Richie Murphy’s side know they have to collect more wins to avoid meltdown
Ulster's Conor McKee arrives at Stadio Monigo in Treviso, Italy for the northern province's game with Benetton Rugby on February 15th. Photograph: Giuseppe Fama/InphoThe pressure is well and truly now on Ulster as they seek to crash back into the playoffs and bring some sense of substance to what has been, so far, a largely forgettable season.
With the chances of knockout rugby in the URC looking increasingly fragile in what is Richie Murphy’s first full campaign at the helm, Ulster know they must now start collecting as many wins as possible from the remaining seven rounds to achieve some sense of liberation from the growing feeling of meltdown in Belfast.
With just four victories from 11 up to this point in the league, there is a sense of urgency when the province host the Scarlets this evening, the Welsh region sitting just inside the play-off zone – at least before this evening’s game between Munster and Edinburgh – and four points ahead of Ulster.
Scott Wilson starts at tight head with Tom O’Toole – who also featured for Ireland A last weekend – benched. At number eight, James McNabney gets the call after hisThe Scarlets – coached by former Ulster pair Dwayne Peel and Jared Payne – have made seven changes from the side which wasThe Welsh region have won just once on the road this season and have been nine years without tasting victory in Belfast. In that sense, it’s advantage Ulster but perhaps only just.
United-Rugby-Championship Richie-Murphy
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