McLaughlin puts faith in imports

With the arrival of ASM Clermont Auvergne nearing, Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin is looking to his international signings to raise the performance of his squad.

Ulster’s 22-3 victory over Connacht last Saturday was a much-needed return to winning ways for the Ulstermen who had lost their previous four RaboDriect PRO12 games in a row.

While Ulster may have halted their losing streak, McLaughlin knows a significant improvement is needed if they are going to match the skill and work rate of Clermont and he hopes his international stars, including the likes of Kiwi John Afoa and Springbok Ruan Pienaar, can inspire their teammates.

"There are different ways of doing things -- different tackle techniques, defence techniques, defensive systems, attacking principles, for example -- so we've got to try and use all the experience our international players are able to bring in order to become a better team,” he told the Irish Independent.

Crucially for Ulster, their European campaign kicks off on home soil avoiding the more daunting prospect of travelling to Clermont’s fortress the Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin, however with eight wins from ten matches so far in the Top 14, Clermont set in second place in the French league just one point behind Toulouse but McLaughlin is relishing the challenge.

"This is where we all want to be," he said, "testing ourselves against the best sides in the biggest club competition in the world."