Holding a one-point advantage over La Rochelle, Ulster know exactly what they need to do against Wasps as they bid to reach the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2014.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 1: Sunday, January 21
WASPS (3rd) v ULSTER (1st), Ricoh Arena, 3.15pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster MW/RTE Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: Director of rugby Les Kiss has finalised the Ulster team for Sunday’s vital Champions Cup round 6 showdown with Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
There are just three personnel changes and two positional switches to the province’s side that started last Saturday’s impressive 20-13 win over La Rochelle in Belfast.
Darren Cave, Kieran Treadwell and Kyle McCall are the three new faces included by the Ulster coaches. With Craig Gilroy ruled out after fracturing his cheekbone against the French outfit, Cave is selected at outside centre with Louis Ludik moving to the the right wing.
Australian international Christian Lealiifano has been named at out-half for what will be his final game before returning to play Super Rugby for the Brumbies. John Cooney, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and former Wasp Charles Piutau complete the back-line.
Treadwell’s inclusion at lock alongside Alan O’Connor results in Iain Henderson reverting to the back row next to Sean Reidy and Nick Timoney, one of Ulster’s try scorers against La Rochelle. Captain Rory Best will be flanked by McCall and Rodney Ah You in the front row.
Wiehahn Herbst has recovered from a calf injury sustained against Leinster earlier this month to make the bench. Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Matthew Rea and Chris Henry are the other forwards in the matchday squad.
Robert Lyttle, who scored two tries for Ulster ‘A’ in a bonus point win over Cornish Pirates last weekend, has earned a place on the bench alongside reserve half-backs David Shanahan and Johnny McPhillips.
A bonus point victory in Coventry would confirm Ulster as Pool 1 winners, regardless of La Rochelle’s result against bottom side Harlequins, while a win of any nature would see Ulster progress to the quarter-finals as one of the best runners-up.
Meanwhile, Juan de Jongh is back in the Wasps starting line-up for the visit of Ulster, as Dai Young’s men look to bounce back from a deflating loss to Harlequins during which they lost their grip on 21-0 and 28-12 leads.
The Springbok international, who limped off with a hamstring injury during the early stages of the Aviva Premiership defeat to Saracens a fortnight ago, partners Kyle Eastmond in the hosts’ midfield.
Wasps director of rugby Young has made one further change to the matchday 23 from the Harlequins game, with former England Under-20 flanker Jack Willis replacing the suspended James Haskell.
Hookers Tom Cruse and Ashley Johnson swap bench and starting roles, as do openside flankers Guy Thompson and Thomas Young. Thompson and Willis are joined in the back row for a final time by Nizaam Carr, who is shortly to return to Cape Town following the end of his successful loan spell in Coventry.
WASPS: Willie le Roux; Christian Wade, Juan de Jongh, Kyle Eastmond, Marcus Watson; Danny Cipriani, Dan Robson; Simon McIntyre, Tom Cruse, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Joe Launchbury (capt), James Gaskell, Jack Willis, Guy Thompson, Nizaam Carr.
Replacements: Ashley Johnson, Ben Harris, Martin Moore, Kearnan Myall, Thomas Young, Joe Simpson, Rob Miller, Brendan Macken.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Louis Ludik, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Christian Lealiifano, John Cooney; Kyle McCall, Rory Best (capt), Rodney Ah You, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Wiehahn Herbst, Matthew Rea, Chris Henry, David Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips, Robert Lyttle.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant Referees: Ludovic Cayre, Jonathan Dufort (both France)
Television Match Official: Eric Briquet-Campin (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Wasps to win: 8/13; Draw: 19/1; Ulster to win: 7/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Chris Henry (Ulster) – “Yeah, it’s nice that it’s the last game (on Sunday) and we’ll have a good idea of what points are required (for qualification). Those games when you play early in the weekend, it is tough watching all the other games and waiting for the results to come in.
“I think we’ll probably get to the hotel and, no doubt, like a lot of the teams, we like to watch the other games anyway. I’ve no doubt we’ll all be sitting in the team room, fueling up and watching.
“It’s a European Champions Cup weekend and it’s exciting to be able to watch other teams as well. It gets the adrenaline going, you’re sitting there watching all the other big teams play. It’s a pretty cool feeling knowing you’re going to go out the next day and do the same thing.
“I’m sure Wasps will be hurting from that defeat (to Harlequins) – they are a team of serious history – and there’s no doubt there’s going to be a reaction from them. We know that, we accept that, but it’s about imposing ourselves on them. We are backing ourselves to go over there and get the result.”
