Forwards coach Roddy Grant is hoping technical proficiency can overcome physicality as Ulster travel to the Twickenham Stoop to face Harlequins in the final pool game of the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday
Despite a 48-24 defeat on Saturday night at home to Toulouse, Ulster’s European destiny is still in their own hands.
A win at Quins which would be a fourth consecutive at the London venue for Ulster means they will qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions Cup for a sixth time in seven seasons.
A defeat for Dan McFarland’s without any match bonus points and the winner of the Racing 92 against Cardiff game in Paris would overtake Ulster and clinch the final Champions Cup knockout place from the pool.
Ulster couldn’t match the pace or physicality of Toulouse at Kingspan Stadium as they were bullied in the scrum and maul and were second best at the lineout and breakdown.
Ulster will face another huge challenge up front against Quins.
“I see it a lot in the leagues now from where rugby was 10 years ago there were big, physical players it certainly seems the trend now that they are big and physical but really good at rugby,” said Grant
“That’s the physicality of the nowadays and the last couple of seasons.”
“How to you go about that? You either have those players in your squad and if you don’t you’ve got to be technically really proficient, the right attitude and I suppose game plan or strategy to go against that.”
“There are ways around it, but against those teams who play well and use that size really well the margin for error is less.”
“So, you have to be really on it both emotionally and technically.”
The battle of the break down will be crucial, Quins have Will Evans and Alex Dombrandt in they backrow and they are first and second in the English Premiership at winning turnovers this season.
“It’s going to be a big battlefield at the breakdown, they do it really well, Will Evans is top of the Prem for jackal turnovers, Alex Dombrandt is second I think and James Chisholm the other back rower and is in fourth.”
“Individually they get a lot of turnovers and cause a lot of trouble at the breakdown and as a team it suits their attack and counterattack.”
“If you can look after that there should be space with that so the big focus for us is on getting that (the breakdown) right and not getting too panicked knowing that they might nick a couple as they do it every game against all teams but it will be big focus for us this week.”
Grant insists Ulster team selection won’t be swayed by what Quins are likely to do.
“Selection always had a bit more art than science in it, there has to be a bit of a blend of how you want to play or how your team plays.”
“A backrow you want a blend of three guys that all suit each other and compliment each other into how you want to play as a team and you style.”
“Equally you do have to look at it in terms of mitigating the opposition threat, so it is quite a complex and long discussion.
The Quins clash is a knockout tie in all but name and even though the stakes couldn’t be higher for Ulster Grant admits it won’t change the teams approach in the build up.
“Every game you go into the goal and aim is to prepare to win, professional sport is all outcome based, jobs, squads and everything and that is always the case.”
“It does narrow the focus, win and we carry on with Europe, it does narrow it but it doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t change our preparation.”