ULSTER ARE HOPEFUL that they will have a fit frontline out-half ready to go in time to face Ospreys for Saturday evening’s round of 16 European Challenge Cup tie in Belfast.
Though Jack Murphy, Jake Flannery and James Humphreys are all battling issues ahead of this weekend, Ulster head coach Richie Murphy sounded upbeat that he would be able to potentially avoid having to start Nathan Doak as the only player on his roster able to play 10 for the knockout tie.
As Murphy explained: “Jake (Flannery) has trained fully, Jack (Murphy) has taken part in training and did quite a lot, more than we probably thought he would do.
“And James (Humphreys), although he came off with a hamstring (after starting in last weekend’s URC bonus point win in Zebre), it’s not as bad as first appeared.”
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“So, we’ve a few more options at 10 than maybe it looks at face value,” Murphy stated.
Clearly available for involvement in Ulster’s first taste of knockout rugby this season are Cormac Izuchukwu who has recovered from a concussion while prop Sam Crean and lock Charlie Irvine are also fit again.
Ireland squad members Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart and Jacob Stockdale will also be back after being rested last week in the URC win at Zebre.
Having lost to the Ospreys in the URC during February, Murphy is determined that Ulster will have learnt much from this reverse as they bid to reach the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup with another home tie on offer for them.
“If you’re not really good around the breakdown against the Ospreys, you’re in trouble,” the Ulster head coach admitted.
Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Harri Deaves, these types of players, they’re very good at getting in and getting over the ball, so we’ve got to make sure that we’re really good in and around the breakdown.
“Our scrum came under some pressure over there (at the Ospreys) the last time, so we’ve got to make sure that’s good.
“Our lineout was good at the weekend (in Zebre), so we’ve got to try and continue with that.
“(We aim to) get our set-piece ball, get our big ball carriers over the gainline and then play on the back of that.
“That’s what we’ve done when we’ve played our best rugby, and we’ve played some really good rugby in the Challenge Cup against some good teams so it’s exciting to go again.”
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'We've a few more options at 10 than maybe it looks at face value'
ULSTER ARE HOPEFUL that they will have a fit frontline out-half ready to go in time to face Ospreys for Saturday evening’s round of 16 European Challenge Cup tie in Belfast.
Though Jack Murphy, Jake Flannery and James Humphreys are all battling issues ahead of this weekend, Ulster head coach Richie Murphy sounded upbeat that he would be able to potentially avoid having to start Nathan Doak as the only player on his roster able to play 10 for the knockout tie.
As Murphy explained: “Jake (Flannery) has trained fully, Jack (Murphy) has taken part in training and did quite a lot, more than we probably thought he would do.
“And James (Humphreys), although he came off with a hamstring (after starting in last weekend’s URC bonus point win in Zebre), it’s not as bad as first appeared.”
“So, we’ve a few more options at 10 than maybe it looks at face value,” Murphy stated.
Clearly available for involvement in Ulster’s first taste of knockout rugby this season are Cormac Izuchukwu who has recovered from a concussion while prop Sam Crean and lock Charlie Irvine are also fit again.
Ireland squad members Tom O’Toole, Tom Stewart and Jacob Stockdale will also be back after being rested last week in the URC win at Zebre.
Having lost to the Ospreys in the URC during February, Murphy is determined that Ulster will have learnt much from this reverse as they bid to reach the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup with another home tie on offer for them.
“If you’re not really good around the breakdown against the Ospreys, you’re in trouble,” the Ulster head coach admitted.
Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Harri Deaves, these types of players, they’re very good at getting in and getting over the ball, so we’ve got to make sure that we’re really good in and around the breakdown.
“Our scrum came under some pressure over there (at the Ospreys) the last time, so we’ve got to make sure that’s good.
“Our lineout was good at the weekend (in Zebre), so we’ve got to try and continue with that.
“(We aim to) get our set-piece ball, get our big ball carriers over the gainline and then play on the back of that.
“That’s what we’ve done when we’ve played our best rugby, and we’ve played some really good rugby in the Challenge Cup against some good teams so it’s exciting to go again.”
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