MAJESTIC McCLOSKEY

Neil Doak probably woke up on Saturday morning and pinched himself.

We all knew that this Ulster team had the potential to turn on a great performance, but to put four tries past a fellow play-off hopeful is an incredibly impressive way to kick off the new season. Ulster showed a fantastic resilience in defence that ensured they won most of the first up collisions and then had the ability in their star studded back line to reward that defence with a scintillating attacking display.

And it was that kind of play that lifted the crowd as well. As Ulster gained the upper hand in the game the crowd also lifted with them – the Kingspan faithful roared with every big hit from an Ulster defender, every big carry from the excellent Nick Williams and, with the backing of said crowd, the bonus point came with just a couple of minutes left on the clock.

While Ulster’s performance was one of an exemplary team kind, it is impossible to overlook the impact of Stuart McCloskey.

Ulster are blessed with an embarrassment of riches in the centre of the park. Darren Cave and Jared Payne are currently preparing for the World Cup with Ireland. Stuart Olding is still in rehab and won’t return from his unfortunate ankle injury until January. And back at home McCloskey and Luke Marshall formed the centre partnership that sunk the Ospreys, while young Sam Arnold came on from the bench.

Any other team would be delighted to have that kind of talent at their disposal. Ulster don’t quite know where to fit everybody in – there is still no centre partnership that Ulster fans agree upon as the “best” partnership. For some centres this would be enough to send them elsewhere looking for game time (as Chris Farrell and Michael Allen have done), but McCloskey has stuck it out and on Friday night put in possibly his best performance in a white shirt.

Forget about that try for a moment because, as good as it was, it was simply the cherry on top of his man of the match cake.

Known for his physical presence on a rugby pitch, it’s not just that which McCloskey showcased on Friday night. His subtle running lines led him through gaps in the Ospreys defence, his own defence is bone-shatteringly solid and, on top of all of that, he can goal kick too (well, to a certain extent)! We have seen the Bangor man dominate teams with his ball carrying in the past, but against the Ospreys we saw him dominate in all facets of the game.

And the try was quite simply beautiful. It looked like nothing was on down the right hand side, but a hand off on Jonathan Spratt created the space, the centre’s pace took him away from Kristian Phillips and then his sheer brute force was enough to allow him to power his way through two Ospreys men on the line. It was all at once one of the most bizarre and yet one of the most fantastic tries ever scored at the Kingspan Stadium.

It’s that kind of form that saw him listed as one of the potential outsiders for Joe Schmidt’s World Cup squad. For a player who has been on the scene now for just under two years, the fact that defenders haven’t found a way to quell his ball carrying ability proves he is quite simply one of the Pro12’s most destructive ball carriers. He should be delighted with how he played on Friday night, and he will undoubtedly be desperate to continue that form – Schmidt will still be watching.

As for Ulster, they head to Llanelli this Saturday to take on the Scarlets who saw off Glasgow last weekend. Expect a relatively unchanged team from Neil Doak because, as the saying goes, “why fix what ain’t broke?” His coaching was spot on against the Ospreys and, with a whole lot of momentum behind them, and the power of McCloskey and Williams, there’s no reason why you won’t be reading the blog next week and we’ll be two-from-two.

So take a bow Stuart McCloskey. And shake in fear centres everywhere.

SCHMIDT'S SELECT VS. THE WORLD

At the World Cup this month, Ireland are going to be represented by 31 men looking to finally end Ireland’s Webb Ellis drought.

And yet, as is no surprise on the island of Ireland, there has been no shortage of controversy caused by Joe Schmidt’s squad announcement. With provincial bias reigning supreme above all else, you have Munstermen bemoaning the exclusion of Felix Jones, Ulstermen wailing at the absence of Andrew Trimble, and Leinstermen – well, they’re probably crying out for a few of their players back to help their own cause.

So where to start?

The backs seem like a reasonable place to start where Andrew Trimble – a well-known favourite of Joe Schmidt – has been omitted, presumably for injury reasons. It’s a big blow for the Ballymena man, his return from injury was perfectly timed to get back for the warm-up match against Wales and from there you would have expected him to push on and make that final 31. However, injury in that match at the Millennium Stadium is more than likely what put an end to his chances. It’s a harsh call on the winger.

