TWO GAMES DOWN this 10-match block, and Ulster head coach Richie Murphy is expected to opt for some rotation for this weekend’s second round European Challenge Cup clash at Cardiff.
Following the 61-7 hammering of a watered-down Racing 92 in Belfast, the Irish province, who are top of Pool three, are heading to Wales with a view to banking another victory but, at the same time, being acutely aware of the festive programme of interpros coming their way and the need to keep digging out results in the URC.
“Europe is really important, but our league is more important and our league position,” admitted Murphy who is missing the injured Rob Herring and Iain Henderson but has the possibility of involving the returning Stuart McCloskey, Cormac Izuchukwu and Michael Lowry as well as potentially Jude Postlethwaite who is undergoing return to play protocols.
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Stuart McCloskey. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“We’ve got to get back into the top eight and the European (Champions) Cup – that is our goal.
“In saying that, every team that we select, we will select with a view to winning the game that’s right in front of our face. We won’t pick a team that we don’t think can go out there and win.
“With that in mind, this week there will be some rotation, not huge, but we’re also trying to get as many points as we can over the 10 weeks.”
Ulster have lost just once in the six games they have played so far in all competitions – five in the URC one in Europe – and have scored an impressive 35 tries along the way with nine of these touchdowns coming against Racing so whatever side Murphy selects will travel to Cardiff with confidence.
“Over this 10-game period, there are a couple of weeks where we have to take risk, and that’s just the way it is,” Murphy explained.
“Risk is good because it gives other guys opportunity. We’ve been consistent with our selections, rotating one or two players where we feel that the competition is really high, but we’ve been consistent in key areas as well.
“We have to expand and build more competition in those areas, and I suppose over the next number of weeks, that’s what we’re going to try and do.
“We want to respect every competition that we’re in. We also want to respect the Ulster jersey and what it means to the guys that play in it,” he added.
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League form more important than Europe for Ulster - Richie Murphy
TWO GAMES DOWN this 10-match block, and Ulster head coach Richie Murphy is expected to opt for some rotation for this weekend’s second round European Challenge Cup clash at Cardiff.
Following the 61-7 hammering of a watered-down Racing 92 in Belfast, the Irish province, who are top of Pool three, are heading to Wales with a view to banking another victory but, at the same time, being acutely aware of the festive programme of interpros coming their way and the need to keep digging out results in the URC.
“Europe is really important, but our league is more important and our league position,” admitted Murphy who is missing the injured Rob Herring and Iain Henderson but has the possibility of involving the returning Stuart McCloskey, Cormac Izuchukwu and Michael Lowry as well as potentially Jude Postlethwaite who is undergoing return to play protocols.
“We’ve got to get back into the top eight and the European (Champions) Cup – that is our goal.
“In saying that, every team that we select, we will select with a view to winning the game that’s right in front of our face. We won’t pick a team that we don’t think can go out there and win.
“With that in mind, this week there will be some rotation, not huge, but we’re also trying to get as many points as we can over the 10 weeks.”
Ulster have lost just once in the six games they have played so far in all competitions – five in the URC one in Europe – and have scored an impressive 35 tries along the way with nine of these touchdowns coming against Racing so whatever side Murphy selects will travel to Cardiff with confidence.
“Over this 10-game period, there are a couple of weeks where we have to take risk, and that’s just the way it is,” Murphy explained.
“Risk is good because it gives other guys opportunity. We’ve been consistent with our selections, rotating one or two players where we feel that the competition is really high, but we’ve been consistent in key areas as well.
“We have to expand and build more competition in those areas, and I suppose over the next number of weeks, that’s what we’re going to try and do.
“We want to respect every competition that we’re in. We also want to respect the Ulster jersey and what it means to the guys that play in it,” he added.
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Priorities richie murphy Rugby Ulster