ULSTER FACE into a phase of Pro 12 and Heineken Cup matches before Christmas that could spell the end or the continuation of their hopes in both competitions.
In that light there is an outside chance that new South African signing Stefan Terblanche could be involved in this week’s league match against Llanelli Scarlets, if he was to arrive in Belfast today or tomorrow.
Ostensibly a fullback who can also play in the centre, Terblanche has kept Ulster waiting for almost a month. But it has not been entirely his fault.
While the utility Springbok has agreed a short-term contract with the province of three months, the bureaucracy of getting everything through the UK Borders Agency has been both frustrating and lengthy.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin said this week that his understanding was that the visa issues had been sorted out and it was hoped to see Terblanche in Belfast before the weekend.
“It would be an option to involve him, particularly with the situation at fullback and the fact we have two crunch European games coming up,” said the Ulster coach.
“However, we will consider it once we see when he arrives.”
Born in Mossel Bay, the 36-year-plays mostly at fullback but also has the ability to play at centre or on the wing.
He played in 37 Tests for South Africa, scoring 19 tries, including a South African Test record of four tries (equalled with Chester Williams and Pieter Rossow) on his debut against Ireland at Bloemfontein on June 13th, 1998, which he later bettered by scoring a then record five tries against Italy a year later.
In November, Terblanche signed a three-month contract with Ulster to provide cover for Jared Payne, who ruptured his Achilles in a PRO12 match against Treviso at the beginning of October.
Ulster’s position in the Heineken Cup is fraught and they can ill-afford to lose much more ground. Currently in third place in pool four with Leicester and Clermont above them, they are already facing a tough battle.
In the Pro12 they have lost five of their last six matches and are in danger of leaving too much ground to make up if they hope to finish in the top four. They are currently in eighth place on 17 points.
Munster named a 29-man squad yesterday for their trip to the Liberty Stadium where they will face Ospreys on Saturday (kick-off 6.30pm).
The Welsh side are currently in pole position in the PR012 with just one defeat away to Glasgow in round seven.
As expected Denis Leamy and Donnacha Ryan, who were unavailable last week because of injury, are included in the extended squad.
Ospreys will have seven of their international players unavailable for the match as Warren Gatland’s Welsh team face Australia in Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
MUNSTER (v Ospreys): M Horan, W du Preez, S Archer, BJ Botha, J Hayes, D Varley, D Fogarty, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, I Nagle, D Ryan, P O’Connell, B Holland, P O’Mahony, N Ronan, T O’Donnell, D Leamy, J Coughlan, C Murray, T O’Leary, R O’Gara, I Keatley, S Deasy, D Barnes, W Chambers, S Zebo, D Hurley, J Murphy, D Howlett.
