Pro12 Preview: Ulster
Head Coach: Neil Doak
Captain: Rory Best
Stadium: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast (18,500 capacity)
Key Player: Ruan Pienaar
Last Season: 4th (lost in play-off to Glasgow Warriors)
Ulster are, unfortunately, adopting the role of rugby’s bridesmaids more and more as the years go by.
Three Pro12 play-off defeats, a Pro12 Grand Final defeat and a Heineken Cup Final defeat have befallen Ulster since 2011, and it just seems like the men from Belfast been cursed with no luck at all – perhaps they spent all the luck they had on winning the European Cup back in 1999! Whatever the reason for their unfortunate knockout record, Ulster are back this season determined to finally get that silverware.
They’re aiming to do it with a relatively similar squad to that of last season, with no major acquisitions or losses of note. Indeed, the biggest arrival at the province will probably be that of Director of Rugby Les Kiss, who will take up his position after his World Cup duties with Ireland have ended, and will add a coaching style similar to that of Joe Schmidt at Ulster.
There is logic in a lack of recruitment by Bryn Cunningham and his team though, simply because Ulster’s strongest line-up is still one of the best in the Pro12. It boasts seven current Ireland internationals and one Springbok, and when Ulster’s back line gets quick front foot ball they are very hard to stop. Last season’s Pro12 top try scorer Craig Gilroy will be aiming to prove Joe Schmidt’s decision not to take him to the World Cup wrong by winning it again.
Indeed, it is in that back line where most of Ulster’s danger comes from. Built around talismanic scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and young fly-half Paddy Jackson, Ulster’s back line can be one of the most lethal in the whole league with Gilroy joined by Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe in the back three, Jared Payne a running threat from outside centre, and any one of Stuart Olding, Stuart McCloskey or Luke Marshall joining him at inside centre.
The forwards are no pushovers either. Led from the front by Rory Best, Ulster have no shortage of big ball carriers such as Iain Henderson, Nick Williams and Wiehahn Herbst while Best and openside flanker Chris Henry do most of the groundhog work at the breakdown. Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe form a very strong lock partnership, while Callum Black is a strong scrummager at prop.
Where Ulster could struggle this year is if injuries come back to haunt them again. The injury curse has plagued Ulster for years and when several players get injured, they struggle to replace like for like. There is still a slight dependence on players such as Pienaar, Best and Henry, and while their first team is very strong, take a few players away and Ulster will struggle.
So the more times this season that Ulster can get their first choice 15 on the field, the better their chances of finally ending that trophy drought. However, as has been their problem over the last few years, if they start to lose a few front liners to injury then they could begin to struggle a bit, especially in the big games. But should they avoid the injury hex, then this could finally be their year.
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