Challenge Cup: Ulster v Racing 92, Affidea Stadium, 8pm – Live Premier Sports 1
Ulster get their first taste of beginning a European season in the undercard competition with what has the potential to be a strong start as the visitors have significantly shuffled their deck for the trip.
Possibly an ideal time then for Wallaby loosehead prop Angus Bell to make his debut from Richie Murphy’s bench, the 25-year-old having signed on for the remainder of the season to bring some hoped for stardust around the park and extra ballast up front.
The assumption is that by the time Bell makes his bow on what is forecast to be a cold and damp evening, Ulster will have made some progress towards victory thanks to physicality of Juarno Augustus and Nick Timoney and line-breaking abilities provided by Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale and Robert Baloucoune.
Racing’s approach to this game – they currently sit 11th in the Top 14 and have sent a team which is well short of their strongest suit – is hardly the stuff to fuel great excitement for the Challenge Cup but, still, Ulster can only play what is before them.
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But this may not be quite so stress-free an outing as the home team have their own issues, with a shortage of fit locks prompting Richie Murphy to start development player Charlie Irvine alongside Harry Sheridan in the engine room.
The continuing absence of Cormac Izuchukwu being added to last week by Iain Henderson (back spasm) and Matthew Dalton (knee) means that Murphy dips deeper into his resources to cover the bench with Joe Hopes, another development player, covering at lock. There are also slim enough pickings in the backrow with academy player Bryn Ward a replacement again.
Should Ulster manage to be solid at set-piece time then the theory would be that they ought to possess enough game-breaking players to get the job done. Postlethwaite is again named at inside centre in the absence of the injured Stuart McCloskey. The 23-year-old had a thunderous game last week in the win over Benetton Rugby. Stockdale retains the fullback shirt following an incisive effort seven days ago.
Ulster will expect to exert greater control at halfback where the Nathan Doak-Jack Murphy axis developing well, with assistant coach Mark Sexton taking the plaudits for the province’s improved attack plays.
Unless they somehow unravel up front, this really should be a promising enough start towards Ulster going some distance in the competition.
ULSTER: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune, J Hume, J Postlethwaite, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; S Crean, R Herring, T O’Toole; H Sheridan, C Irvine; D McCann, N Timoney (capt), J Augustus
Replacements: T Stewart, A Bell, S Wilson, J Hopes, B Ward, C McKee, J Flannery, S Moore.
RACING 92: G Prisciantelli; N Donguy, S James, V Ashvetia, W Hulleu; A Gibert, K Labarbe; E-J Njocke, Y Basse, G Kharaishvili; J Kpoku, W Rowlands (capt); F Sanconnie, N Zinzen, L Tagitagivalu
Replacements: D Escobar, H Coetzee, L Leota, M Baudonne, J Hill, A Albuisson, L Carbonneau, A Espeut.
Referee: B Breakspear (Wales).
