Ulster Rugby braced for bruiser in Belfast

Ulster are delicately managing their players through a potentially difficult season, as Director of Rugby Les Kiss starts with Rob Herring at hooker and captain in place of Rory Best for this evening’s crucial Guinness Pro12 clash with an in-form Edinburgh side at the Kingspan Stadium.

Like Best, the 25-year-old Cape Town-born Herring recently signed a new two-year extension to his contract and will be making his 80th appearance for the club he joined from Western Province three years ago.

The talented Herring, who has one Ireland appearance in his locker gained on last summer’s tour to Argentina, comes in to allow Best rest up for more exacting challenging ahead.

It is one of a number of changes from last week’s defeat to Leinster in Dublin.

Ricky Lutton comes in for his first start of the season at tighthead with Kyle McCall at loose while Franco van der Merwe returns to partner Dan Tuohy at lock. Roger Wilson is back in the middle of the back row, with Chris Henry and Iain Henderson on either side. Behind the scrum, Luke Marshall comes in to partner Darren Cave in midfield with Rory Scholes on the left wing.

Herring though, says Ulster will need to sharpen up if they are to leapfrog over sixth-placed Edinburgh, a team who have already registered a 16-10 win at Murrayfield in October. Ulster, however, have won all three homes games this season in the league, and with try-scoring bonuses.

“It’s a pretty big game for us this week, especially in front of our home crowd,” said Herring. “Although we are only four points off qualification, we’re still mid-table and we don’t want to be in that position.

“They have beaten us in pre-season and earlier in the season, so we know Edinburgh are a tough side to break down. They are well coached, they have a game plan and they stick to it. They have pretty big forwards that run at you hard, just looking to get over the gain line. It is going to be a tough game right across the park in every area.

“I think if you look at their starting front row now, it is totally different, not just the players but the way they scrum. They try just to give you one big push and drive you over and that is something that we have to combat this week. They have quite a heavy front row and a back five that wants to scrum as well,” said Herring, who is happy to cross swords with his senior.

“I’m delighted to be staying, it is a great club, great coaching staff, great set up and great facilities and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” explained Herring. “Hopefully it will be great competition over the next two years between Rory and myself.

“Rory is the best hooker in Ireland at the moment and I don’t think anyone would be surprised if he is the next Irish captain. But I’m ambitious, and I want to be starting for Ulster and kicking on for Ireland as well.”