Former Ulster star Mick Kearney believes the club is ready to “take the next step” in its search for silverware after being knocked out in the semi-finals in the inaugural United Rugby Championship.
Kearney featured in Ulster’s pair of derby wins against Leinster last season, powering his belief that the Belfast side is close to a breakthrough. The two sides meet again this week for the first time in URC II after a clean start to the season for both teams.
Clear approach
Reflecting on the victories from last season, it was a clear game plan that allowed Ulster to defeat their rivals twice.
“We had a game plan going to the RDS that worked pretty well,” Kearney told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.
“It was an effective game plan on the night and thankfully worked out, and when it came to after Christmas in the howling wind and rain we implemented a very similar game plan and it worked again,
Kearney believes once the club finds a way to win silverware, it will lead to more and more success for Ulster.
“Leinster, from a URC point of view, have been the best, so to beat them home and away gave the group massive, massive confidence.
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“The players they [Ulster] have, and the depth Dan McFarland has built, they’re ready to take the next step. Now it’s just about doing it.
“I think once Ulster do win the URC, or win something, they’ll be fully set up to go on and win more and more things. They just have to get that first win under the belt.”
Former Ireland prop Fiona Hayes said it is important for Ulster to combat Leinster’s powerful maul if they to make it three in a row against the province.
“Ulster are missing a few big guys like Baloucoune, but I think they have the talent there to take the step up, and go at Leinster,” she said.
“Billy Burns looks like a player in form, Cooney is controlling the pack and doing it really well. Treadwell and O’Connor have made a great partnership without Henderson, they just have a lot of players in form.
“The area I think Leinster can attack would be the maul defence. The Scarlets got a bit of change out of them, and they were a bit slow to set up. We know how dominant the Leinster maul is when it gets going. That’s an area they’ll have focused on.
“I think the game is going to be an absolute cracker. I’m looking at an Ulster win at home, they’re very hard to beat up there, they’re playing with form. Ulster have come screaming into the season.”
Breakdown is key
Meanwhile, Kearney sees the breakdown as key to the clash, and whichever team comes out on top of that battle will have a better chance of winning.
“I think if Ulster can get on top of the breakdown they’ll win it, but if they can’t, then they won’t. That was a massive part of the game in the RDS last season. The likes of Marcus Rea had massive turnovers, Nick Timoney had big turnovers, and it’s a big fear for Leinster – and all attacking teams – if their breakdown slows down.
“Ulster had the most maul metres of any team in the competition [last season]. If Ulster are getting turnovers, they’re kicking it down the line and mauling. The work that Roddy Grant has done with the forwards, they’re a really, really strong mauling outfit.”