Ulster Rugby vs Cheetahs

As Ulster prepare to take on the Toyota Cheetahs, we spoke to Alan O’Connor on why the second row is demanding a positive response from the squad against the South African team this weekend. ALAN O’CONNOR

“We were pleased with our lineout drills and our bench did really well when they came on. We needed a lift and all the guys who came on in the second half injected some energy into our game. The way we came back from 13 points down in tough conditions was really encouraging. “We held onto the ball well in phases, but we just have to be more clinical when we get those chances. Not just chances to score, but chances to defend a lineout maul on our 5-metre line and step up in those big moments.” Ulster and O’Connor will be keen to seek revenge against the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday, having been defeated by the South African side in Bloemfontein earlier in the season. “The Cheetahs are a really good attacking side and play a great brand of rugby. Being South African, they’re big and have a solid set piece. They have threats all over the pitch. We will do our previews and pick up on their key threats. We know what Ruan Pienaar is like in moving the ball quickly, so we have to make sure he doesn’t get his game going to get the Cheetahs’ game going.”

It was a disappointing result for Ulster last weekend, having taken the lead with ten minutes to go, only for the Ospreys to snatch a two-point win with a 75th minute penalty proving decisive. Alan O’Connor - who captained the Ulster side at Liberty Stadium – felt they gave themselves too big a hill to climb after the break. “We conceded two maul tries which is nowhere near where we want to be, and our decision-making could have been better. We gave ourselves too much to do in the second half. “We know we have to face the music and take the result from the Ospreys game on the chin and build from there. We’ve reviewed the game and the boys are looking forward to getting back out on the pitch and working on fixes.” There were positives to take from the game; Marcell Coetzee made 23 carries – more than any other player in Round 11 of the Guinness PRO14. O’Connor was also heartened by the team’s resilience to fight back in the second half, as well as the boost given by their replacements.

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