Ulster and Saracens meet for the first time since the English club’s 2013 and 2014 European quarter-final wins, as the province look to give new director of rugby Les Kiss a winning start in the Champions Cup.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 1: Friday, November 20
ULSTER (3rd) v SARACENS (1st), Kingspan Stadium, 7.45pm (live BT Sport Europe/beIN Sports/BBC Radio Ulster MW/highlights TG4)
Team News: Iain Henderson has returned from injury and will make his 50th Ulster appearance in Friday night’s sold-out European Champions Cup clash with Saracens at Kingspan Stadium..
Henderson has been out of action since picking up a hand injury during Ireland’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina, but the powerful forward has recovered in time for the start of Ulster’s European campaign.
Rory Best will captain the side and is joined in the front row by Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst. Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe continue in the second row, while Chris Henry and Nick Williams will make up the back row alongside blindside flanker Henderson.
Half-backs Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson will start together for the first time this season, with Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave lining out in the centre. The experienced trio of Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy and Louis Ludik are named in the back-three.
Rob Herring, Kyle McCall and Ricky Lutton will provide front row cover, with the experienced Robbie Diack and Roger Wilson included as the other forwards on the bench. The back-line reinforcements come in the form of Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys and Peter Nelson.
Meanwhile, Brad Barritt will captain Saracens in his 150th appearance for the club in the north Londoners’ Pool 1 fixture away to Ulster at Kingspan Stadium.
The England centre, who has been at the club since 2008, will lead out Saracens in Belfast as they look to maintain their perfect start to the 2015/16 season. After a fine 32-7 win over French giants Toulouse, Mark McCall has only made two changes to the side that ran in three tries against the four-time winners at Allianz Park.
Jamie George reverts to the bench to rotate with South African World Cup hooker Schalk Brits, while Jacques Burger returns to the starting line-up after a one-week suspension in the place of Will Fraser, who is unavailable for selection.
Hooker Brits takes his place in the front row alongside Mako Vunipola and Rhys Gill, with George Kruis and Maro Itoje continuing at lock after an impressive collective start to the season. In the back row, Michael Rhodes continues at blindside flanker and is joined by Burger and number 8 Billy Vunipola.
England duo Richard Wigglesworth and Owen Farrell continue at half-back, Barritt is partnered by Duncan Taylor in the centre and the dangerous back-three combination of Alex Goode and wingers Chris Ashton and Chris Wyles is unchanged.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Kyle McCall, Rob Herring, Ricky Lutton, Robbie Diack, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Peter Nelson.
SARACENS: Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Duncan Taylor, Brad Barritt (capt), Chris Wyles; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Schalk Brits, Petrus du Plessis, George Kruis, Maro Itoje, Michael Rhodes, Jacques Burger, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Jamie George, Rhys Gill, Juan Figallo, Alistair Hargreaves, Jackson Wray, Neil de Kock, Charlie Hodgson, Marcelo Bosch.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Cyril Lafon, Pierre Brousset (both France)
Television Match Official: Eric Gauzins (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 5/6; Draw: 14/1; Saracens to win: Evens
Pre-Match Quotes: Allen Clarke (Ulster) – “We have trained tremendously well since our return (from France) and mentally we have an added incentive on what will be our first game in Europe to now be in front of our home crowd at the Kingspan.
“So we want to give our support something to shout about, deliver a performance where everyone involved in Ulster rugby can be satisfied.
“What’s been interesting is the history between the two sides over the last number of years. We have tremendous respect for Saracens who have preformed so well in Europe over the past four seasons.
“Yes they knocked us out in the quarters a few seasons ago and it was a tight one at the end. But we haven’t spoken a lot about that. We are living in the here and now and focused on Friday night.
“I haven’t spoken to (Saracens boss) Mark (McCall) for a three or four weeks now, but I will be texting him this week to say, ‘here we go again’. I’ve given him no abuse yet!
“I’ve tremendous respect for Mark. He’s done tremendously well and I think we should all congratulate him on his success. Obviously I’m not working closely with him, but I know from speaking to him, he is still a competitive individual and has good values and knowledge of the game.”
Mark McCall (Saracens) – “Ulster are a team that we know very well. They are one of the best in Europe and we’ve had some classic battles with them in recent years.
“I know how tough a place the Kingspan Stadium can be when it’s rocking on a European night, so to be facing them is a real challenge for us but one that we’re all very excited by.”
Current Form – Ulster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 28-6 at home to the Ospreys; Lost 22-12 away to the Scarlets; Won 48-7 at home to Benetton Treviso; Lost 16-10 away to Edinburgh; Won 24-17 at home to Cardiff Blues; Lost 32-28 away to Munster; Won 19-12 away to Newport Gwent Dragons
Saracens – (Aviva Premiership): Won 41-3 at home to Sale Sharks; Won 17-15 away to Gloucester; Won 24-14 at home to London Irish; Won 12-6 away to Northampton Saints; (European Champions Cup): Won 32-7 at home to Toulouse
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Ulster – Points: -; Tries: -; Saracens – Points: Owen Farrell 17; Tries: Chris Wyles 2
Previous European Meetings: 6
Saturday, April 5, 2014 – Quarter-final – Ulster 15 Saracens 17, Ravenhill
Saturday, April 6, 2013 – Quarter-final – Saracens 27 Ulster 16, Twickenham
Saturday, December 17, 2005 – Pool 4 – Saracens 18 Ulster 10, Vicarage Road
Friday, December 9, 2005 – Pool 4 – Ulster 19 Saracens 10, Ravenhill
Friday, January 19, 2001 – Pool 3 – Ulster 13 Saracens 21, Ravenhill
Sunday, October 15, 2000 – Pool 3 – Saracens 55 Ulster 25, Vicarage Road
Match Facts –
– Saracens have won five of their six European Cup matches against Ulster, including each of their last three clashes
– Only once since their first clash in this tournament has either team managed to score more than 21 points in a single match against each other
– Ulster have won 12 of their last 15 home matches against English opposition in the European Cup
– Saracens have won six of their last seven matches against Irish opponents in the European Cup
– Saracens have never held opponents to single digits in consecutive matches in the European Cup but will have the opportunity to do so this weekend against Ulster
– Saracens have started a European Cup campaign with consecutive pool wins only once since 2005 (2012/13)
European Cup Records:
Ulster –
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
Saracens –
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Runners-up
2012/13: Reached the semi-finals
2011/12: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2007/08: Reached the semi-finals
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
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