The decision to have Ian Madigan as a back-up scrum-half is a little questionable too. Of course, the belief is that Madigan won’t actually have to play there and that Conor Murray and Eoin Reddan will stay fit for the duration of the tournament, however if the need arises for Madigan to step in at the base of the scrum, then we’ll really see how this decision will play out. At least he has very limited experience at scrum-half, so it isn’t as risky a decision as the Welsh taking just two hookers.

Up front Tadhg Furlong has emerged from injury limbo to take a place in the squad, which is a little bit surprising. It also means Ireland have three tightheads in the squad but just two looseheads (which we’ll get to in a minute), while the fully fit Michael Bent, who can play both sides of the scrum, returns to Leinster. For someone who has played just a handful of rugby in the last few months, his inclusion is odd but Joe Schmidt obviously feels that he has proved his fitness enough to be involved.

The same somehow goes for Cian Healy, only in slightly different circumstances. While Furlong isn’t exactly Ireland’s first choice (or even second choice) tighthead prop, Healy would walk onto any side at loosehead, and was always going to travel if fit enough. Whether he is fit enough remains to be seen, but the fact that Ireland have just two looseheads on the plane would suggest he is fit enough and that he will play every game to get his fitness up a bit more. That, or Schmidt has decided an unfit Healy is better than a fully fit Jack McGrath.

Beyond that, however, there are no big surprises.

Healy and Mike Ross will be the props, with Rory Best hooking between them as has been the case for many years now. The second row is slightly more of a questionable area after last Saturday (again, something I’ll get to in a minute), but the back row, like the front, picks itself – Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip will once again form their now familiar partnership.

Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton are nailed on half-backs, as are Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne at centre. The wingers will probably be Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls, the latter of whom has had a superb summer, however Simon Zebo will have something to say in that back three too, while Rob Kearney is the final definite at full-back.

Indeed, the second row is actually the only area that Joe Schmidt will seriously have to think about. Paul O’Connell will start, again that is a definite starter, but it’s who partners him that will give the New Zealander a few sleepless nights. The two prime contenders? Young versatile Iain Henderson and incumbent number four lock Devin Toner.

Toner hasn’t done anything wrong to lose the shirt, let’s get that straight from the offset. He is a wholly reliable lock who will take countless line-outs and will provide some solid ball carrying as well as being a very competent defender. Put simply, he rarely puts a foot wrong and will put in consistently good performances in the second row.

But after Henderson’s performance against Wales it would be criminal not to start him.

His ball carrying is destructive, as seen in his ability to hold off three Welsh defenders to score his first try in the green of Ireland, his work at the breakdown is ferocious and, while not as tall as Toner, Henderson is also a good line-out option. He may be more effective from blindside flanker, but on Saturday Henderson proved that he is just as good in the second row as he is in the back and that any Ireland team without him would be weaker than it would were he in it.

Schmidt has a big call to make. It won’t decide the World Cup, but it’ll go a long way to helping Ireland to where they want to be.

IRELAND'S HOKEY-COKEY

Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s getting shaken all about? Time to take to look…

He is…the elephant in the room (Unknown)

He’s either the first name on the teamsheet or he’s staying in Ireland – yes of course I’m talking about Cian Healy. If he’s fit, Healy goes and he starts as Ireland’s loosehead prop, of that there is no question. If he’s semi-fit then Schmidt has a massive call to make – bring him just in case but risk the possibility of his injury woes lingering on, or leave Ireland’s best prop at home with the possibility that he may recover in time. If he’s not fit, Ireland have a problem.

They should be…booking their plane ticket (Definites)

Rory Best is nailed on at hooker, while injury to Marty Moore means Mike Ross has the tighthead jersey under wraps as well. Across the scrum Jack McGrath has solidified his position as Cian Healy’s understudy and should make the plane too. Captain Paul O’Connell and lock partner Devin Toner will definitely be there, while one suspects the versatility of Iain Henderson will guarantee him a spot in the 31-man squad as well, with Schmidt making no secret that the utility man is a favourite of his. The reliable back row trio of Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip are also definites.

Conor Murray faces very little opposition at scrum-half, so will travel, while being the world’s best number ten probably just about clinches Jonathan Sexton’s place. Given how well their centre partnership went during the Six Nations you would expect Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne to be in there somewhere, while Rob Kearney is another whose position is under very little threat.

