EVEN THOUGH ULSTER’S focus has switched from Europe to the URC, there is no let-up in the intensity of the moment as the northern province bid to continue successfully battling on two fronts.

Friday evening’s interpro with Leinster is huge in relation to the league table with Ulster a solitary place and point above Leo Cullen’s fourth-placed squad with, after this weekend, just three rounds remaining ahead of the play-offs.

Making the last four in the European Challenge Cup last weekend after running in six tries to defeat a lightweight La Rochelle at a weather-hammered Affidea Stadium was a bonus, but the sole attention is now on getting past Leinster – who are also chasing hoped for silverware in the URC and Champions Cup – in Belfast this Friday.

“We don’t really get involved in expectation or hype or excitement,” said Ulster head coach Richie Murphy, “we’re just trying to block it out.

“The next couple of weeks are going to be huge for us and we’re going to be under a lot of pressure because we’re playing a lot of really top teams, but that’s exactly where you want to be, isn’t it?”

And specifically dealing with Leinster, who narrowly won the corresponding fixture at the Aviva Stadium over the festive period, Murphy stated: “The progress that we’ve made throughout the season gives us confidence going into this game, but we know how difficult it’s going to be.”

Ulster’s main injury concern is with Nick Timoney who was withdrawn at half-time against La Rochelle with a hip issue and the Ireland back-rower may yet feature though there is no prospect of either Rob Herring or the longer-term Michael Lowry being fit for the game.

“The only job we have this week is to make sure that we’re at our best when we turn up on Friday night.

“(Last time) we had them on the ropes a little bit down there,” Murphy added of the 24-20 final score in favour of Leinster.

“Just trying to attack them for 80 minutes,” was the Ulster coach’s take on what the hosts will attempt to do this time around.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean that we just must run the ball from everywhere, it just means that we’ve got to keep them under pressure.

“When we have the ball, we’ve got to make sure that we’re making good decisions, taking the right options and making sure that the ball’s in the right area of the park.”