IT’S amazing what a couple of wins can do for a team.
Following an opening night win over the reigning URC champions, the Glasgow Warriors, Richie Murphy took his troops to South Africa hoping to cause a few more shocks.
Unfortunately, the Ulstermen returned to Belfast battered and bruised and with a solitary try-bonus-point to show for their efforts.
But with two home games to welcome them back, the Kingspan Stadium faithful put their collective arms around their heroes and, over the last two weekends, Ulster have picked up two bonus-point wins over Connacht and the Ospreys to repay them for their support.
The two wins have changed the mood around rugby headquarters in South Belfast and they travel to Cardiff this weekend in high hopes that they can claim a first win on the road.
Currently perched in fifth place in the URC table, all indicators would point to an away win against a side that has lost its last three outings, but Richie Murphy was quick to play down suggestions that his side are travelling to Wales with them expecting to win.
“I’m not sure really to tell you to the truth. I don’t deal with that,” said Murphy, who is instead focusing more on keeping Ulster’s eye on the prize.
“We deal with how we get better each week. What is the plan for this week, and we try, I suppose. to be very cold in relation to that side of things.
“If we take our eye off the ball, we definitely won’t win this weekend.
“So, all the focus to preparing for Cardiff who are coming off a three-game losing streak and playing at home in front of their fans, it will be very difficult.”
After claiming maximum points over the last two weekends, the challenge now for Ulster is to get that elusive first away win.
And Murphy admits that it is something that the squad have spoken about at length.
“Yeah, definitely. It’s one of the things we’ve talked about as a group is that you have to be very good away from home.
“The measure of a team I suppose, is how you do when you’re not playing in front of your home fan
“So again, the lads are excited about the week ahead. Good focus in training today.
“We actually trained with the Academy team. We’d three teams out on the pitch today.
“There was a good buzz around the place and some of those guys even put their hands up as well.
“They were very good so, we are all looking forward to the weekend.”
Saturday night’s game in the Welsh capital brings an end to the first block of fixtures.
As Ulster are starting to find some winning momentum, some say that the break is coming at the wrong time.
With steady progress being made, Murphy thinks that the break is coming at the right time as they prepare for upcoming inter-pros and the start of the Champions Cup.
“I think everyone is looking forward to the break, you know what I mean. We’re happy that we’re tracking in the right direction.
“Things are getting better. Defensively we looked a lot more solid at the weekend. We put the Ospreys under a lot of pressure, some of the attack stuff sort of fell into place.
“The set piece is settling down again. So, we are moving in the right direction and there will be a break now no matter what.
“There will be a lot of hard work through November for the guys that are left behind and not taken into Irish camp. Then we’ll get ready for a really busy December period.”
