Ulster primed for high stakes Pro14 clash with Leinster in Dublin

On Thursday, head coach Dan McFarland agreed to a new two-year contract extension and Ulster will be aiming to toast the news with a victory.

McFarland said: “I’m delighted to be signing again with Ulster. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two and a half years working and learning with some really good people, and I’m looking forward to continuing to help drive on our improvement as a group and as individuals.

“As a group, we are extremely ambitious in our aim to be consistently competing for championships. With exciting young talent continuing to emerge out of our Academy system, joining forces with the proven talent within our squad - many of whom have been recently recognised at international level - I look forward to what the weeks and months ahead hold as we take on our next challenges in the domestic league and in Europe this season.”

The stakes could not be higher at the RDS, with Leinster smarting from losing their 26-match winning streak last weekend and Ulster wanting revenge for their final defeat in Dublin last September.

There are intriguing personal battles all over the pitch, Cian Healy packing down against Marty Moore; Sam Carter and James Ryan clashing in the engine room; John Cooney up against Irish rival Jamie Gibson-Park and Ulster’s young winger Ethan McIlroy directly facing Jordan Lamour.

But undoubtedly the key to winning the match will be what out-half can direct their team and control the game.

Billy Burns is not only looking for a big performance at the RDS he is also hoping to upstage Johnny Sexton and put his hand up for the Ireland No10 shirt when the Six Nations kicks off next month.

Burns earned three caps in the Autumn Nations Cup and is looking forward to pitting his wits against Sexton as Ulster try to open an unassailable gap at the top of the table.

“Johnny’s been at the top of the game for as long as I can remember - down in camp I tried to learn as much as I could,” said Burns.

“It’s about performing as well as I can to put us in a position to win, if Johnny is opposite they’re blessed with a number of outstandingly talented out-halves.

“It’ll all just be about trying to get the better of them, I got to know how those guys play a little bit more from being down in camp but equally they had that with me so it balances itself out, if I go against him it’s an opportunity to see where I’m at,” added Burns.

“We’re improving in terms of consistency in our performances and our results but we’re going up against one of the best teams over the last number of years, so the game will give all the answers.”

“If we play like we know we can do then we know we can get a result but it’s whether we can do that on the big stage when it really counts, that’s certainly what we’re gearing up to do.

“Obviously there’s still plenty of rugby to be played after this weekend but I think the side that wins on Friday will probably think they’re on the front foot going into the rest of the season.”

Ulster: (15-9) Michael Lowry, Matt Faddes, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney. (1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Sam Carter (Capt.), Greg Jones, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

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