Shellshocked after being held to nil for the first time in Europe in Sunday’s 39-0 pasting at Sale Sharks, Ulster must now must gather themselves, and quickly, to face the intimidating prospect of hosting in-form champions La Rochelle on Saturday.
Defeat this weekend could not only do potential terminal damage to Ulster’s Champions Cup campaign but would also rack up three straight losses when put alongside the embarrassing URC reverse at Leinster at the start of the month.
Throw in the unavailability of James Hume for Europe’s round two after his head injury assessment (HIA) on Sunday, the possibility of Jacob Stockdale not being fit along with Luke Marshall, Robert Baloucoune’s continued unavailability due to injury and the hearing on Thursday for Andy Warwick, who has been cited over coming together with Manu Tuilagi, and Dan McFarland really doesn’t have his sorrows to seek.
It is also hoped, but by no means clear, that the Kingspan pitch, which is currently covered due to the freezing conditions, will be playable come Saturday and that therefore there will no need for any delay or switch in venue for this round two clash; the last thing Ulster need after last weekend’s cancelled flight and hastily arranged travel arrangements for the Sale encounter.
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On the upside, Rory Sutherland is believed to be potentially available for selection against what is likely to be a gargantuan La Rochelle pack while skipper Iain Henderson and John Cooney are also thought to be in a good position regarding making the cut for this weekend after their HIAs, which were shipped against Leinster, forced them to miss the trip to Sale.
“At the weekend we looked as if we played with a lack of confidence,” McFarland said of the AJ Bell Stadium experience, the first time Ulster have been nilled since a league game against the Ospreys back in 2008.
“The fact remains, we have knocked over big French teams here in the past, big English teams here in the past and big Irish teams.
“We have got to have the right mindset [for La Rochelle]; we have got to work harder than them and you try to not let the juggernaut get up and running,” he added in relation to facing this weekend’s visitors who did a job on Northampton Saints last weekend.
“There is no question of what this team is capable of,” said McFarland of Ulster. “But like in any sport, there are times when you don’t put things together. Sometimes things happen and it knocks you slightly.”
The bottom line is that the northern province needs a performance.
