Ulster seemingly prefer to do things in extremis. In stark contrast to last season, when the Mark Anscombe era kicked off with their best start to a League campaign – 11 straight wins in the first half of the Rabo Pro12 – Ulster head to Connacht on Saturday seeking to avoid a third straight loss, which would equal their worst ever start of five seasons ago.
In truth, what this perhaps highlights more than anything is how tight the margins can be. In last season’s winning start, Ulster had a couple of one-point wins, and victories by two and three points, whereas over the last two weekends they have contrived to lose eminently winnable games away to the Dragons and, especially, at home to Glasgow when spilling three gilt-edged try-scoring chances in a game they dominated for all but the first and last five minutes.
Defence/assistant coach Jonathan Bell readily admits that losing last Friday, all the more so in Ravenhill, was acutely more disappointing, even if there were more positives in their display.
“The performance against the Dragons disappointed us more than anything. We didn’t really create a lot and we lacked a little bit of composure, but against Glasgow after a furious first five or ten minutes, and for the next 70 minutes we controlled the game and created enough opportunities against what one of the top defensive sides in the league, to be 20 points up.”
'Margins'
"We're disappointed that we didn't take those opportunities, but those are those margins we live and work in against the best sides. You're lucky if you get one, never mind three, and it was a game that we contrived a defeat from the jaws of victory."
Far from denting confidence though, Ulster draw comfort from what Bell describes as “a massive step forward” against Glasgow “because we were a different animal, and if we create chances like that and take chances like that we’ll be up there come the end of the season.”
Whereas some Ulster supporters might fear a case of second season syndrome, there’s no panic in the camp. “Not in the slightest. It’s far too early in the season, and I know that’s clichéd and it’s easy to say that,” said Bell, who cited Joe Schmidt coming into the changing-room afterwards and reminding them that Leinster lost three of their first four under his command in 2010-11. They also lost two of their first three two seasons ago, yet went on to finish second and first in reaching both grand Finals.
“It’s obviously a story for the media, and people may believe they sense something wrong here; there is absolutely nothing wrong. We had one poor performance against the Dragons and we had a much better performance against Glasgow and we didn’t take our chances against a good side and paid for that.”
“When we went on our 11-game winning streak last season we still approached every game the same and we know we have to be on the money against Connacht. If we get our processes right I believe we will win. If we get things wrong then I believe we can be beaten, and it’s no different from any game.”
Scope for recovery
Ulster are in tenth place, one of only three teams without a win alongside the Italian teams. While a 22-game campaign allows scope for a recovery, it will be recalled that the Ospreys lost their first three league games last season, and despite ten of their next 11 league games, missed out on the play-offs by one position.
“I don’t want to be zero from two to be honest with you,” says Bell “but that’s where we are, but we absolutely don’t want to be zero from three, and the guys are incredibly positive.”
Stuart Olding is still sidelined, but Bell intimated that the fit-again Craig Gilroy is "fit again, quick and as sharp as he's ever been" and could make his seasonal re-appearance, perhaps off the bench, while Iain Henderson is a serious option for a starting place.
Ulster can perhaps take additional confidence from a record of only one defeat in the last seven seasons and 14 encounters against Connacht.
“As they always do, they have a lot of energy and tenacity, and attitude,” says Bell. “They’re probably playing a little bit more rugby than I’ve seen in the past. They’ve got some very nice outside backs who like to run the ball and are dangerous, so it’s up to us to negate those threats, play the game in the right part of the pitch and put some pressure on them.”
“They also have one of the best positional kickers around these days in Dan Parks. I do believe Connacht are a good side and I don’t just say that lightly. Like I said, if we’re on the money and get our processes right, I do believe we can win. But if we don’t, we can lose this game . . .”
