Before Ulster’s opening United Rugby Championship match against Glasgow last month, head coach Richie Murphy was asked if the game carried added importance given it would be followed by a trip to South Africa and – very possibly – two defeats.
Murphy didn’t take umbrage at the question, but rather noted that looking ahead to hypothetical situations, whether a run of defeats or wins, isn’t the way he approaches things as a coach.
A victory over Glasgow would be important on its own whatever way the early-season journey to the southern hemisphere might go.
As things turned out Ulster did manage to bank four points from a win over the defending champions – and in dramatic style, deep in the red at the end of the game at the Kingspan Stadium. And as things turned out they arrived back from South Africa with two defeats to the Lions and the Bulls on their ledger.
They also managed to bring back another league point – thanks to four tries scored against the Lions in their 35-22 defeat in Johannesburg, but that was followed by leaving Pretoria empty-handy following a bruising 47-21 loss to the Blues.
So, apart from that bonus point, what can Ulster take from the last fortnight in South Africa?
To answer the question you have to look beyond Ulster themselves and to the Emerging Ireland squad who complete their three-match ‘tour’ of the country – with all three games in the same stadium – when they face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (6pm).
You’ll also have to wait a while because this season under Murphy had been earmaked long ago as one of transition and development. And it’s not just about this season, it’s about emerging Ulster.
So days like Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, when a Bulls side brimming with Springboks handed out a chastening defeat, may not be one-offs, especially when Ulster step up a level away from home, whether in Europe or as they did the past two weekends.
While Murphy opted for a more experienced 15 against the Lions, with hooker James McCormick and back-rower James McNabney – who had started against Glasgow – the development players on the bench, there was a decidedly greener look to the starting line-up against the Bulls.
McCormick made his first start for the province, as did lock Charlie Irvine, with McNabney also coming into the pack.
It was a brutal afternoon for Ulster’s front eight with the Bulls crushingly dominant in the scrum and constantly disruptive in the lineout.
But Irvine and McNabney – who finished top tackler for Ulster – both logged 80 minutes, as did centre Ben Carson, another debutant who capped his performance by trucking over former Springbok Aphiwe Dyantyi en route to scoring a try. Fly-half James Humphreys, who set Carson away with a superb pass off his left hand, came in for the last 20 minutes.
Those minutes, even in the difficult environment of two defeats on the Highveld, can only be positive for Ulster’s young guns, as will the time away as a group – a point stressed by Murphy and his coaching team before and during the trip.
While the six northern players selected for Emerging Ireland didn’t benefit from that, Murphy will be hoping that working with incoming interim Irish senior coach Simon Easterby and his team will seem them kick on from what has been a successful tour so far.
Jude Postlethwaite will get the chance to do that immediately after the centre was released from Emerging Ireland duty to be available for Ulster’s clash with Connacht on Saturday.
It’s a necessary boost for Ulster in the midfield after Stuart McCloskey picked up an injury in the Lions, and Postlethwaite is a man in form, following up a robust performance after coming off the bench early in the 36-24 win over the Pumas with a try in the 29-24 victory over Western Force.
Sevens star Zac Ward, currently on trial with Ulster as he aims to switch back to the 15-a-side game, scored against the Pumas, as did Cormac Izuchukwu – one of Ireland’s standout performers, both at blindside in the opener and at lock against Western Force.
Harry Sheridan played the full 80 minutes in the second row against the Pumas, while Richie Murphy’s son Jack came off the bench for the last half-hour at fly-half. He’ll be on the bench again against the Cheetahs on Wednesday along with tighthead Scott Wilson, who got 30 minutes in the second half against Western Force.
Izuchukwu has been left out of the match-day 23 entirely after his exertions against the Pumas and Western Force.
Having toured South Africa with the senior Irish squad during the summer, he’ll be hoping to force his way into the squad for the upcoming autumn internationals.
Ulster will be hoping the collective South African experience for their young players – whether in white or green – will be one the province sees the fruits of in the season – and seasons – ahead.