They should be…booking refundable accommodation (Probables)

Leinster player of the season Sean Cronin will be Best’s deputy at hooker, with Leinster team-mate Richardt Strauss third choice. Michael Bent’s ability to play both sides of the scrum will make him a good choice as the fifth prop in the squad, while a speedy recovery from injury should set up a spot for Marty Moore. Donnacha Ryan has seemingly banished his injury woes and should be the reserve lock, while groundhog openside Chris Henry and big-carrying Jordi Murphy will provide back row cover.

In the absence of any better scrum-halves, Eoin Reddan will probably get the nod as the back-up scrum-half. As has been the norm for Joe Schmidt, it’s more than likely both Paddy Jackson and Ian Madigan will travel as fly-half cover, with the Ulsterman seen as a starter and the Leinsterman as a versatile bench option, covering inside centre and full-back too. As far as the outside backs go, both wing spots are up for grabs, as well as the two back-up positions too. Schmidt is a big fan of Andrew Trimble, so fitness permitting he will probably travel, as will Ulster team-mate Tommy Bowe. From there it’s a toss-up between three or four for the two places left, with Munster duo Keith Earls and Simon Zebo presumably the preferred choices.

They should be…packing a bag just in case (Possibles)

Should Cian Healy fail to make it then Dave Kilcoyne will be called-up as the backup loosehead, that’s more or less a given. Despite being axed from the squad, one injury to a hooker could open the door for Rob Herring to sneak in, while Nathan White will also be optimistic about his chances, especially given he can cover both sides like Bent. Jack Conan’s meteoric rise at Leinster means he’s not completely out of the reckoning for an Ireland spot either.

Kieran Marmion should be the third choice scrum-half after Isaac Boss’ horror show against Scotland and Munster fly-half Ian Keatley may still harbour some faint hope that he can make it too, especially if Sexton or Jackson pull out before the tournament. Darren Cave’s newfound ability to play both inside and outside centre will make him an intriguing possibility for Schmidt, and may yet be included in the squad as cover for both Henshaw and Payne. And don’t rule out Dave Kearney from the back three equation – Rob’s brother is a consistent, if not spectacular, performer.

They should be…preparing for Pro12 rugby (Unlikelies)

Ulster’s Dan Tuohy has already been axed from the squad and it seems unlikely he’ll be added back. The same applies for Isaac Boss who had a dreadful outing against Scotland, and if the Kiwi was included ahead of either Reddan or Marmion then serious questions would be asked. Munster full-back Felix Jones has been favoured by Schmidt recently, but the coach’s decision to try out Simon Zebo at full-back against Scotland perhaps puts an end to his hopes. Regardless of being the Pro12’s top try scorer last season, Craig Gilroy has been bizarrely and unfairly overlooked completely and seems destined to miss out too, and, despite the chance of one big final hurrah, Gordon D’Arcy’s international career looks like its race has been run as well.

FIVE WHYS

The fixtures have been released, the new kit is on sale and the squads have been confirmed for the upcoming year. Teams are back in training, league predictions are being drafted and the smell of freshly cut grass at stadia across Europe is telling us one thing that we have been waiting for since the 31st May.

The 2015/16 season has begun!

And of course that means another season of rambling blog posts from myself, although I am hoping that this season will see the beginning of a few new features to the website so make sure you stick around and keep checking back regularly to see what’s new from the Hound on the Hill!

To start us off this season, I’ve decided to keep things a little lighter than usual and give you my five reasons why this season will be better than last season:

1. We’ve got another season under our belts and we are wiser for the experience. True, it resulted in another semi-final defeat but all this exposure to knockout rugby will surely someday pay off – this season we were very close to taking the scalp of Glasgow at Scotstoun, and maybe we should have, perhaps this season will be the year that we harness all that experience and take several big wins and finally finish with a trophy that is long overdue.

2. We have strengthened in areas where we needed to, such as bringing in a bit more cover at scrum-half and fly-half in the shape of Paul Rowley and Sam Windsor. Willie Faloon finally gives us an out-and-out back up openside flanker while Peter Browne will also provide some much needed experience at lock and the back row. While these guys may only see game time during the World Cup and Six Nations they will be vital to our success in the Pro12 and their arrivals in Belfast will fill crucial holes in our squad.

