When the draw was made for this season’s Champions cup, Ulster must have thought they had in someone annoyed the rugby gods.
An opener against the Galacticos of Toulouse before hosting Bordeaux-Begles.
Last season Toulouse tasted glory both on domestic and European fronts, and the early indications this season are that they are going all out to repeat that double success.
Bordeaux-Begles are currently in second place in France’s fiercely competitive Top 14 and after a number of years of near misses, look like they are primed for a proper assault on club rugby’s top prize.
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Sitting pretty at the top of the French Top 14, Toulouse will also want to lay down a marker to the rest of Europe as they go in search of record extending seventh gold star.
“I don’t think you can completely stop them. You can try and contain them. They’ve broken down the best teams in the world,” says Ulster stalwart Stuart McCloskey.
“I think for us, we have to stay in the fight and not let them run away and score easy tries. Make them work for every point they have.
“Make them score tries on the edge and not let them go through the middle of us.”
For Ulster to come away with anything, McCloskey explains that it’s going to take a mountain of work as well as trying to impose their style of play on their illustrious hosts.
“Put a lot of effort in to the backend. Making tackles. Trying to get a few turnovers. And them hitting them when we get a chance as well.
“I don’t think it’s one of those games we’re going to win by scoring 10 or 15 points. We need to go out there and play our brand of rugby as well.”
When Ulster take to the field at the Stade Ernest Wallon, their line-up will bear little resemblance to the one that faced off against Antione Dupont and company last January.
On that night, Toulouse dazzled on their way to a 48-24 victory.
And the fear is that if Toulouse get into their groove early, it could mean a possible long afternoon for Ulster, and in particular their young emerging players.
This is where veterans like McCloskey come in to put an arm around their younger teammates and to ensure that their confidence doesn’t take a hammering.
“It’s about giving them the confidence to be themselves,” adds McCloskey on his inexperienced teammates.
“Play their game and not get too caught in mistakes that they might make or the fact that they might score a few tries. You got to keep playing against them as well because they’ll have purple patches.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever been to those games over there, the crowd gets going. It feels like a wave against you at some stages and you just got to ride those out until you get your chance to go again and sort stay in the fight as long as you can.”
