Henry primed to put on Malone jersey for first time in a decade
MALONE are hoping to deploy Ulster stalwart Chris Henry as they bid to go two wins from two when hosting St Mary’s College tomorrow.
The 33-year old flanker is thought to be in line to play for his home club, which would be notable as it will mark the first time Henry has turned out in Malone colours for over a decade.
Henry is returning from a calf injury he picked up playing for Ulster A in their first Celtic Cup game against Leinster at the start of last month and is in line to come in for the unavailable Ross Todd.
Henry has already been assisting head coach Paddy Armstrong at Gibson Park for some time. Also this week, Ulster lock Alan O’Connor helped out at a session as Malone prepare to lock horns with St Mary’s, who were relegated from 1A last season and opened their 1B account with a bonus point win over Ballynahinch.
“It was a really pleasing start,” said Armstrong, whose fourthplaced squad opened their AIL season with a 27-0 win at Ballymena last weekend.
“It’s about building on that now and we’re aware of the big challenge ahead of us with St Mary’s.”
Hinch and City of Armagh will both be chasing their first wins when the sides come together for their Ulster derby at Ballymacarn Park.
Though the Co Down side lost 37-27 at St Mary’s last weekend, they did have the lead early on and were, later in the game, just three behind after trailing 27-10.
Coach Brian McLaughlin will have taken those positives from the trip to Dublin in the hope that eighth-placed Hinch can overcome the side two places in front of them.
His team will be largely unchanged, though hooker Zack McCall is unlikely to be released this time by Ulster A.
Basement side Ballymena are at leaders Naas and will have Glenn Bailie back at scrum-half as they seek a first victory.
Seventh-placed Banbridge, who lost at Old Belvedere last time out, host Buccaneers.
1B: Malone v St Mary’s, Ballynahinch v Armagh, Banbridge v Buccaneers, Naas v Ballymena. WITH the opening weekend of the Champions Cup bringing a fixture with Leicester, there are few visitors that could prompt such waves of nostalgia for Ulster supporters.
They have only played Toulouse and Stade Francais with more frequency in this competition and, while the French pair are cemented in the hearts of romantics given their association with the magical run to the 1999 title, the Tigers themselves feature heavily in Ulster lore.
The Ruan Pienaar-inspired victory in Welford Road (right) ensuring a six-from-six pool in 2013/14 is arguably the finest single achievement but, when it comes to this weekend, perhaps a more apt glance back in the history books would be towards the 2004 clash at Ravenhill.
“They came as multiple English Premiership and European champions but with David Humphreys orchestrating we comprehensively put them to the sword,” remembered former flanker Neil Best in an entertaining look back at the game earlier this week.
Leicester had surprisingly left England’s newly minted World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson on the bench, but still boasted the likes of Austin Healey, Dorian West and Graham Rowntree in their number.
Their hosts were then in the middle of an 11-year run without a quarter-final berth but ran out 33-0 winners.
Captain Andy Ward was among the scorers for the side that led 28-0 at half-time in a game that caused something of a furore in certain quarters for being held on a Sunday.
While the win took Ulster temporarily top of their pool, a stark turnaround in the next week’s return fixture dashed any hopes of a knock-out berth.
It was par for the course then, but so too was winning while hosting, no matter who the visitor.
The province’s home winning streak ultimately reached 13 games in Europe, eventually ended by Biarritz in 2006.
Despite the numerous failures to progress beyond the groups, the ‘Ravenhill Roar’ ensured Belfast was never a welcome draw for the opposition.
When they eventually became contenders once again, Ulster’s home form provided a ready made platform to launch into the quarter-finals.
AsDanMcFarland alluded to earlier this week, few would look at the side’s recent form and expect them to top the pool, not with two of last season’s semi-finalists for company in addition to tomorrow’s visitors.
Maintaining their home form, however, is a more than reasonable target for this campaign.
The defeat to Bordeaux-Begles in 2017 was arguably their worst in BT6 for some years but there was a return to winning ways last season.
Wasps were beaten here, so too La Rochelle, who were then being touted as one of Europe’s best sides due to their sumptuous rugby, while a poor Harlequins side were duly thumped on a cold Friday in December.
Insucha short competition, anything is possible with only one surprise win away from the friendly confines, but three home victories should be the baseline.
Ulster’s fellow Pool Four side Racing 92 will, after two recent final defeats and the additions of Simon Zebo and Finn