Dai Young (Wasps) – “Plenty always goes on during the final weekend of the European Cup pool stages, but we have to concentrate on our game with Ulster, pure and simple. We have plenty to put right from the last few weeks, and have been working hard on those things in training.
“We can only control events at the Ricoh. A number of things must happen for us to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals, but it all starts with us beating Ulster.”
Current Form – Wasps – (Aviva Premiership): Won 50-35 v Sale Sharks (home), Won 24-10 v Worcester Warriors (away), Lost 24-21 v Harlequins (home), Lost 31-17 v Exeter Chiefs (away), Lost 25-9 v Bath (home), Lost 38-19 v Saracens (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 19-9 v Ulster (away), Won 41-10 v Harlequins (home); (Aviva Premiership): Won 38-22 v Northampton Saints (away); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 53-41 v Newcastle Falcons (home), Won 36-12 v Ospreys (home); (Aviva Premiership): Won 40-10 v Newcastle Falcons (home), Won 17-13 v London Irish (away), Won 32-25 v Leicester Tigers (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 49-29 v La Rochelle (away), Won 21-3 v La Rochelle (home); (Aviva Premiership): Won 49-24 v Gloucester (home), Won 31-26 v Bath (away), Lost 38-15 v Saracens (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 33-28 v Harlequins (away)
Ulster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 42-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), Won 21-14 v Benetton Rugby (away), Won 27-20 v Scarlets (home), Won 52-25 v Dragons (home), Lost 27-23 v Zebre (away), Won 16-8 v Connacht (home); (Champions Cup): Won 19-9 v Wasps (home), Lost 41-17 v La Rochelle (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 25-10 v Leinster (home), Won 43-36 v Southern Kings (away), Won 23-22 v Benetton Rugby (home), Drew 32-32 v Dragons (away); (Champions Cup): Won 17-5 v Harlequins (away), Won 52-24 v Harlequins (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 44-16 v Connacht (away), Won 24-17 v Munster (home), Lost 38-7 v Leinster (away); (Champions Cup): Won 20-13 v La Rochelle (home)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Wasps – Points: Jimmy Gopperth 24; Tries: Elliot Daly 3; Ulster – Points: John Cooney 47; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 3
Previous European Meetings: 7
Friday, October 13, 2017 – Pool 1 – Ulster 19 Wasps 9, Kingspan Stadium
Sunday, January 6, 2002 – Pool 2 – Wasps 36 Ulster 32, Loftus Road Stadium
Friday, October 5, 2001 – Pool 2 – Ulster 42 Wasps 19, Ravenhill
Sunday, January 9, 2000 – Pool 3 – Wasps 49 Ulster 17, Vicarage Road
Friday, November 26, 1999 – Pool 3 – Ulster 6 Wasps 19, Loftus Road Stadium
Friday, October 3, 1997 – Pool B – Ulster 21 Wasps 38, Ravenhill
Sunday, September 21, 1997 – Pool B – Wasps 56 Ulster 3, Loftus Road Stadium
Match Facts –
– Ulster come into round 6 with a one-point lead over La Rochelle at the Pool 1 summit, while hosts Wasps are only five points off the pace themselves, but a bonus point win for Les Kiss’ men would ensure a spot in the last-eight
– Wasps’ slender hopes of reaching the knockout stages rely upon victory over Ulster, although form does not appear to be on their side after surrendering a lead to be defeated by Aviva Premiership rivals Harlequins last weekend, as well as losing the reverse fixture to Ulster in round 1
– The last meeting of these teams came in the opening game of the 2017/18 Champions Cup back in October, when tries from winger Jacob Stockdale and centre Stuart McCloskey sealed a 19-9 victory for the province
– Ulster will be without winger Craig Gilroy, who has been ruled out with a fractured cheekbone, but they do have the services of flying full-back Charles Piutau, who has made the most metres (502) in the Champions Cup to date
– Wasps are without the suspended James Haskell, but have defensive stalwart Joe Launchbury, who has been the third best tackler in Europe so far this season, with 77 to his name
European Cup Records:
Wasps –
2016/17: Reached the quarter-finals
2015/16: Reached the semi-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2006/07: Champions
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2003/04: Champions
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
Ulster –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Runners-up
2010/11: Reached the quarter-finals
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1998/99: Champions
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool C
1995/96: Failed to qualify from Pool B
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