3. We have a decent chance at progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions’ Cup due to a decent pool draw. While last season our European dream died a quick death due to vital injuries to key players as well as coming up against a sublime Toulon outfit at the Kingspan Stadium, this year there is genuine optimism that this could be pool from which we may escape.

Admittedly Oyonnax are something of an unknown coming into the tournament, however as the lowest ranked and debutants of the pool they should be targeted as at least eight points if not ten. Given their fight is now on two fronts, they may look at the Champions’ Cup as something of an irrelevance and focus on the Top14 as is commonplace for French teams. It remains to be seen what sort of a fight they put up.

Toulouse are not the powerhouses of Europe that they once were, and the loss of Guy Noves as coach will be as detrimental to them as if they lost the likes of Yoann Maestri or Thierry Dusautoir from their starting line-up. Still, they have made good strides in trying to return to their position of superiority in Northern Hemisphere rugby and will pose a lot of questions. They will be a testing prospect in the Ernest Wallon, but in Belfast they should be disposed of fairly comfortably.

We have a bone to pick with Saracens and they will be our biggest rivals in this pool for top spot without a doubt. They boast quality across the park and a strong bench to back them up as well – and it is very rare that sides come to Allianz Park and leave with the victory, so a double over them is unlikely. Instead, expect a hostile reception for them when they run out at the Kingspan.

4. Our Non-Irish Qualified players (NIQs) will be desperate to leave their legacy here with a trophy. Nick Williams, Franco van der Merwe and Louis Ludik are all out of contract at the end of this season, and with Charles Piutau already confirmed to be arriving in Belfast next year, it means one of them will definitely be leaving, and with the other two uncertain on where their future lies, they will be eager to make their last season in the Pro12 count.

5. Our coaching staff will be complete for the first time since last October. After the World Cup finishes and Ireland have won the Webb Ellis Cup (hopefully!), Les Kiss will rejoin us as Director of Rugby and will bring the same brand of rugby that Joe Schmidt has instilled in Ireland and has made so successful. Working closely with head coach Neil Doak, along with new assistant coach Joe Barakat, there is the potential for this to flourish into one of the best coaching line-ups in Europe, and one that will finally extract the full potential of a very talented first XV.

DEJA VU

I recall living this week rather recently…

The cynic among us will stipulate that the fourth try was conceded rather softly last Saturday so that we ensured we’d be heading back to Scotstoun this Friday rather than down to Limerick or across the pond to Swansea – I cannot possibly say whether that is true or not (I firmly suspect it is not), however what I can say is that we hold a significant advantage over our opponents this Friday.

It’s not too dissimilar to what we faced against Leinster a few weeks ago where they were travelling north to face us just five days after taking a physical battering against Toulon. In the same way, Glasgow certainly did not find last week’s encounter the walk over I’m sure they suspected it to be and will have a few bruised bodies heading into this week’s semi-final. Louis Ludik and Chris Henry aside, we have a rested side ready to go.

One suspects that Gregor Townsend will do his usual trick of chopping and changing quite a few members of his side, as has been his forté throughout the season, in order to keep his team fresh and to keep us guessing to a certain extent, but the core of the team will be unchanged and will still be feeling a little worse for wear having gone through 80 minutes against us already.

That’s not saying we’re favourites though – because we’re not.

Glasgow finished top of the table for a reason: they can chop and change at will and get away with it. While we headed to Zebre earlier in the season with many changes to the team and got our just desserts, Glasgow have that ability to call on squad players to step up and do a similar job to that of their first teamers – and as such they have been able to win all the tight games that have propelled them to the top of the domestic standings.

That’s where we may be found wanting this weekend. We have some good players in reserve, but when we lose a few first line stars then we begin to see our resources stretched. With Wiehahn Herbst, Nick Williams, Andrew Trimble, Franco van der Merwe and Stuart Olding all missing, you start to see where Ulster’s require a bit of good fortune. Of course, you do not want a player to get injured, but you still have to plan for it.

The records are firmly against us – no side has ever won an away semi-final in the Pro12, and no visiting side has come away from Scotstoun Stadium this season with four points. So in order for us to keep our hunt for silverware going and keep that dream of winning the Pro12 at the Kingspan Stadium alive then we have to take away the league’s only remaining perfect home record.

Sound difficult? You bet.

