Ulster Rugby v Leicester Tigers

That there are individuals of real talent and commitment in the home dressing room should never be questioned, but as they strive to become the collective, the team, it will surely grow to be the persistent encouragement from the Kingspan faithful that is essential.

PE!

Best, Henderson, Stockdale, Gilroy, Speight, McCloskey, Cooney, Coetzee and Reidy would star in any company, and with Addison, Burns, McPhillips, Timoney and O’Connor still on a very steep learning curve it will be for McFarland and his staff to find the combinations and the strategies best suited to his squad. Famously, one Sunday afternoon, Leicester was unceremoniously dismissed in a home Heineken Cup-tie in Belfast, and today’s visitors will be aware of just what Ulster can do in the most unpromising of circumstances. Murphy has earned the right to stake a long-term claim to the Head Coach job at Welford Road, and he is – as he was as a great Ireland player - living proof that imagination can thrive even in this most professional and demanding of sports. He arrives after a thrilling Twickenham win over his club’s great Midland rivals Northampton in the English Premiership, and he can draw from a cast list which includes forwards of real technical ability in Tom Youngs and Dan Cole, and with a back division which includes Ben Youngs, George Ford, Manu Tuilagi and Jonny May. Gifted certainly, as are so many on Ulster’s books, but these players have been caught up in the turmoil on and off the pitch at Leicester in the last few years and the diluted confidence of the team has been reflected in over two seasons of unpredictable form and lack of direction in the management set-up. This European evening clear those throats, dismiss the negative thoughts and embrace the dream so often made reality at this stadium. It’s Saturday, it’s the Champions Cup, and it’s Ulster against Leicester Tigers. Not a problem!

45

WWW.ULSTERRUGBY.COM