Cool McLaughlin focused as Ulster bid to blitz Biarritz

ULSTER haven’t escaped the Heineken Cup pool stages in 11 years — but they have a real chance to break that unwanted record this weekend.

Ulster face a make-or-break Pool 4 showdown with group leaders Biarritz Olympique at Ravenhill on Saturday but they were boosted yesterday by news that lock Dan Tuohy has signed a new two-year deal, while prop Paddy McAllister and centre Nevin Spence have upgraded from development to full contracts.

The French club, beaten Heineken Cup finalists both seven months ago and in 2006, top the pool with a three-point buffer over Ulster but they’ve already slipped up once on the road this season, when they went down 28-27 at tournament newcomers Aironi.

“Getting to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals has been one of our prime objectives for the season — it is where we want to be,” said head coach Brian McLaughlin.

“From an Ulster Rugby perspective the match against Biarritz is an extremely important game because with the way the group has gone we have it all to play for — there are two games left and they are two games we must win.

“However, Biarritz are an extremely strong side, they have a great pedigree in the Heineken Cup, they were last season’s finalists and have openly stated they want to win this tournament.

“In players like Imanol Harinordoquy, Dimitri Yachvili and Damien Traille they have some smashing individuals and we are under no illusions that we are in for an extremely tough game.”

McLaughlin isn’t anticipating the Basque side to repeat the form they showed against Aironi.

“Biarritz are a top quality side, and although they had a hiccup when they lost at Aironi, they will come here looking for the win. I believe it’ll be a smashing game.

“That said, we have a proud home record in the Heineken Cup over last two seasons, winning our last seven tournament matches at Ravenhill, and I am sure we will give Biarritz a warm Belfast welcome.

“We know what we have to try and do, which is to get the win we need and go to Aironi to play for a quarter-final place.”

Last season, Ulster broke their English “duck” when they won on English soil for the first time, beating Bath 28-10, and they have now doubled that overall tally against the same opponents.

Both contests against Bath ended in four-point wins for the Irish province to go alongside a 30-6 opening round win over Aironi.

“That debut win in England against Bath last season — when we also beat them home and away in the pool stages — gave us the confidence to go back there this year knowing what we are capable of achieving,” said McLaughlin.

“As far as the defeat in Biarritz goes, obviously we were not happy with the end result but we did have opportunities in the first half but we did not put points on board. Then in the second half, we made a few errors that Biarritz pounced upon.

“However, our Heineken Cup destiny is in our own hands and although we know we are still an improving and emerging side, we know we are not there yet and that we have plenty of work to do.

“We are not as consistent as we would like but we feel we are in the process of getting where we want to be and with the type of rugby we want to play.”