‘Sharks have some big players in there, so it’s a lot more weight’ – Feeding frenzy on the cards against Ulster

The Sharks will naturally target Ulster’s scrum – Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth are included in their front five – and will go after their lineout and breakdown, where a certain Siya Kolisi will be operating.

With pace to burn in their backline, thanks to Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi along with the presence of Lukhanyo Am and Jordan Hendrikse, the visitors are clearly intent on throwing everything at Ulster. They will also hop they win rather more comfortably than was the case last week on Edinburgh’s artificial track.

Ulster know what is coming but at least have Stuart McCloskey back again and Cormac Izuchukwu good to go, while Jacob Stockdale must fill in at 15.

This time around, Jack Murphy needs to be more accurate, but the focus will really be on whether Ulster’s pack – Richie Murphy has gone for another 6/2 bench split that will hopefully work better than in Dublin – can live with the expected power surge and manage the game at a tempo to trouble their visitors.

“The Sharks have some big players in there, so it’s a lot more weight, it’s a lot more power driven, and it’s snappy,” says replacement hooker Tom Stewart, named on the bench again as he continues his return from injury.

“They want to go at you right from the start. So, we just must get our technical stuff right against them and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Stewart doesn’t dodge the importance of what lies ahead, starting with the Sharks at Ravenhill.

“I think at this stage now it’s probably [already] knockout rugby for us, to be honest. We probably need to win, I would say, all three of these games to guarantee getting through to the last eight.’’

Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Ward; Murphy, Doak; Warwick, Herring, O’Toole; O’Connor (capt), Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, Timoney, McNabney. Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Treadwell, Shanahan, Morgan, McCann.

Sharks: Fassi; Hooker, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Nche, Mobambi, Koch; Etzebeth (capt), Jenkins; Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Kolisi Replacements: Mbatha, Mchunu, Jacobs, Manu Tshituka, Buthelezi, Davids, Masuku, Julius.

Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales)

Ulster v Sharks, 7.35, RTE2/BBC2/Premier Sports 2