Ulster debutant Henderson will relish heat of cup battle

Ulster’s new back-row sensation, Iain Henderson, knew earlier in the week he would be making his Heineken Cup debut tonight when French side Castres visit Ravenhill.

The news that he would be starting quickly encouraged him to pen a new three-year full contract and immediately come face-to-face with the player he was in line to replace.

Pedrie Wannenburg was a crowd favourite at Ravenhill and his departure to France was a bit of a surprise. However, with Nick Williams playing so well, his absence was not felt. Williams, though, misses tonight’s game due to a rib injury, and Henderson hopes to make up for that when he slots into the back-row at blindside, with Stephen Ferris named at number 8.

“I can’t wait. I’ve been watching games at Ravenhill since I was a kid and I’m really looking forward to pulling on the white jersey and experiencing the atmosphere as a player,” said the 20-year-old.

“My first aim for the season was to be involved in a few Pro12 games but with the few injuries that we have in the back row, I’ve been given an opportunity and I have to try and grab it with both hands.”

For Ulster’s skipper Johann Muller, it is going to be more of the same, and with the team being up there to be shot down, he says it will be even harder to progress this season.

“A lot of people just expect us to get to get out of the group easily this year and get to a quarter-final, the semi-final and the final. But cup rugby is special, it just doesn’t happen that you get into a semi-final or a final there is a lot of hard work ahead,” said Muller.

“I think we have our best squad since I arrived, there is a lot of depth and a lot of players that are pushing for position, whenever someone is not playing well there are two or three guys that can come into his spot and fill the gap, I think that is a great environment and a great thing for us to have as a squad.

“But as I found out, you need a bit of luck as well, you need the bounce of the ball or the call of the referee to go your way to get out of the pool stages.

“We have a tough pool, Castres, who beat Top 14 leaders Clermont last week, are a top side in France, Northampton are a top side in the Premiership and we have Glasgow, whom we always struggle against. So it’s a tight group and we will have to be at our best if we want to get out of it.

“But winning at home is non-negotiable, you have got to win your home games and you have to win one or two away as well.

“Pedrie is a very good friend and obviously I know him well, also scrum-half Rory Kockott. We played together at the Sharks and he is a very influential player for them. Tony Claassen and Jannie Bornman are there as well, there are about four or five South Africans at Castres and I expect there will be some lively Afrikaans banter on the pitch.

“They are all quality players and they have added a lot to Castres and they will come here tonight intent on wanting to play a bit of rugby.”