Iain Henderson searching for solutions to Ulster’s pain

The rot started when Ulster capitulated at the RDS, leading 22-3 and Leinster had prop Cian Healy sent off yet lost 38-29.

That was followed by a 39-0 drubbing at Sale in the Champions Cup.

A week later Ulster found themselves 29-0 down against La Rochelle and although they rallied still lost the game.

Back in domestic action, Ulster were cruising to victory in Galway - leading by 14 points with nine minutes remaining – but had to survive a missed conversion by Connacht out half Jack Carty to come away with the four points.

It was even worse against Munster at home on Sunday night.

Dan McFarland’s side had a nine-point advantage with six minutes to go but a penalty, a try and a last-kick conversion by Ben Healy gave the Thomond Park side victory.

“If we knew the immediate fix then we would do it immediately, it is something the players and coaches are going to have to sit down and talk over about how we are going to adjust training or the way we play to ensure that happens,” said Henderson. “It is something everyone will be working on and trying to change, it’s how we are going to go about doing that we’re not 100 per cent sure.

“There is definitely something there that needs addressed, it is something that we can’t let continue and something we need to work at on the training field and ensure whatever it is we need to get right to see out a game.

“The last couple of weeks we have let teams come back in and not closed out a game and not had the right mentality going into the last quarter.

“Things just don’t disappear overnight, there were different aspects of that first half where I felt we dominated Munster, but our issue is managing to get 80 minutes.

“There are times I felt we dominated in the first half and should have been more points ahead...similar to Leinster and La Rochelle, similar with Connacht last week.

"But it is stringing 80 minutes together and that is where we are really struggling.

“When we get ahead we have to be excited about being ahead rather than waiting for it to finish.

"Whenever we a re more than a try ahead can we go and score more tries?

"Can an we get more points ahead?

"Can we use that as an opportunity to play more rugby and letting our backs play the way we want to play?

"And that is something that we are going to have to work on.”

Ulster travel to seventh-placed Benetton on Saturday.

“Treviso are much different to the team they were four or five years ago,” said Henderson. “Th ey are filled with threats, especially at home and it will be a tough game over there.

“It is one that we are going to have to sort ourselves out for and ensure if we are going to win over there it has to be an 80-minute performance.

"Y ou can’t be dropping off at 55/ 60 minutes thinking the job is done, so it will definitely be a tough game over there.”