Four more wins for the top four has decided the Guinness Pro12 play-off line-up with two full rounds to go, and with just four points covering them, only the jostling for home advantage in the semi-finals remains to be resolved. After next weekend's break for the European Cup final, intriguingly there are three clashes between sides in this breakaway quartet, with Ulster seeking to maintain their 100 per cent Ravenhill record with a third successive derby win at home to Munster in a fortnight.
Ulster set up that game nicely when backing up their win over Connacht two weeks ago with Friday night's convincing 26-10 win over Leinster at the Kingspan Stadium. Ulster had lost their last five meetings with Leinster, including the semi-final last season and final the year before, and with two weeks to focus on this game man-of-the-match Iain Henderson admitted afterwards that revenge for all those setbacks had been a huge spur.
“They have definitely been owning that cliche, the business end of the season, over us for the last few years. It was brilliant. We knew the run-in was going to be tough. We turned Connacht over down there, we turned Leinster over here and we have the third one to go against Munster. We want to get the home semi-final secured because we know we have the home final.”
Extinguish
Indeed, with the carrot of a home semi-final and guaranteed home final, Ulster appear to be playing their best rugby of the season and possibly, along with Glasgow (whom they face away in the final round), are the form side in the Pro12. Recovering from an early 10-0 deficit to extinguish Leinster’s defence of the title was the mark of a side playing with utter belief, especially at home, where they have won 10 out of 10 in the league this season.
“We talked after the game and we think the performance resembled the performance we had here earlier in the season against Leicester; going out fronting up and try to do the job,” said Henderson. “So many times in the past we have come out against Leinster teams all guns blazing and then quieten off and it was kind of the other way around.”
Unlike the teams in the top four, Leinster have been competing on two fronts and their evident fatigue five days after going 100 minutes with Toulon in France was understandable, and Henderson had some sympathy.
Set our sights
“It was very tough for them, especially not only a five-day turnaround but with the extra-time they had to play. We’d have loved to have been in Europe this year – it was frustrating going into the last game. We just have set our sights and targets on the home semi, and we are en route now.
“I don’t think any team relishes coming here and that is one thing we are really proud of, to think that this is our fortress. We strive to keep it a fortress. We know going away to places like Glasgow and the RDS that they are tough places to go and win, and it’s our goal to make this the toughest place to win for any Pro12 or European team.”
The athletic, dynamic blindside is one of several Ulster players whose season has been interrupted by injury, and for whom a role as a replacement in the Six Nations means he has plenty of rugby in him and is finishing the season fresh and in form.
That said, he was critical of his own performance ("Dropped two balls, missed a tackle and bounced off Rob Kearney, there is always work to be done") and gave a hint as to his frustration.
“As experienced as I am, I still need to get game time especially with the start of the season I had when the injury kept me out so long and coming into the Six Nations I just needed to keep racking up the minutes. I got another 80 minutes against Leinster and hopefully I can push through to the end of the season.”
Defensive effectiveness
Another factor in Ulster’s improved form has been the return of
Chris Henry
from his heart problems, not only in the increased breakdown defensive effectiveness he provides – so often in tandem with
Rory Best
– but in the emotional goodwill his return has generated.
“This time last year I don’t know how many games and minutes Chris had under his belt, including the whole Six Nations,” said Henderson. “He is one of those guys who puts it in week-in and week-out. He’s an 80-minute man usually and he puts the yards in. He wasn’t feeling the best at the start of the season and he has come back and played really well and he is a vital part of the Ulster team, and the team clicks with him and Rory Best. They do the hard things around the pitch, the things that don’t get the glory but make sure the backs can show what they do out wide.”
Munster’s failure to press home an early lead against Treviso – leaking three tries in the process – oughtn’t to have spread fear through Ulster’s ranks, although they will bring huge set-piece strength.
“Munster are a big front-up side they are very forward orientated and have very sharp backs,” said Henderson, mindful of Ulster’s 21-10 defeat to Munster in Thomond Park in November.
“We need to dominate them up front and as we’ve seen earlier in the season if we don’t dominate up front we can’t get the front-foot ball we need to show what we can do.”
