ULSTER HEAD COACH Richie Murphy has admitted Ulster are feeling the pressure this week to deliver a victory against Cardiff after being surprisingly turned over by Scarlets last Saturday.
The importance of bouncing back quickly to maintain momentum in the URC and signing off in the appropriate way for the break in games for the Six Nations will also have to be managed without eight of Murphy’s frontline squad, who are currently with Ireland in Portugal.
“We’re under pressure this week, and it’s really important that, as a group, we form together and be really clear with how we want to play the game and that we’re fully committed to trying to get the win,” Murphy said.
“If we do those things, I think we’ll be very hard to beat this weekend.
“It’s (facing Cardiff, who will also likely be missing their Wales contingent) a massive one for us.
“Again, our record here at home has been so strong this year,” he added, Ulster having won all six matches at the Affidea Stadium this season, four in the URC, two in the Challenge Cup.
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“It’s really important, something that we want to really try and protect.
“Eight players away in national camp (including Bryn Ward is there to train before hooking up with Ireland A), and a few players still out injured, puts a focus on this game where there are guys coming in who haven’t played a huge amount of rugby for us.
“Guys within our squad have been looking for an opportunity and some of those guys will get that this weekend.”
Reflecting on a 10-week block of games which will end this Saturday for three weekends of Six Nations action, Murphy said: “The group has grown all the way through the block, and I’ve been really happy with the focus of the players and how they’ve presented week on week.
“The buzz in and around the environment and some of the quality of rugby that we’ve played has been really good.
“Obviously, that’s been reflected in (our) Irish representation and to have 15 guys in and around those two squads (Ireland and Ireland A) is huge for us.”
Murphy could well be without Michael Lowry this weekend as he is following return to play protocols after suffering a concussion in his comeback game at the Scarlets. Stewart Moore’s season looks over as he now faces ACL surgery.
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'To have 15 guys in and around the Ireland squads is huge for us'
ULSTER HEAD COACH Richie Murphy has admitted Ulster are feeling the pressure this week to deliver a victory against Cardiff after being surprisingly turned over by Scarlets last Saturday.
The importance of bouncing back quickly to maintain momentum in the URC and signing off in the appropriate way for the break in games for the Six Nations will also have to be managed without eight of Murphy’s frontline squad, who are currently with Ireland in Portugal.
“We’re under pressure this week, and it’s really important that, as a group, we form together and be really clear with how we want to play the game and that we’re fully committed to trying to get the win,” Murphy said.
“If we do those things, I think we’ll be very hard to beat this weekend.
“It’s (facing Cardiff, who will also likely be missing their Wales contingent) a massive one for us.
“Again, our record here at home has been so strong this year,” he added, Ulster having won all six matches at the Affidea Stadium this season, four in the URC, two in the Challenge Cup.
“It’s really important, something that we want to really try and protect.
“Eight players away in national camp (including Bryn Ward is there to train before hooking up with Ireland A), and a few players still out injured, puts a focus on this game where there are guys coming in who haven’t played a huge amount of rugby for us.
“Guys within our squad have been looking for an opportunity and some of those guys will get that this weekend.”
Reflecting on a 10-week block of games which will end this Saturday for three weekends of Six Nations action, Murphy said: “The group has grown all the way through the block, and I’ve been really happy with the focus of the players and how they’ve presented week on week.
“The buzz in and around the environment and some of the quality of rugby that we’ve played has been really good.
“Obviously, that’s been reflected in (our) Irish representation and to have 15 guys in and around those two squads (Ireland and Ireland A) is huge for us.”
Murphy could well be without Michael Lowry this weekend as he is following return to play protocols after suffering a concussion in his comeback game at the Scarlets. Stewart Moore’s season looks over as he now faces ACL surgery.
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