Stephen Ferris’ forwards fear for Ulster

No Ulster-born player has debuted in the Ireland pack since 2012.

While on Saturday for the must-win European Champions Cup clash against holders La Rochelle only three of the 13 forwards in the matchday squad were born in the province.

Ferris was part of the last Ulster side to win silverware back in 2006.

On the night they secured the Magners League title at the Ospreys, nine of the 12 forwards were Ulster-born.

“It is concerning that we are not producing born-and-bred forwards for Ulster,” said Ferris, who is now operating as a pundit on Viaplay. “If Ulster want to get to the dizzy heights of La Rochelle and Leinster and the other big European powerhouses then they are going to have to start producing those.

“I have been banging the drum for five years about young Ulster born-and-bred guys being given more opportunities, especially in the bigger games.

“Unfortunately, that has been more in the back three and the centre with Hume coming back from injury.

“How do you change it?

"That is the big question and I’d probably be working for Ulster rugby if I had the answer.

“Neil Doak is back involved in the academy system.

"You look at (Rebuen) Crothers who captained the Irish U20s, he is a very good player but, for me, Leinster would have played him already 10 or 15 times.

“At the minute, when your back is against the wall you seem to go back to what you know instead of giving other guys opportunities and chances.

“Even David McCann was on the bench at the weekend we haven’t seen him in a couple of months...again is it just down to injuries?”

Ferris has criticised Ulster for not being able to change their game plan when things are going wrong.

“When you take Ulster’s maul away, especially this season, it seems like they don’t have a Plan B,” said Ferris. “You look at Leinster and the different variations.

“Ulster just seem to be ‘maul bring it down, ok it is not going anywhere, Tom Stewart or Rob Herring break off the back, just get into a pick and jam, we’ll hit Stuart McCloskey up a couple of times’ and then all of a sudden you are just lost.

“You have got to have more to your game, I know it is a big weapon and they have scored a lot of tries, granted against the weaker teams, with the maul.

“Iain Henderson is a British and Irish Lions second row...what the bloody hell is he doing playing in the back row? Is it because they have no confidence in the other players?

“Matty Rea started against Sale...all of a sudden he is cast aside, Marcus Rea, one of the best players last season...he hasn’t started the last couple of games.

“Jordi Murphy...is he still injured? He has been in the wilderness the last two seasons.

“They got rid of Marcell Coetzee and signed Duane Vermeulen...that’s fair enough, but they have no other game-breakers in the backrow.

“Is that why ‘Hendy’ is in the back row? ‘Hendy’ is not a game-breaker when it comes to carrying the ball. it is as simple as that...but he is a very good disrupter.

“Ulster have got to evolve their game...they talk about and I know everyone has heard about “we don’t have the biggest pack, so we have to play slightly differently” but we haven’t seen that.

“They haven’t played this quick, fast rugby. I haven’t the answer to how they get back to finding a bit of form but maybe selecting players in their normal position will help.”

Asked to predict the outcome of Friday’s night’s clash with Connacht at the Sportsground and Ferris is backing a home win in the United Rugby Championship.

Ferris said: “The chips are down at Ulster, will they come out fighting? Who is going to be fit? Will Billy Burns play? Is Nathan Doak going to play at out-half?

“They seem to be struggling for options. Luke Marshall and Stuart McCloskey, that combination didn't work brilliantly against La Rochelle.

“I've played at the Sportsground, I've played at the Sportsground around Christmas. They're off the back of good results in Europe.

“There'll be a much-changed team...good front row, solid front row, the back row is interchangeable, their half-backs are in decent form...it just feels that Connacht are in a much better place in terms of confidence and where they currently find themselves.

“I think it'll be a home win and more misery to be heaped onto the pile that keeps getting bigger at Ulster.”