Saints can go marching on against Ulster, declares Beal

FORMER England fullback Nick Beal is under no illusions what to expect when Northampton tackle Ulster in the crunch Pool 6 tie at Ravenhill this evening (7.05).

Beal, a regular for the Saints for the past three seasons, knows the extent of the threat facing the European kingpins of 2000.

“Ulster have to score four tries more than us to top us. That’s some task,” said Beal. “I certainly prefer to be in our shoes having to defend our line rather than trying to score those tries.

“Our defence have been very tight this season, although we did concede four tries against Orrell in the Powergen Cup recently.

“But we did not go into that game with the same concentration as we have with this one. We have done our homework and we are confident we can keep them out.”

Ulster, however, look to the players absent from the Saints side rather than the one who will line out in front of an all-ticket capacity crowd in Belfast.

The loss of flankers Andrew Blowers and Budge Poutney gives the advantage to the Ulster back row, while the province’s front five has been a revelation of late.

But it is the firepower behind the scrum that is key to Ulster’s success. With Tyrone Howe, Adam Larkin, Jonny Bell and Paddy Wallace all on the long-term injury list, Alan Solomons’ side will need a fair measure of luck if they are to top Pool Six. A lot rests on the shoulders of David Humphreys and Neil Doak, both potential match winners.

Only Saints’ Paul Grayson and Ben Cohen remain from the 9-8 victory over Munster in the 2000 final.

That lack of pressure experience could work for Ulster, particularly with Saints’ coach Wayne Smith suffering from nausea due to nerves and he was unable to undertake a press call last night.

Whether Ulster have the nerve to go the whole way is another thing.

Ulster: B Cunningham, Topping, Constable, Stewart, Coulter, Humphreys, Doak; Kempson, Sexton, Best, Longwell, Davidson, Ward, McMillan, McWhirter. Replacements: Fitzpatrick, Shields, Blair, Nelson, Campbell, J Cunningham, Young.

Northampton: Beal, Brooks, Jorgensen, Leslie, Cohen, Grayson, Dawson; Smith, Thompson, Stewart, Williams, Hunter, Seeley, Soden, Connors. Replacements: Richmond, Budgen, Morris, Phillips, Vass, Tucker, Sleightholme.