Ulster can’t afford ‘arm wrestle’ with Clermont

“You watch Clermont as we have and you’ve just got to be impressed by what’s on offer, admiring too, and otherwise it might put the fear of God in you.” Ulster’s Director of Rugby Les Kiss was certainly not underestimating the task facing his side when the French Championship leaders come to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday for the third pool game in the Champions Cup.

“They can attack you from anywhere on the park, they have Morgan Parra and Camille Lopez pulling the strings at half-back, and they have a galaxy of top players from which to choose.

“They are absolutely brilliant to watch, and it’s our job, which I think we are very capable of doing, to stop them looking so brilliant, to challenge their skillsets, trust in our own players and, importantly, not to get involved in an arm wrestle,” said Kiss, clearly buoyed by the five-try bonus point win in the Pro12 in Cardiff last Saturday.