Ulster face a brutally tough European opener on Sunday, the Champions Cup bringing not just any trip to France but a visit to the European champions and current Top 14 leaders, Toulouse.
It comes fewer than 12 months since Antoine Dupont and co came to Belfast and eviscerated the northern province, running in seven tries – Dupont claiming two – to triumph 48-24 as Dan McFarland’s time at the Kingspan Stadium entered its final few laps.
While Richie Murphy is currently on much firmer ground than his predecessor, he at least has most of his returning Ireland squad members available – Stuart McCloskey, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole and Cormac Izuchukwu – should he choose to deploy them, though next up also looks pretty forbidding as it’s a home tie with Bordeaux.
Jacob Stockdale remains the exception from Andy Farrell’s Autumn Nations Series squad as he is still nursing his hamstring issue picked up against Fiji.
John Cooney will definitely not be involved, the 34-year-old scrumhalf suffering his own hamstring problem in last week’s defeat to Leinster, while Ulster’s lack of fit back-three players – Ben Moxham is also out after another knee injury which appears to require surgery – could be offset by Zac Ward, who is back training with the squad following a concussion and might be in line to make his senior competitive debut in Toulouse.
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Also helpful is the availability of Werner Kok, though Murphy will be bringing in former squad member Rob Lyttle, now playing AIL with Banbridge, to train with the team over the next few weeks to boost his options.
“It’s a massive task for us,” admitted Murphy of clashing with Toulouse at Stade Ernest-Wallon. “And we’re just preparing the best we can to get ready for that.
“For some of the younger players, playing against the players they are going to be against, never mind Toulouse in Toulouse, that will be an experience in itself.
“As part of the journey of this team, and where we’re trying to get to, this will be another week that no matter what happens in the game, win or lose, there are going to be massive learnings for the boys.
“We’re going there to play and we’re under no illusions as to how tough that will be,” he added.
In terms of the overall mood when preparing to face such a star-studded squad, the Ulster head coach, his side coming off two URC reverses, admitted to a mixture of emotions.
“Excitement maybe, fear probably a little bit, you look at their team and they are probably two to three deep international-wise in nearly every position.
“But there are things in their game where there is opportunity. It’s just that if you’re good enough to be able to take that.
“European rugby is the pinnacle of the club game, we want to go out there and try to do our very best.
“We are preparing to play the best team in Europe and that’s the special part of the week.”
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