Ulster not fazed
ONE hour into Sunday’s Champions Cup win over Ulster, La Rochelle’s Vincent Pelo stood on the touchline awaiting his introduction. He would enter the fray in place of Uini Atonio, one French international behemoth for another.
While the visiting pack had largely been holding up in the face of immense pressure and superior opposition until the dam broke in the final quarter, it was another sign of the depth of forward power possessed by Europe’s top sides.
And with Leinster visiting Kingspan Stadium on Saturday (6.30pm), Ulster don’t even have the solace of chalking it up to something you don’t face every week.
While Leo Cullen’s men have not won in Belfast since they beat a 14-man Ulster in 2014, their depth in the forward positions remains the envy of the Guinness PRO14, not least those residing in BT6.
Take, for example, the northern province’s injury plight in the back-row.
Having lost Marcell Coetzee for the second season in a row, it seems likely that Les Kiss’ squad will never be the side they could have been with the burly Springbok tearing off the back of the scrum.
Leinster, in contrast, have been without the previously indestructible Jamie Heaslip since before last season’s Six Nations. No matter, Jack Conan and Rhys Ruddock are playing better than ever.
Having suffered what would seem a devastating blow with the loss of Josh van der Flier for up to two months, they are expected to turn to the fit-again Dan Leavy, a substitute in their win over Glasgow, and Sean O’Brien this weekend. Not bad replacements.
It’s easy to see what Ulster captain Rory Best meant when he spoke of his province not being “a conveyor belt like Leinster” earlier this week.
Ulster’s scrum coach Aaron Dundon knows the culture of the RDS Arena as well as anyone in the camp, the former hooker having played there for six years alongside plenty of the men who will make the journey north on Saturday.
“They have a big, big squad and a lot of depth, so no matter who plays they get the same sort of performance,” he said.
“Guys come in and out and there is always the same performance and clarity there.
“They have got some class players throughout most of their team, nearly all internationals. That adds a lot of experience. They are a good, good outfit at the moment,