RUGBY:ANALOGIES OF war often creep into sporting rhetoric so French international and Biarritz Olympique hooker Benoit August's pre-match assertion that his team "we're going to come together like a commando unit to go on a mission to get qualification" won't cause too many brows to furrow.
It does, though, give an inkling of the mindset that last year’s beaten Heineken Cup finalists will bring to Belfast, a thought process fleshed out still further by the forwards coach Jean-Michel Gonzalez who observed: “If you give away one centimetre, you’ll get eaten by that team (Ulster) and their supporters.”
Commandos on one aside, cannibals on the other represent colourful metaphors to fire the imagination. Biarritz expect a volatile atmosphere that assails the eyes and ears, where the proximity of the spectators to the playing surface can become slightly claustrophobic, intimidating and where wind and rain render it even more inhospitable.
The French side will be aware though that they possess a volume control dial that is wired to their performance: the better they play, the more Ravenhill and its occupants will become a peripheral influence on the contest. Their stratagems for victory will centre on their pack, a tightly-structured kicking game based on winning the territorial ping pong and aggressive defence.
Biarritz will want to get their backrow, led by the brilliant Imanol Harinordoquy, to force turnovers and it’s probably only then that they’ll try to exploit the speed of their wings, Takudzwa Ngwneya and former English international Iain Balshaw. A key player will be their superb scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili; if he’s making decisions courtesy of front-foot ball then Ulster will be in trouble.
The French side boasts an excellent set-piece, especially a lineout that excels on the athleticism of Harinordoquy, the Lund brothers, Magnus and Erik, and French international and team captain Jerome Thion. Ulster possess an excellent scrum of their own that will need to be a little slicker and innovative out of touch.
Ian Humphreys has a crucial role to play this afternoon. Quite apart from the responsibility of place-kicking – he struck the ball beautifully in Bath in the last round – he represents the home side’s creative spark. He may be physically mismatched against French international Damien Traille, something the French side will try to exploit, but from a constructive perspective he’s light years ahead. Traille plodded through the November Tests in the role of pivot, looking like a square peg in a round hole.
It’s unlikely that the home side are going to overwhelm the visiting eight so they’re going to have to introduce subtle variations in terms of their patterns behind the scrum: it’ll be about maximising the impact of Paddy Wallace’s feet and hands in contact, Nevin Spence’s running lines and the physicality of the back three.
A fully-attuned Ruan Pienaar exploits gaps on the fringes and intelligently supports other line breakers. The loss of number eight Robbie Diack to a shoulder injury is unfortunate – so too Paddy McAllister’s absence from the bench (ankle) – because it deprives the team of a fine athlete with a great work ethic.
It will place slightly more emphasis on the ball carrying of Pedrie Wannenburg, Dan Tuohy, Tom Court, captain Rory Best and potentially their most potent influence, Stephen Ferris. Fully fit, the Irish flanker is a game winner.
Twelve years is a long time to watch the knock-out stages of the European Cup on television. This game means so much to the short and medium term rugby development in the province. A culture of success inspires and motivates young players.
Biarritz leads the head-to-head of European clashes with their hosts, 3-1, including a victory at Ravenhill, but running like ticker tape in the back of their minds will be their careless defeat away to Aironi; especially if they start slowly.
Ulster has yet to produce an 80-minute performance this season. There have been cameos of exquisite, enterprising rugby, sprinkled with more hard-nosed, earthy qualities but to find a way past Biarritz, the home side are going to have find and sustain a level of performance they have yet to broach this season.
Rain is forecast, suggesting an increased number of set-pieces in the match. If Ulster can protect their own ball, retain their discipline and commit to winning the collisions then the route march to victory will seem less onerous. From the opening whistle it will be about intensity and accuracy for the home side. Ultimately it’ll be about standing up on and off the pitch.
ULSTER: A D’Arcy; A Trimble, N Spence, P Wallace, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best (capt), BJ Botha, J Muller, D Tuohy, S Ferris, W Faloon, P Wannenburg. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, T Barker, C Henry, P Marshall, I Whitten, D McIlwaine.
BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: D Haylett-Petty; T Ngwenya, M Bosch, L Tranier, I Balshaw; D Traille, D Yachvili ; E Coetzee, B August, S Marconnet, J Thion (capt), E Lund, M Lund, I Harinordoquy, R Lakafia. Replacements: R Terrain, Y Watremez, A Barozzi, P Taele, S Vahafolau, J Peyrelongue, M Bond, I Bolakoro.
Referee: N Owens (Wales).
2010-2011 HC results so far: Ulster 30, Aironi 6; Bath 11, Biarritz 12; Aironi 6, Bath 22; Biarritz 35, Ulster 15; Ulster 22, Bath 18; Aironi 28, Biarritz 27; Biarritz 34, Aironi 3; Bath 22, Ulster 26.
Previous HC meetings – 2002-2003: Ulster 13, Biarritz 9; Biarritz 25, Ulster 20. 2005-2006: Biarritz 33, Ulster 19; Ulster 8, Biarritz 24.
Leading points scorers – Ulster: Ian Humphreys 42. Biarritz: Dimitri Yachvili 48.
Leading try scorers –Ulster: Andrew Trimble 2. Biarritz: Takudzwa Ngwenya 4.
Odds (Paddy Powers): Ulster 4/6, draw 18/1, Biarritz 6/5. Handicap: Ulster (-2) 10/11, draw 20/1, Biarritz (+2) 10/11.
Verdict: Ulster to win (without the bonus point).
