Ahead of their crunch home clash with Conference B rivals Benetton Rugby, Ulster head coach Dan McFarland said: “Benetton are a good side on the up and they have shown a steel in defence which puts them among the top sides in the league defensively. They will challenge our attack, so coming here it will be physical and a real test for us.”
GUINNESS PRO14: Friday, January 25
ULSTER (5th, Con B) v BENETTON RUGBY (3rd, Con B), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live Free Sports/DAZN/BBC Radio Ulster 1341 MW)
Team News: Just two points separate the four teams lying behind Conference B leaders Leinster, with Edinburgh, Benetton, the Scarlets and Ulster all chasing a top-three finish in order to secure a place in the PRO14 play-offs coming the spring.
There are two personnel changes to Ulster back-line that played in last Saturday’s 14-13 comeback win away to Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Champions Cup, as Abbey insurance Academy players Michael Lowry and James Hume are installed at full-back and outside centre respectively.
Another Academy talent, Robert Baloucoune, who scored the match-winning try at Welford Road, is again selected on the right wing. Billy Burns and David Shanahan are retained at half-back, while Stuart McCloskey continues at inside centre and Louis Ludik switches to the left wing.
Up front, Alan O’Connor takes over the captaincy from Rory Best and partners Kieran Treadwell in the second row. Andrew Warwick and Rob Herring join Martin Moore, the province’s first try scorer at Welford Road, in the front row, while Ian Nagle, Nick Timoney and Greg Jones have earned call-ups to the back row.
Hooker John Andrew is set to win his 50th Ulster cap if introduced off the bench, with Wiehahn Herbst, Tom O’Toole, Matthew Dalton, Clive Ross, Jonny Stewart, Darren Cave and the fit-again Robert Lyttle also included in the matchday 23.
Ulster v Benetton tickets are priced from £17 for adults and £12 for juniors. Family packages are also available from £46. You can purchase online at ulsterrugby.com/buytickets or on the gate from 6.05pm on Friday.
Meanwhile, former Leinster out-half Ian McKinley will captain Benetton in Belfast with eight personnel changes made to the side that scored five tries in a 39-7 Challenge Cup win in Grenoble last Friday night.
Wingers Iliesa Ratuva and Monty Ioane, who both touched down against Grenoble, Marco Zanon, who switches to inside centre, and South African scrum half Dewaldt Duvenage are all retained in the back-line. McKinley and Duvenage combine at half-back.
Hame Faiva and Marco Riccioni join Nicola Quaglio in the front row, with Kiwi hooker Faiva chasing his fifth try of the PRO14 campaign. South African Irne Herbst partners Federico Ruzza in the engine room, while New Zealander Toa Halafihi anchors a back row which includes Marco Lazzaroni and 20-year-old openside Michele Lamaro.
ULSTER: Michael Lowry; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Louis Ludik; Billy Burns, David Shanahan; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Martin Moore, Alan O’Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell, Ian Nagle, Nick Timoney, Greg Jones.
Replacements: John Andrew, Wiehahn Herbst, Tom O’Toole, Matthew Dalton, Clive Ross, Jonny Stewart, Darren Cave, Robert Lyttle.
BENETTON RUGBY: Luca Sperandio; Iliesa Ratuva, Tommaso Iannone, Marco Zanon, Monty Ioane; Ian McKinley (capt), Dewaldt Duvenage; Nicola Quaglio, Hame Faiva, Marco Riccioni, Irne Herbst, Federico Ruzza, Marco Lazzaroni, Michele Lamaro, Toa Halafihi.
Replacements: Tomas Baravalle, Cherif Traore, Simone Ferrari, Marco Fuser, Giovanni Pettinelli, Marco Barbini, Edoardo Gori, Ignacio Brex.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Rhys Jones (Wales)
Television Match Official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 1/9; Draw: 22/1; Benetton Rugby to win: 5/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Dan McFarland (Ulster) – “We are in a Conference with three Champions Cup quarter-finalists, so it does not get much tougher than that. Seven teams, three Champions Cup quarter-finalists and we are fighting over three places, one of which has probably already been taken (with Leinster holding a 19-point lead).
