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European Champions Cup Preview: Ulster v Exeter Chiefs

With the backing of a big vocal home crowd, Ulster are hoping to ‘chop’ down Exeter Chiefs in their sides’ first ever European meeting and pick up their first Pool 5 points.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 5: Saturday, October 22

ULSTER (3rd) v EXETER CHIEFS (4th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.45pm (live BT Sport 2 HD/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster MW/Newstalk/highlights TG4)

Team News: Charles Piutau will make his European Champions Cup debut for Ulster on Saturday night after being named in the team to face Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium.

Piutau is the only change to the back-line which played against Bordeaux-Bègles last Sunday, as he replaces Craig Gilroy on the left wing. Click here to buy tickets for the game (limited availability).

Ruan Pienaar has recovered from a knee injury and is joined in the starting backs by Ireland internationals Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne.

There are three new faces in the province’s pack, with Kyle McCall, Peter Browne and Roger Wilson all selected by director of rugby Les Kiss.

McCall will join Rory Best and Rodney Ah You in the front row, while Browne is paired with Franco van der Merwe in the engine room.

Wilson’s inclusion at the base of the scrum means that Sean Reidy will shift to openside flanker, with Iain Henderson continuing in the number 6 jersey.

The replacements bench features front rowers Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick and Ross Kane, along with fellow forwards Alan O’Connor and Clive Ross. Gilroy, Paul Marshall and the fit-again Tommy Bowe, who have amassed 453 Ulster caps between them, provide experienced back-line cover.

Meanwhile, with England international Luke Cowan-Dickie (ankle) the latest addition to the treatment room at Sandy Park, Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter has again tweaked his squad ahead of kick-off.

Club captain Jack Yeandle is promoted from the bench to fill the void left by Cowan-Dickie at hooker, and Mitch Lees comes into the second row for Damian Welch.

In the back division, former Ulster player Ian Whitten moves into the centre to form a new partnership alongside Henry Slade, while James Short is recalled on the left wing. Another Ulsterman, out-half Gareth Steenson, captains the Chiefs who are hoping to bounce back from last Sunday’s disappointing 35-8 loss to Clermont Auvergne.

On the bench, Elvis Taione and Jonny Hill get their first taste of competitive first team action this season, and Jack Maunder – a debutant last weekend – gets another crack alongside Sam Hill and Ollie Devoto.

ULSTER: Jared Payne; Andrew Trimble (capt), Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding, Charles Piutau; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Kyle McCall, Rory Best, Rodney Ah You, Peter Browne, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Sean Reidy, Roger Wilson.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Craig Gilroy, Tommy Bowe.

EXETER CHIEFS: Lachie Turner; Olly Woodburn, Ian Whitten, Henry Slade, James Short; Gareth Steenson (capt), Dave Lewis; Moray Low, Jack Yeandle, Harry Williams, Mitch Lees, Geoff Parling, Kai Horstmann, Julian Salvi, Thomas Waldrom.

Replacements: Elvis Taione, Carl Rimmer, Tomas Francis, Jonny Hill, Dave Dennis, Jack Maunder, Sam Hill, Ollie Devoto.

Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
Assistant Referees: Thomas Charabas, Cédric Clavé (both France)
Television Match Official: Eric Briquet Campin (France)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 2/5; Draw: 22/1; Exeter Chiefs to win: 21/10

Pre-Match Quotes: Iain Henderson (Ulster) – “Geoff Parling runs Exeter’s lineout, and they have good options outside that as well. But we need, and will hopefully, stem that at source. Our defence at that aspect has been good all season, and statistically we are probably one of the best mauls in the PRO12. But we will just have to kill their big maul at the all-important source and make sure we get men back on our feet to defend.

“We have to show Exeter that we are going to be very physical from the off. We dare not give them any momentum in the forwards. Once we stop that, we can then hopefully manage them for the rest of the game.

“We did not perform well at all in the second half (in Bordeaux). We played the whole second half in our own half, and that shouldn’t be the situation. We should always aim to get out and into their half, and that suits our mobile pack and explosive backs who can break lines and score tries.

“This week it’s our intention to get out of our half more efficiently with a better success rate than we did last week. We talk about detail, we talk about how it just takes one person to get one thing wrong and then team like Bordeaux-Bègles are knocking on your door for the whole half.

“In Europe, everyone plays as if it’s last chance saloon. We found ourselves in an unfortunate position last year. We did well after a poor start and came back with four wins. No one is in an easier group than anyone else. Every team knows they need maximum points, and that’s what we must do this week against Exeter.”

Gareth Steenson (Exeter Chiefs) – “I think we got a really good wake-up call (against Clermont Auvergne) and, strangely, that result is going to work out as a good thing for us moving forward. We now understand what it takes, we want to be a top team and that means playing like it every week.

“We tasted a wee bit of success last year, albeit we won nothing – and we need to remember that because we didn’t win anything and we have to make sure we want to push on.

“We had a taste of the big stage and it just feels like we are waiting for something to happen, whereas last season was about us going and actually taking it, fighting for everything. We are no longer the underdogs this season, we are almost waiting for that plucky performance when actually we need to go out and put in performances week after week.

“I don’t mind losing, but the manner of the defeat last week – it was just not up to scratch. We seemed to just fold a little bit.”

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)

Exeter Chiefs – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 25-20 v Wasps (away), Lost 34-13 v Saracens (home), Won 36-25 v Harlequins (home), Won 41-17 v Bristol (away), Lost 20-19 v Northampton Saints (home), Drew 27-27 v Gloucester (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 35-8 v Clermont Auvergne (home)

Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 8; Tries: Andrew Trimble 1; Exeter Chiefs – Points: Sam Hill 5; Tries: Sam Hill 1

Previous European Meetings: 0

Match Facts –

– This will be the first competitive meeting between the teams, and Ulster will be the third Irish province Exeter have faced in Europe. They lost twice to Leinster in the Champions Cup in 2012/13, but beat Connacht twice in the Challenge Cup in 2014/15

– Ulster lost their last home game against Premiership opposition (v Saracens last season), however, they have not lost consecutive home games against clubs from England since losing their first four games between 1996 and 2001

– Exeter have won just twice away from home in the competition (losing eight), and both of those wins came in Wales

– Despite suffering their biggest home defeat in the Champions Cup since their first home game in 2012, Exeter had more time in possession than any other side in round 1 (23 minutes and 46 seconds)

– Ulster won their final two home pool games of the 2015/16 campaign by a combined scoreline of 94-3, beating Toulouse and Oyonnax

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