.
A win this week would secure a place in the quarter-finals. One of four teams dropping down to the Challenge Cup from the Champions Cup into the knockout stage, Ulster made it as far as the semi-final on their last appearance three seasons ago.
The good news is captain and lock, Iain Henderson, returns to the starting line-up after missing last weekend’s defeat to Stormers due to illness in Cape Town.
Montpellier lost by only two points (10-12) to league leaders Stade Français last Saturday, suggesting Ulster will be required to step up another level in order to progress. The obvious transition in style and standards is an ongoing work in progress under Murphy.
One of his challenges ought to be how to move Stockdale from the bench to a starting place on the team. He is much too good to be outside the starting 15 players.
“Montpellier away is a tough, hostile place to go. We will deal with that,” said a defiant Murphy.
Despite confirmation arriving of his return to South Africa at the end of the season, loosehead prop and double World Cup winner, Steven Kitshoff will start in an unchanged Ulster front row, while Nathan Doak is again chosen at outhalf with John Cooney at number nine.
The upside for Ulster is French rugby’s hot and cold relationship with European rugby. Montpellier are currently just one place from bottom in the league and fighting to save their top flight status. Head coach Patrice Collazo has retained only Christopher Tolofua, France lock Paul Willemse and Alexandre Bécognée from last week’s team.
Montpellier: A de Nardi; G Ngandebe, G Bridge, A Cadot, B Lam; L Foursans, A Eymeri; G Fichten, C Tolofua, H Williams; F Verhaeghe, P Willemse (C); A Bécognée, C Doumenc, S Simmonds. Replacements: V Karkadze, E Forletta, B Erdocio, L Macharashvili, T Duguid, Y Camara, L Carbonel, M Dakuwaqa, P Lucas.
Ulster: S Moore; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, E McIlroy; N Doak, J Cooney; S Kitshoff, R Herring, T O’Toole, A O’Connor, I Henderson (C), M Rea, D McCann, N Timoney. Replacements: T Stewart, A Warwick, S Wilson, H Sheridan, C Izuchukwu, J Flannery, J Stockdale, D Ewers.
Referee: B Whitehouse (WRU)
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