“It doesn’t really get tougher than that. This game is really important to us and we have to win this weekend – I say we have to win, we don’t have to, but that’s how we see it. I enjoy this time of the year. It allows players that may not have had an opportunity to get a little bit closer to having an opportunity and it is up to them to grasp it.”
Rob Herring (Ulster) – “We’ve had two really good training weeks and a lot of that has come from the way that the guys who aren’t starting have tested the starters. So a few boys are now going to get an opportunity and I think that maybe in the past that there would have been a dip in performance but I think just the culture that we’re trying to build here now there is an expectation on the guys coming in.
“We don’t talk about holding the jersey for someone and just really trying to take the jersey and make it your own. We’re going to have to be good this week as Treviso are ahead of us in the table and they are a quality side, but I think that if we can keep the standard we’ve had over the last few weeks then going into this game it will be a good match.
“Interestingly enough we had a couple of conversations as a group and it’s actually the younger boys who are bringing it out that we have to step up now and have to make sure that the levels are the same. I think coming from the younger guys it’s brilliant.
“They understand and know now how important this game is, especially how important it also is to wear the jersey. If you’re not going to go out there and fight for the jersey and fight for your place then Dan’s not going to pick you. This is the first game in a massive block of PRO14 games for us and we have to start putting in good performances in to start climbing that ladder.”
Top Scorers – 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Ulster – Points: John Cooney 62; Tries: David Shanahan 5; Benetton Rugby – Points: Tommaso Allan 67; Tries: Braam Steyn, Hame Faiva 4 each
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Ulster – Played 13, Won 7, Drawn 1, Lost 5, 33 Points; W 15-13 v Scarlets (home), W 30-29 v Edinburgh (home), W 28-7 v Isuzu Southern Kings (away), D 39-39 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), L 64-7 v Munster (away), L 22-15 v Connacht (home), W 36-18 v Dragons (home), W 15-10 v Benetton Rugby (away), L 29-12 v Scarlets (away), W 16-12 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 19-12 v Munster (home), L 21-12 v Connacht (away), L 40-7 v Leinster (away); Benetton Rugby – Played 13, Won 7, Lost 6, 35 Points; W 21-17 v Dragons (away), W 27-25 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 38-29 v Scarlets (away), L 27-10 v Ospreys (away), L 31-30 v Edinburgh (away), W 28-5 v Isuzu Southern Kings (home), L 31-3 v Leinster (home), L 15-10 v Ulster (home), L 31-25 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 22-19 v Isuzu Southern Kings (away), W 10-8 v Zebre (away), W 28-10 v Zebre (home), W 20-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, January 30, 2016 – Benetton Rugby 13 Ulster 21, Stadio di Monigo
Saturday, September 10, 2016 – Benetton Rugby 11 Ulster 22, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, March 3, 2017 – Ulster 19 Benetton Rugby 7, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, September 9, 2017 – Benetton Rugby 14 Ulster 21, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, November 24, 2017 – Ulster 23 Benetton Rugby 22, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Benetton Rugby 10 Ulster 15, Stadio di Monigo
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster have won their last two matches, both in the Champions Cup, but in the GUINNESS PRO14 they have lost their last two fixtures, both on the road at Connacht and Leinster
– Ulster’s only defeat at Kingspan Stadium since February in any competition was 22-15 to Connacht in round 6 of the PRO14
– Benetton Rugby have lost only once in their last eight matches: 20-9 away to Harlequins in round 4 of the Challenge Cup
– The Italians have won their last two away games in the PRO14. They have never before won three in-a-row on the road in the same season in the Championship
– The two sides have met on 23 previous occasions in all tournaments, with Benetton gaining a lone victory by becoming the only Italian side ever to have beaten Ulster in Belfast, in October 2011
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