URC, round five: Lions v Ulster, Saturday, 12.45pm, Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg – Live on Premier Sports
Having cut a swathe through the star-spangled Sharks, Ulster have an opportunity to secure a clean sweep in their South Africa tour with the Lions and Johannesburg’s thin air now standing in their path.
Should Richie Murphy’s re-energised squad achieve victory at Ellis Park they will sign off this URC block ahead of the November break with an impressive four wins from four. But even if Ulster fall short, the positivity they have demonstrated from the start to this season is still light-years away from where they were for the last one.
A further boost to morale will be the inclusion of 10 players in the Ireland A squad to play Spain in two weeks’ time, all of whom are selected to face the Lions as the province is without Ireland call-ups Iain Henderson, Nick Timoney, Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey.
Ulster do have a bit of a situation though as hooker Tom Stewart – skipper of the Ireland A squad – is at openside flanker, a role he performed seven days ago against the Sharks on a needs-must basis after replacement Sean Reffell’s game-ending injury shortly after Juarno Augustus had departed.
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It meant that Stewart played most of the second half out of position, also forcing him go the full 80 minutes, though he did manage a lung-busting score when following up Nathan Doak’s chip.
Even though openside flanker Marcus Rea linked up with the squad this week, Murphy has rather unexpectedly opted to throw the seven jersey Stewart’s way. There could be further problems too at number eight, Augustus named to start despite having been an injury doubt all week.
Lock Joe Hopes gets his first start after being on the bench in Durban, Bryn Ward providing the back row cover which could see him play alongside his older brother Zac for the first time.
Ulster know their scrum will have to be more robust than it was against the Sharks, even though the Lions’ pack is not nearly as intimidating.
Much will likely hinge on Tom O’Toole, Harry Sheridan and David McCann’s work rates when it comes to Ulster winning enough ball to unleash a backline which has both Zac Ward and Robert Baloucoune restored to the wings while the excellent Michael Lowry remains at 15. Werner Kok, who was a point of difference against his former club last week, has been harshly benched.
Jude Postlethwaite is in for McCloskey at centre and teams up with James Hume, while at half-back Ulster have the in-form Nathan Doak continuing an effective partnership with Jack Murphy, who have both been rewarded with Ireland A call-ups.
The Lions, fresh from securing their first win of the season in hosting the Scarlets last Saturday, have made a few tweaks to their starting XV, believing the heat and altitude may also give them an edge this time around. They may have a point.
LIONS: Q Horn; E Keyter, H van Wyk, B Mills, A Davids; C Smith, N Steyn; SJ Kotze, F Marais, A Ntlabakanye; E Oosthuizen, R Nothnagel; J Cairns, R Venter, F Horn (capt).
Replacements: M Brandon, RF Schoeman, C van Vuuren, D Landsberg, R du Plessis, L Horn, G Lombard, K Mpeku.
ULSTER: M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, J Postlethwaite, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, R Herring (capt), T O’Toole; H Sheridan, J Hopes; D McCann, T Stewart, J Augustus.
Replacements: J McCormick, C Reid, S Wilson, M Dalton, B Ward, C McKee, J Flannery, W Kok.
Referee: B Connor (Wales).
