Ulster's Director of Rugby Les Kiss accepts tonight's PRO12 game with Connacht at Kingspan Stadium is an opportunity for his side to show supporters that it is still 'on track' and aiming for a Top Four finish.
“You look at every game at this point and each one becomes more desperate, and that’s not lost on anyone. It was palpable in our preparations last week, and this week again, but I really am confident that the sort of attacking flow we showed at times in Glasgow last week will come through.
“There are so many positives to be taken from our display in Scotland, for so long the players showed what they can do when they back themselves. Now is the time when we consistently perform at that level, eradicate those small errors which cost us there, and it cost us in other games when we created chances but just didn’t capitalise.
“And we don’t hide from the fact that we’ve lost three games out of the last four, that in five weeks we’ve gone from top of the table to fifth.
“But we all believe, as players and coaches, that what we’re doing is going to bear dividends, that we can give the fans what they deserve, and what the players crave to do for themselves and the great Kingspan support,” says the Australian whose attention to detail is legendary and to whom the squad is intensely committed.
“We had an Open Training Session for Season Ticket holders on Tuesday, and we had a big crowd there and they saw how hard the boys are working, their industry is fantastic and they know how important each game is,” says Kiss.
“We’ve never used injuries as an excuse for some of the poor results we’ve had, I’ve always believed that the players that are available are the solutions. Some have been exposed for the first time, and that will come to help us ultimately, I’m sure it will.
“Of course to be without Nick Williams and Alan O’Connor, two of our most powerful forwards is a blow, but we have our captain Rory Best back, and Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne come into the side and that’s a huge ‘plus’. I’ve said this before, but what I admire about this group of players is their robustness and resilience, we’re doing a lot of good things.
“It would just be good to get a few results,” he smiles wryly!
“Individually and collectively the players know there are so many variable still to be factored into the league ladder, they’re aware of what can happen to other sides in terms of results, and that applies to tonight’s big game with Connacht.
“But it’s my job to make sure we don’t get hijacked by the ‘what ifs’, we have to control what we can control and that’s how we approach the match. It’s true that a win or a loss, in our game or in some of the other matches, shifts things a different way, but our target remains the play-offs.
“And we can – and I believe we will - do that if we stick to the principles the boys have embraced all year,” says the former Ireland backs coach.
Kiss is a huge admirer of what Pat Lam has achieved in his three years in charge in Connacht, and of how the former ‘whipping boys’ of the PRO12 and the Inter-Pros have become a very serious rugby side.
“They’ve done extremely well, there’s good quality in their game and in what they stand for. You have to say they toughed it out against a Leinster side loaded with internationals last weekend, and we know that they’re pretty robust in the back-row with John Muldoon and company.
“We can point to the fact that we were the only team to go to Galway and get a win in the competition this year, on Boxing Day when Nick got in for a try in a really close contest.
“So we have a tough game tonight, but in front of the Kingspan Stadium supporters I know that the boys want to show that they are determined to be on the front foot, to take the initiative and the key will be to show the resilience I’ve spoken about before,” says Kiss, clearly relishing pitting his charges against the table-toppers from the West.
Kiss does not shy away from the challenges of the next month, with games in Zebre, at home to Leinster, and finishing the regular PRO12 season at the Ospreys.
“We have it in our own hands, and I believe in this group, in its ability and its resolve to reward the supporters.”
Stand Up For The Ulster Men against Connacht tonight, kick off 7.35pm > BUY TICKETS
“You look at every game at this point and each one becomes more desperate, and that’s not lost on anyone. It was palpable in our preparations last week, and this week again, but I really am confident that the sort of attacking flow we showed at times in Glasgow last week will come through.
“There are so many positives to be taken from our display in Scotland, for so long the players showed what they can do when they back themselves. Now is the time when we consistently perform at that level, eradicate those small errors which cost us there, and it cost us in other games when we created chances but just didn’t capitalise.
“And we don’t hide from the fact that we’ve lost three games out of the last four, that in five weeks we’ve gone from top of the table to fifth.
“But we all believe, as players and coaches, that what we’re doing is going to bear dividends, that we can give the fans what they deserve, and what the players crave to do for themselves and the great Kingspan support,” says the Australian whose attention to detail is legendary and to whom the squad is intensely committed.
“We had an Open Training Session for Season Ticket holders on Tuesday, and we had a big crowd there and they saw how hard the boys are working, their industry is fantastic and they know how important each game is,” says Kiss.
“We’ve never used injuries as an excuse for some of the poor results we’ve had, I’ve always believed that the players that are available are the solutions. Some have been exposed for the first time, and that will come to help us ultimately, I’m sure it will.
“Of course to be without Nick Williams and Alan O’Connor, two of our most powerful forwards is a blow, but we have our captain Rory Best back, and Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne come into the side and that’s a huge ‘plus’. I’ve said this before, but what I admire about this group of players is their robustness and resilience, we’re doing a lot of good things.
“It would just be good to get a few results,” he smiles wryly!
“Individually and collectively the players know there are so many variable still to be factored into the league ladder, they’re aware of what can happen to other sides in terms of results, and that applies to tonight’s big game with Connacht.
“But it’s my job to make sure we don’t get hijacked by the ‘what ifs’, we have to control what we can control and that’s how we approach the match. It’s true that a win or a loss, in our game or in some of the other matches, shifts things a different way, but our target remains the play-offs.
“And we can – and I believe we will - do that if we stick to the principles the boys have embraced all year,” says the former Ireland backs coach.
Kiss is a huge admirer of what Pat Lam has achieved in his three years in charge in Connacht, and of how the former ‘whipping boys’ of the PRO12 and the Inter-Pros have become a very serious rugby side.
“They’ve done extremely well, there’s good quality in their game and in what they stand for. You have to say they toughed it out against a Leinster side loaded with internationals last weekend, and we know that they’re pretty robust in the back-row with John Muldoon and company.
“We can point to the fact that we were the only team to go to Galway and get a win in the competition this year, on Boxing Day when Nick got in for a try in a really close contest.
“So we have a tough game tonight, but in front of the Kingspan Stadium supporters I know that the boys want to show that they are determined to be on the front foot, to take the initiative and the key will be to show the resilience I’ve spoken about before,” says Kiss, clearly relishing pitting his charges against the table-toppers from the West.
Kiss does not shy away from the challenges of the next month, with games in Zebre, at home to Leinster, and finishing the regular PRO12 season at the Ospreys.
“We have it in our own hands, and I believe in this group, in its ability and its resolve to reward the supporters.”
Stand Up For The Ulster Men against Connacht tonight, kick off 7.35pm > BUY TICKETS