With just two group stage games remaining, Ulster A, sponsored by CD Group, sit top of Pool 1 in the British & Irish Cup with one eye on a quarter-final spot for the first time since 2011/12.
Ulster has won three of the four group stage games to date, with the only defeat coming away to London Scottish back in October. On Friday night, Ulster will welcome them back to Kingspan Stadium for the reverse fixture, and with just three points separating Ulster A, Jersey Reds and London Scottish, Ulster coach Kieran Campbell expects a tough test:
“It is really tight at the top of Pool 1. I’m quite happy with how we’ve done so far but there is still plenty to do and we’ll keep building on it as we’re very serious about this competition and want to do well in it.
“The guys are really excited, it’s a huge opportunity. To take on London Scottish who are a really tough team out here in front of our home crowd is just great. It’s a great opportunity in particular for the younger players who are preparing for a professional career to sample what it’s like on big game days here at Kingspan Stadium in front of what will hopefully be a decent home support.”
After this Friday’s game, Ulster will travel to take on Jersey Reds in the last group stage game on Saturday 21st January, but former Ulster and Ireland scrum-half Campbell acknowledges he can’t look past the immediate task at hand:
“I know it’s a cliché but it is one game at a time. We need to make sure we win this one then we’ll have to work very hard away from home at Jersey to get a win there but we are concentrating solely on this one at the moment.”
While the Ulster A squad won’t be named until Thursday afternoon, it is expected once again to contain a mixture of the brightest talent from the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, coupled with a few more experienced senior players, and Campbell notes the relationship with the senior squad is a key factor both in the success to date and the long term development model:
“One of Les’ (Director of Rugby, Les Kiss) key drivers is that this ‘A’ team starts to perform really well. That has meant there has been a huge synergy in terms of developing this group of players both technically and tactically to perform but to also perform at a level that they can deliver with the senior players together.
“To us it is very important and at the moment we are priding ourselves that we are developing a system to bring through very good players,” said Campbell.
“I think that is being seen at the top end even in recent weeks with the likes of Rob Lyttle, Jacob Stockdale and Ross Kane playing for the seniors. There is starting to be more of a production line and a more consistent production line as well.
“What has been important for those guys too is you can see how serious the British & Irish is being treated this year by mixing guys like Tommy Bowe, Dan Tuohy and Ricky Lutton in with the younger players to give them experience from an older guy who sets a level of standard that is higher, and has a better knowledge of the game to help them accelerate.
“Les has given us the opportunity to start preparing last week and we had some idea of the team we’d have last week. That little bit of extra preparation, with the players having a better understanding this year and with the younger players stepping up to the mark it’s a nice mix for having a successful performance on Friday.
“If we can get our young guys performing well, along with the experience from some of the older guys, plus the desire the team have shown in the games to date, we should put in a really good performance and hopefully maintain our position at the top of the group going into the last round of games.”
Kick-off between Ulster A and London Scottish is at 7.00pm on Friday evening.
Tickets priced from just £10 for adults and £5 for children (Under 5's go FREE) available now from www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets
Season Ticket holders can claim a FREE ticket up until 10am on Wednesday 11th January.
Ulster has won three of the four group stage games to date, with the only defeat coming away to London Scottish back in October. On Friday night, Ulster will welcome them back to Kingspan Stadium for the reverse fixture, and with just three points separating Ulster A, Jersey Reds and London Scottish, Ulster coach Kieran Campbell expects a tough test:
“It is really tight at the top of Pool 1. I’m quite happy with how we’ve done so far but there is still plenty to do and we’ll keep building on it as we’re very serious about this competition and want to do well in it.
“The guys are really excited, it’s a huge opportunity. To take on London Scottish who are a really tough team out here in front of our home crowd is just great. It’s a great opportunity in particular for the younger players who are preparing for a professional career to sample what it’s like on big game days here at Kingspan Stadium in front of what will hopefully be a decent home support.”
After this Friday’s game, Ulster will travel to take on Jersey Reds in the last group stage game on Saturday 21st January, but former Ulster and Ireland scrum-half Campbell acknowledges he can’t look past the immediate task at hand:
“I know it’s a cliché but it is one game at a time. We need to make sure we win this one then we’ll have to work very hard away from home at Jersey to get a win there but we are concentrating solely on this one at the moment.”
While the Ulster A squad won’t be named until Thursday afternoon, it is expected once again to contain a mixture of the brightest talent from the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, coupled with a few more experienced senior players, and Campbell notes the relationship with the senior squad is a key factor both in the success to date and the long term development model:
“One of Les’ (Director of Rugby, Les Kiss) key drivers is that this ‘A’ team starts to perform really well. That has meant there has been a huge synergy in terms of developing this group of players both technically and tactically to perform but to also perform at a level that they can deliver with the senior players together.
“To us it is very important and at the moment we are priding ourselves that we are developing a system to bring through very good players,” said Campbell.
“I think that is being seen at the top end even in recent weeks with the likes of Rob Lyttle, Jacob Stockdale and Ross Kane playing for the seniors. There is starting to be more of a production line and a more consistent production line as well.
“What has been important for those guys too is you can see how serious the British & Irish is being treated this year by mixing guys like Tommy Bowe, Dan Tuohy and Ricky Lutton in with the younger players to give them experience from an older guy who sets a level of standard that is higher, and has a better knowledge of the game to help them accelerate.
“Les has given us the opportunity to start preparing last week and we had some idea of the team we’d have last week. That little bit of extra preparation, with the players having a better understanding this year and with the younger players stepping up to the mark it’s a nice mix for having a successful performance on Friday.
“If we can get our young guys performing well, along with the experience from some of the older guys, plus the desire the team have shown in the games to date, we should put in a really good performance and hopefully maintain our position at the top of the group going into the last round of games.”
Kick-off between Ulster A and London Scottish is at 7.00pm on Friday evening.
Tickets priced from just £10 for adults and £5 for children (Under 5's go FREE) available now from www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets
Season Ticket holders can claim a FREE ticket up until 10am on Wednesday 11th January.