But I would like to remind you of the example of Wallace High School this season. They went unbeaten all season and made the final of the Schools’ Cup – they looked destined to go all the way and win their first ever Schools’ Cup title. Alas it was not to be as the only side they did not overcome all season, RBAI (having drawn 19-19 earlier in the year) defeated them in the final at the Kingspan. They saved their one loss of the season to the very last game: the most important one.

If Neil Doak is wise he will draw on that. No side is unbeatable and every side has their weaknesses that are there to be exploited by a team that knows how to expose them. And that’s why last Saturday was a perfect dry run – Glasgow fielded a full strength side and went hell for leather trying to secure that home semi-final, and gave us a good look at what we can expect from them this week too.

What to work on? Closing down Finn Russell would be a good start, although given the strength of this week’s side that probably won’t be too much of a concern, while limiting the ball carrying ability of both Jonny Gray and Josh Strauss won’t be too far behind on the priorities list either. Glasgow’s kick chase is also a strong part of their game, and with Tommy Bowe and Craig Gilroy both back we should see an improvement in fielding those high bombs from Russell, Horne and Hogg.

Where are Glasgow’s weaknesses? They don’t have many, but certainly their defence around the fringes isn’t as strong as Townsend would like it to be, their maul defence is rather lacklustre too, while the possibility of Nikola Matawalu on the wing is an opportunity not to be passed up – the little Fijian is a handful in attack, but quite the opposite when faced with a rampaging forward.

I could spout the usual mumbo jumbo regarding how we should get an early score on the board and silence the Scotstoun crowd, but the harsh reality of this week is that we need an 80 minute performance that will rival anything we’ve brought to the table so far this season. If we can produce a similar performance to that which saw off the Scots back in October then we stand a very good chance of bucking the trend and winning away in the semi-finals.

Just one 80 minute performance and we’re home for the final.

COSTLY CARD

Where to begin?

There will be a lot of divided opinion this week on whether or not Owens was right. In fact, it’s possibly better to go back and look at the incident itself before we analyse whether the Welshman was correct in his assessment that Henderson’s clear out on Ronan O’Mahony was indeed dangerous and worthy of the red card he received.

Firstly, and one thing that will go against Iain, is the fact that the ball had already been won by Ulster – the ball was coming back for the home side and Ruan Pienaar was in close proximity to get the pass away. Of course, that does not stop Henderson coming in and making the clear out, he is perfectly entitled to do so since Pienaar has not yet picked up the ball and since O’Mahony is in the ruck, but when there is clean ball and no contest for it, it doesn't make much sense to wade in.

Secondly is the fact that O’Mahony is retreating – another point that may go against the flanker. In fact, when you go back and watch the incident it is questionable as to how much the winger is even affecting the ruck, it simply looks like he’s been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time before being walloped by the rampaging flanker. Similarly to how the ball was already won, it begs the question why Henderson would enter the ruck to clear out a player not affecting its outcome.

As for the connection, that’s anybody’s guess.

On first look, to me it did look like it was the forearm that Henderson led with and that it was it that connected with O’Mahony, but the more I now watch it back, the more I think there is a clash of heads between the two players. Of course that was not intentional and Henderson was by no means trying to decapitate a member of the opposition, but it makes for ugly viewing. You can see why Owens was well within his rights to go for red.

And I do not attribute to Stuart Barnes’ belief that Henderson lost his footing - or at least I don’t think it affects Henderson’s defence. Henderson runs in from a distance and is committed to clearing O’Mahony out – the only way he was stopping short of that ruck was if he tripped and fell on his face before he reached the melee. Once he reached the breakdown he was committed to whatever he had decided to do, in this case that being making sure O’Mahony was no longer in the ruck.

The main point that I would like to raise, however, is that this is the unfortunate culmination of a physical sport.

Is Henderson’s ruck entry wildly different to how other players enter the breakdown normally? No.

Is there a genuine risk of a clash of heads at every breakdown? Yes.

Is there a clash of heads at every breakdown? No.

What we have seen is a player being sent off for a perfectly legal clear out that unfortunately culminated in the two players banging heads, and sadly that has resulted in Henderson being shown a red card. I would put money on nothing being done whatsoever had Henderson hit O’Mahony in the chest or around the waist – once again, like in the Goode/Payne incident, the player lying on the ground has influenced the decision more than the incident itself.

