Andy Warwick pinpoints scrum as key for Ulster against Leinster

Ulster did a league double over their Dublin rivals last season, but Leinster struck first blood in this campaign with a victory at Kingspan Stadium in September.

With it being the last domestic game before the first set of European fixtures, both teams are likely to have all their internationals back for the crunch fixture.

“The Leinster front row are British and Irish Lions and they are that for a reason - they are some of the best and I enjoy coming up against them because I see it as a real challenge,” said Warwick.

"And I love going down to Leinster and play that away game because I know it’s such a challenge.

“They have a proud home record and I’m looking forward to it. They are the best team in the league and I think it is a barometer, and we have to accept that and we have to go and prove a point,” he added.

“I’d say the first scrum sets the tone for the rest of the game.

“If you go well in it, confidence rises in the front row and the whole team; the other way round and boys are thinking they’re maybe going to have a bad day, so the first scrum is very important.”

Warwick says the Ulster front row has been working hard on ensuring everyone “is on the same page”.

“For us as a front row unit it’s all about connections, being together and making sure we do the same thing depending on what we’re wanting to do,” he said.

"But [making sure] that we’re all on the same page and I think we’ve put a lot of work into that.

“In the last game against Leinster some of it didn’t go according to plan but hopefully we can learn from that and bring it into this week.”

Warwick is likely to be packing down against Tadgh Furlong on Saturday but says he is ready for the challenge.

“You have to analyse them because they probably do change things every season – whatever angles they are deciding to go with as a unit and what we do to counteract that,” he said.

“It’s always a challenge against Leinster, going up against a British and Irish Lions front row basically, but I enjoy coming up against them and you definitely learn from each game.”

Ulster signed Rory Sutherland from Worcester on a season-long contact and when he departs, South African world cup winner Steven Kitshoff will arrive.

Although they both play in Warwick’s position, the Ballymena loosehead feels the fight for places is a good thing.

“It’s great having that quality coming in and it’s going to make the squad better, and make me better to see what they do and how they approach the game, how they approach the scrum,” he said.

"All I can do is try and do my best and that’s all you can worry about, doing it to the best of your ability.”