As they embark on two heavyweight European encounters with Clermont Auvergne, the Ulstermen are back in front of a capacity Kingspan Stadium crowd as they try to close a six-point gap on the table-topping French side.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 5: Saturday, December 10
ULSTER (3rd) v CLERMONT AUVERGNE (1st), Kingspan Stadium, 1pm (live Sky Sports 2 HD/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster MW/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Rory Best and Paddy Jackson have been included in Ulster’s starting line-up for Saturday’s European Champions Cup match against Pool 5 leaders Clermont Auvergne.
Tickets for the match against the French giants are still available via ulsterrugby.com/buytickets. Best and Jackson return to provincial action after contributing so much to Ireland’s successful November series.
The international pair are two of four changes to the team that claimed a bonus point 35-22 win over Cardiff Blues last weekend, with Robbie Diack and Louis Ludik also earning starting berths.
Best will captain the side from hooker and he will be joined in the front row by props Kyle McCall and Wiehahn Herbst. Diack and Peter Browne will form a mobile second row unit, with Iain Henderson, Chris Henry and number 8 Sean Reidy making up an all-international back row.
Jackson will partner the in-form Ruan Pienaar at half back, while Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall continue together as the province’s centre pairing. Ludik, who made a try-scoring return from injury in Cardiff, is named in a back-three that also includes Tommy Bowe and full-back Charles Piutau.
Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick and Rodney Ah You will provide Les Kiss with strong front row options off the bench. Exciting young lock Kieran Treadwell and utility forward Clive Ross are also named among the replacements. Paul Marshall, Darren Cave and Ireland Under-20 star Jacob Stockdale complete the matchday squad.
This will be the third fixture between Ulster and Clermont Auvergne after they met in the pool stages in 2011/12, when both matches were won by the home side. Ulster has won seven of their last eight home games against Top 14 opposition, with their only defeat in that run coming in round 2 in 2014, against Toulon.
However, on Saturday afternoon, they will come up against a formidable Clermont side who have won last five matches against Irish opposition.
Franck Azéma’s men have been extremely impressive so far this season as they remain the only team to take maximum points from their opening two European games, and also lead the way in the Top 14, with just three losses after 13 rounds.
Meanwhile, the selected Clermont side shows ten changes to the one that lost 40-35 at Pau in the Top 14 Championship, with a number of internationals returning to first team action.
Former England winger David Strettle and France’s Camille Lopez are the only survivors in a back-line that is boosted by the likes of Scott Spedding, the tournament’s joint-top try scorer Wesley Fofana (3 tries) and goal-kicking scrum half Morgan Parra.
Experienced duo Benjamin Kayser and Davit Zirakashvili join the retained Raphael Chaume in the front row, while Sébastien Vahaamahina and South African Flip van der Merwe form a power-packed second row and captain Damien Chouly has Alexandre Lapandry and Fijian number 8 Peceli Yato for company in the back row.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Peter Browne, Robbie Diack, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Rodney Ah You, Kieran Treadwell, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Darren Cave, Jacob Stockdale.
CLERMONT AUVERGNE: Scott Spedding; David Strettle, Remi Lamerat, Wesley Fofana, Nick Abendanon; Camille Lopez, Morgan Parra; Raphael Chaume, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili, Flip van der Merwe, Sébastien Vahaamahina, Damien Chouly (capt), Alexandre Lapandry, Peceli Yato.
Replacements: Yohan Beheregaray, Etienne Falgoux, Clément Ric, Sitaleki Timani, Camille Gerondeau, Ludovic Radosavljevic, Benson Stanley, Alivereti Raka.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Peter Allan, Paul Dix (both England)
Television Match Official: Sean Davey (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 11/10; Draw: 20/1; Clermont Auvergne to win: 8/11
Pre-Match Quotes: Chris Henry (Ulster) – “It felt fantastic to be back. I’ve obviously really missed it and I hope that showed. It was six months since the (PRO12) semi-final against Leinster so it’s definitely the longest time that I’ve been out from playing rugby. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous and I know I’ve still plenty to work on but overall I was happy with my first game back.
“I suppose I can take a bit of confidence from those memories (of beating Clermont in November 2011), but it’s two totally different teams. Ultimately it doesn’t what has happened in the past, the past is done. On Saturday we need to make sure that from the very first whistle we’re right on it – this isn’t a game where we can build into it, it’s a game where we come out and show our intent from the very beginning.
“This week is obviously another bigger test for me, a step up in opposition. No matter who they line out, numbers 1-23, Clermont are a team of real superstars. This is what playing big games for Ulster is all about, a big French team coming to town. The fans get up for it, we get up for it and already there’s a great excitement about the week.
“Our collective is hopefully going to be a big strength for us. We’ll work hard for each other, we’ll get stuck into them early doors and hopefully they’ll realise they’re in for a tough game.”
Scott Spedding (Clermont Auvergne) – “It’s a team that has many Irish internationals, especially in the backs, who also have a lot of experience in the European Cup. We know this first game is going to be very important for them.
“They will want to put a lot of pressure on us, especially with their half-back partnership of Ruan Pienaar and Jackson who kick a lot.
“I’ve never played in this stadium before, but I’ve heard about it. The atmosphere is quite hostile. It’s up to us to play well in so Ulster can’t gain confidence because otherwise we risk having a very long afternoon.”
Current Form – Ulster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 29-8 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), Won 22-11 v Benetton Treviso (away), Won 19-8 v Scarlets (home), Won 22-17 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 9-7 v Ospreys (home), Lost 30-25 v Connacht (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 28-13 v Bordeaux-Bègles (away), Won 19-18 v Exeter Chiefs (home); (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 15-14 v Munster (home), Lost 28-17 v Edinburgh (away), Won 35-22 v Cardiff Blues (away)
Clermont Auvergne – (Top 14 Championship): Drew 30-30 v La Rochelle (away), Won 26-22 v Montpellier (away), Drew 30-30 v Stade Francais (away), Won 47-10 v Racing 92 (home), Won 40-16 v Bordeaux-Bègles (home), Lost 23-21 v Toulon (away), Won 29-19 v Castres Olympique (home), Won 29-25 v Toulouse (home); (Champions Cup): Won 35-8 v Exeter Chiefs (away), Won 49-33 v Bordeaux-Bègles (home); (Top 14 Championship): Won 40-16 v Brive (away), Won 21-20 v Grenoble (home), Lost 22-14 v Bayonne (away), Won 16-13 v Lyon (home), Lost 40-35 v Pau (away)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 22; Tries: Andrew Trimble, Sean Reidy 1 each; Clermont Auvergne – Points: Morgan Parra 25; Tries: Wesley Fofana 3
Previous European Meetings: 2
Saturday, January 21, 2012 – Pool 4 – Clermont Auvergne 19 Ulster 15, Stade Marcel Michelin
Saturday, November 12, 2011 – Pool 4 – Ulster 16 Clermont Auvergne 11, Ravenhill
European Cup Records:
Ulster –
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
Clermont Auvergne –
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2014/15: Runners-up
2013/14: Reached the semi-finals
2012/13: Runners-up
2011/12: Reached the semi-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2009/10: Reached the quarter-finals
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
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