Ulster forced to make one change for trip to red-hot Scarlets
Andy Maxwell, who replaced hamstring victim Tommy Bowe after 27 minutes during Saturday’s 30-3 win over Toulouse, retains his place.
McCall was in exuberant mood yesterday after nine of his side were named in Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan’s 32-man international squad, including 21-year-old flanker Stephen Ferris.
“It’s brilliant for him, and for our squad in general,” McCall enthused. “His rise has been meteoric and he is an exceptional talent. This might be his first involvement with a full Ireland squad, but it certainly won’t be his last.”
McCall is now focused on the next stage of Ulster’s European adventure following that near-perfect win against the French side.
“It was a good performance against Toulouse, and we were pretty clinical. We got some really good set-piece ball from the forwards, the backs used it extremely well and our defence fronted up,” said McCall.
“We’ve played one pool game, got ourselves four points, but if you can replicate the same type of performance then it will put us in a very good position. We have beaten the Scarlets already this season in the Magners League, but it was the first game of the season and Friday’s game will bear no resemblance to the one in September.”
Scarlets centre Regan King has been given the all-clear for the game.
The in-form Kiwi centre, Welsh player of the month in the Magners League for September, hobbled off during the 32-25 first-round win over London Irish.
But the Scarlets have been given a clean bill of health as the top two sides in the Magners League prepare for battle in Europe.
Scarlets forwards coach Paul Moriarty hailed Ulster’s 30-3 demolition of Toulouse as “outstanding”.
He added: “Anyone who can do that to a team of Toulouse’s pedigree has to be brimming full of confidence. Ulster made a complete mockery of the breakdown area. They destroyed Toulouse there and every time Toulouse went in with the ball, Ulster defenders smashed them. It is no exaggeration to say that Toulouse were well and truly shocked.
“Where Ulster are perhaps a bit different to other sides is that they are so competitive in the back line in the contact area. If your own ball presentation isn’t spot on, you will struggle.”
The Scarlets have won both their previous Heineken Cup meetings with Ulster but were defeated 31-16 at Ravenhill on the opening weekend of this Magners League season.
And Moriarty insists there is no danger of the region underestimating the men from Ulster.
He said: “The big thing about Friday night is everyone knows what to expect — we play them on a regular basis. Toulouse were obviously not prepared for what Ulster threw at them.”
ULSTER: B Cunningham; A Maxwell, P Steinmetz, P Wallace, A Trimble; D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, B Young; J Harrison, M McCullough; N Best, S Ferris, R Wilson.
Replacements: P Shields, S Best, T Barker, K Dawson, K Campbell, K Maggs, S Young.
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