With games against Leinster, Munster, Montpellier and Leicester Tigers coming up for Ulster in the next four weeks, you could forgive Mark Anscombe for looking ahead. However, despite two interprovincial clashes and two crucial Heineken Cup matches coming up, the Head Coach isn't focused on anything other than Friday night's game against Zebre at Ravenhill: "It's a big month," says Anscombe. "We knew at the start of the year that the Christmas period was going to be a defining part of the ...
With games against Leinster, Munster, Montpellier and Leicester Tigers coming up for Ulster in the next four weeks, you could forgive Mark Anscombe for looking ahead. However, despite two interprovincial clashes and two crucial Heineken Cup matches coming up, the Head Coach isn't focused on anything other than Friday night's game against Zebre at Ravenhill:
"It's a big month," says Anscombe. "We knew at the start of the year that the Christmas period was going to be a defining part of the campaign for us. The thing is that we need to be really careful. We play four teams that have been successful in Europe - Montpellier in France, Leicester have won the Heineken Cup and Munster and Leinster, the two most successful Irish teams and you could be tempted to look ahead. All of a sudden Zebre slip into town, you underestimate them and they do a job on you. We played them a few weeks ago and it was one serious battle. It wasn't a convincing performance from us - we just need to be on our toes and get that job done before we start worrying about the others."
Yesterday, Leicester scored a last minute try to beat Montpellier in France. However, instead of being disappointed with that result, Anscombe believes it only reinforces the challenge that awaits Ulster next month at Welford Road: "One thing that it shows is that they play for 80 minutes and that they are formidable opposition," concludes Anscombe. "That is why they are Aviva Premiership Champions and that is why they are one of the top teams in Europe. The fact is they are a quality team and we have always known that, so you are never going to go to their home track and ever get an easy game, so really nothing has changed. It is still going to be one hell of a task to go to Welford Road in round 6 and get a result."Â
Ulster however, are the competition's form team. The Province is the Heineken Cup's only unbeaten team with 18 points in Pool 5:
"The fact is that we are in control, we know that we are not relying on other results," says the Ulster coach. "We know that if we keep winning, we stay in control. But if we don't and we hiccup somewhere down the line, we start watching the TV a bit more closely and hoping that someone else does us a favour. We are in a great place." Â
With games against Leinster, Munster, Montpellier and Leicester Tigers coming up for Ulster in the next four weeks, you could forgive Mark Anscombe for looking ahead. However, despite two interprovincial clashes and two crucial Heineken Cup matches coming up, the Head Coach isn't focused on anything other than Friday night's game against Zebre at Ravenhill:
"It's a big month," says Anscombe. "We knew at the start of the year that the Christmas period was going to be a defining part of the campaign for us. The thing is that we need to be really careful. We play four teams that have been successful in Europe - Montpellier in France, Leicester have won the Heineken Cup and Munster and Leinster, the two most successful Irish teams and you could be tempted to look ahead. All of a sudden Zebre slip into town, you underestimate them and they do a job on you. We played them a few weeks ago and it was one serious battle. It wasn't a convincing performance from us - we just need to be on our toes and get that job done before we start worrying about the others."
Yesterday, Leicester scored a last minute try to beat Montpellier in France. However, instead of being disappointed with that result, Anscombe believes it only reinforces the challenge that awaits Ulster next month at Welford Road: "One thing that it shows is that they play for 80 minutes and that they are formidable opposition," concludes Anscombe. "That is why they are Aviva Premiership Champions and that is why they are one of the top teams in Europe. The fact is they are a quality team and we have always known that, so you are never going to go to their home track and ever get an easy game, so really nothing has changed. It is still going to be one hell of a task to go to Welford Road in round 6 and get a result."Â
Ulster however, are the competition's form team. The Province is the Heineken Cup's only unbeaten team with 18 points in Pool 5:
"The fact is that we are in control, we know that we are not relying on other results," says the Ulster coach. "We know that if we keep winning, we stay in control. But if we don't and we hiccup somewhere down the line, we start watching the TV a bit more closely and hoping that someone else does us a favour. We are in a great place." Â