URC Round 11: Benetton Rugby v Ulster, Stadio di Monigo, Saturday, 5.15 Irish time – Live Premier Sports
It is hardly what Ulster needed after disturbing tumbling to Zebre last time out as more Italian opposition head their way, though this time Richie Murphy’s side are the ones on their travels.
The interrupted flow of the URC during the Six Nations hardly helps in terms of momentum but then Ulster do not really have any of that anyway, having only won twice from their last nine matches with one of these – the thumping of an anaemic Exeter Chiefs – being in Europe.
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The danger of even losing touch with the current primary mission, namely to barge a way into the URC’s top eight, seems alarmingly real and could become especially so should they fail to get over the line in Treviso.
They do at least touch down in northern Italy with some reasonable ordnance at Murphy’s disposal; with Rob Herring and Cormac Izuchukwu back from Ireland camp, Tom O’Toole returned from suspension and the now fit trio of James Hume, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale having come through intact from last weekend’s hit-out against a Wallaby-heavy Queensland Reds when Ulster lost an entertaining contest 38-31.
It just might tip the balance in the visitors’ favour, though severe issues over fit loosehead props mean that 20-year-old academy player Jacob Boyd is handed a competitive debut against a group of rather more grizzled operators.
All told, Murphy has made 11 changes to his starting side from the one which trawled new depths when losing 15-14 to Zebre in front of a disbelieving Kingspan Stadium in the previous round.
The last time Benetton played a URC game they were hammered 43-0 at the Ospreys, so they too are seeking to find a way back into the playoff zone while coming to this game missing a host of key players from the Italy Six Nations squad.
Seven, though, have been released to coach Marco Bortolami as the hosts bid to expunge the awfulness of what unfolded in Swansea. And with a 6-2 bench split there is little doubt that Benetton will be seeking to do a job on Ulster’s set-pieces and going after the province’s not always convincing breakdown work.
In outhalf Tomas Albornoz they appear to have an edge in game management, though in fairness neither side’s morale can exactly be on a high right now.
Ulster will feel they have the personnel for the task, but Benetton have only lost twice at home this season while the visitors have tasted victory just the once when on the road – in Connacht – and in a likely encounter of tight margins this might just prove to be the clincher.
BENETTON RUGBY: R Smith; I Mendy, M Fekitoa, M Zanon, M Gallagher; T Albornoz, A Uren; T Gallo, S Maile, G Zilocchi; G Marini, E Snyman (capt); A Izekor, M Zuliani, T Halafihi.
Replacements: B Bernasconi, M Spagnolo, T Pasquali, R Favretto, S Koroiyadi, J Kingi, N Casilio, M Leonardo.
ULSTER: S Moore; M Lowry, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; A Morgan, N Doak; J Boyd, R Herring, T O’Toole; A O’Connor (capt), C Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, N Timoney, D McCann.
Replacements: J Andrew, B O’Connor, S Wilson, K Treadwell, R Crothers, D Shanahan, J Postlethwaite, J Flannery.
Referee: C Evans (WRU).