My feeling is that the hearing should rescind the red card for the good of rugby. If a player is genuinely dangerous like Seremaia Bai was for Leicester on Saturday then by all means throw the book at them, but in cases like Henderson’s, accept it was an accident that unfortunately had a painful ending and move on. It will make no difference, Henderson will get a lengthy ban no doubt and will miss Ulster’s final two or three games in the Guinness Pro12 – a massive loss.

The draw hasn't helped Ulster either. Now needing a win in Glasgow, as well as either the Dragons to triumph in Cork or Connacht to overturn the Ospreys, to get a home semi-final it doesn't bode too well for Neil Doak’s men. It is more than doable of course, and Ulster will still have their momentum boost despite not getting all four points out last weekend’s encounter, but the outlook certainly seems a little bleaker than it was at 2:30 on Saturday. It looks likely we’ll be on the road for our semi-final, a position from which no side has ever won before.

Then again, records are there to be broken.

CHAMPION MATERIAL

As Toulon and Clermont battled it out at a half-empty Twickenham on Saturday, I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

It is a sad reflection on how the Champions’ Cup has fallen astoundingly short of the hype that surrounded it, and now that it has finally come to its disappointing finish – Clermont’s self-implosion capping off another Toulon dominated tournament – we can focus on the only tournament we have a chance of winning this season, the Pro12.

 

Maybe it is because Ulster were knocked out back in January, but certainly the Pro12 has provided a lot more excitement than the Champions Cup this season, and the excitement continues this weekend with the visit of Munster continuing the road to the play-offs as we look to secure that home semi-final that could be the difference between being at the Kingspan on the 30^th May for the final itself or watching it on TV at home.

 

Now is not the time to mess up.

 

So far this season we have been exemplary at home – thirteen games played, twelve wins; our only defeat against Toulon who, on the day, were phenomenal. That record simply has to continue if we want to stand any chance whatsoever of finishing in the top two given the fact we have Glasgow away next weekend – it’s win against Munster or we will be on our travels in the semi-finals, a position from which no side has ever advanced to the final.

 

We did very well to see off Leinster, however I think in the back of our heads we were all thinking “Leinster were tired”. Even so, we played them perfectly and, as a result, we got the right outcome on the night and sent them back to Dublin knowing that they would not play any part in the play-offs. Tactically, we got it right a couple of weeks ago – this week we need to be equally as smart when Axel Foley and co. arrive in town.

 

Munster will be more of a challenge than Leinster were. On paper Leinster maybe look like the stronger side, but mentally and physically Munster will be a step above what Leinster were when they played us, and Doak will be aware of that. They will be equally as fresh as we are, probably more so as they only had to play Treviso while we had to see off Leinster, and since they have a home semi-final to compete for as well, they are just as aware as we are as to what they require to achieve that.

 

But this is where Ulster earn their stripes.

 

We are still the form side in the Pro12 and we should fear nobody at the Kingspan Stadium nowadays, given the fact that we haven’t been beaten there so far this season by any Pro12 club. It’s a goal that I feel we should be achieving every year so one more victory will guarantee us that success. And with our recent record of results there should be absolutely no doubt in our mind that we can indeed take down the Munstermen on Saturday.

 

Iain Henderson has been a revelation for us since returning from injury and is revelling in his free reign at blindside flanker, and he has improved a dominant pack led by Rory Best – and they will be sternly tested by Paul O’Connell and Peter O’Mahony’s forward division who are renowned for being one of the most physical units in the whole league. However, we have the pack to take them on and beat them, as we have done to teams all season when we weren’t given a chance.

 

And then of course our backs are possibly the most potent in the entire of Europe, and they are only getting stronger as the weeks go on. Craig Gilroy is in the form of his life on the wing and is scoring tries for fun while Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson are linking up like neither were ever injured this season and are really getting the men outside them moving.

 

Suddenly our side looks like a well-oiled machine that could just spark into a phenomenal performance that shocks the rugby world into submission.

 

Currently, you would be a very very brave man to bet against us notching a third consecutive interprovincial victory and propelling ourselves into the top two of the Pro12. Still, it’s always wise to guard against complacency, especially given this will be possibly our toughest test of the season so far and with so much at stake anything can happen in front of the Sky cameras on a Saturday afternoon.

 

Don’t look away for even one second.