It’s a mark of the task facing Ulster in their opening two Champions Cup games that the one thing making head coach Richie Murphy’s job “easier” is something he could really do without.
Ulster came out of their United Rugby Championship defeat to Leinster on Friday with yet more injuries to add to an already substantial list of absentees.
While there’s never really a good time to face a trip to Toulouse to take on the reigning European champions, doing it with depleted resources manages to crank the dial even further past ‘daunting’ than it was already.
Although not as bad as first feared, the hamstring injury that forced scrum-half John Cooney off against his former side has ruled him out of Sunday’s match at the Stade Ernest Wallon.
Ben Moxham will see a knee surgeon this week after suffering serious damage against Leinster, and, while the province’s Ireland contingent returned to training on Monday, they did so without Jacob Stockdale, whose hamstring injury against Fiji means Ulster are “not expecting to see him any time soon” according to Murphy.
“It makes selection a lot easier, I suppose,” joked Murphy of Ulster’s queue for the treatment table, while also voicing his disappointment at the severity of Moxham’s injury, just under a year after he tore a cruciate ligament in his other knee.
- “I hope that I have brought the games to life down the years ” Veteran broadcaster Jim Neilly recalls highlights as IRFU reach milestoneOpens in new window
- Ben Carson keen to park Leinster disappointment as Ulster’s attention switches to EuropeOpens in new window
- Murphy praises Ulster effort in loss to LeinsterOpens in new window
There’s better news about the man Moxham replaced against Leinster, Werner Kok, who has been passed fit for the trip to France after his HIA at the Kingspan Stadium.
Another head injury victim, Zak Ward, who was forced off in Ulster A’s clash with Connacht the week before last, has been cleared to return.
Ward joined Ulster on a trial basis after playing for Ireland sevens at the Olympic Games in Paris and Murphy says he is nearing his first competitive appearance with the province.
“Zak is back fit, he passed all his return to play protocols and is available to play this weekend,” said Murphy.
“Zak’s progressing well. Obviously, he’d never played on the wing before coming in to us, back from the sevens.
“He’s shown some really good growth over the last number of weeks. Unfortunately, his ‘A’ games were cut short with a concussion.
“We’re positive about his progress and over the next number of weeks we might see him out there in a white jersey.”
Stockdale and Cooney, both in the last year of their respective Ulster contracts, have been linked with moves to France in recent days, Stockdale to Racing 92 and Cooney to Bordeaux, who Ulster host on Saturday week.
Murphy is hopeful to have both facing rather than representing French opposition in the years ahead.
“They have both been brilliant players,” said Murphy.
“At this time of year, with players off contract there are always going be the conversations about those things.
“We don’t want to see them go but it’s like anything – if people decide to move on the group here will move on without them. “We’re trying to build something here going forward over the next number of years and hopefully the guys might want to be part of that.”
The immediate future means a mammoth double header against Top 14 leaders Toulouse and second-placed Bordeaux in the space of six days.
The visit of Bordeaux to Belfast would be a big enough occasion for Murphy’s young side, never mind Toulouse away, one of the most feared assignments in the game.
Is that how Murphy is feeling?
“Excitement, maybe, but fear? Probably a little bit,” he replied on Tuesday.
“You look at their team and they’re two or three deep international-wise in nearly every position.
“But there are things in their game that you look at where there’s opportunity – it’s whether you can be good enough to be able to take that.
“Boys prepared well yesterday, trained well today and we’re building towards the weekend.
“European rugby is still the pinnacle of the club game and we want to go out there and try and do our very best.”
