Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The European game is huge.. but this is just as important
DAZ: ONE GAME AT TIME
DARREN CAVE insists Ulster cannot afford to be blinded by Europe as they continue their quest for a play-off spot in the PRO14 Championship.
Seven days out from facing Leinster in the province’s first Champions Cup quarter-final in five years, Cave insists his full focus is on the Southern Kings.
A win at the Kingspan Stadium this afternoon would strengthen Ulster’s bid for a top three finish in Conference B and a place in the knockout stages.
A strong finish in the league would also ensure qualification for next season’s Champions Cup, a message that has been hammered home by coach Dan Mcfarland.
“There is no hiding it, next week is a big game because we haven’t been at the top table in Europe for five years,” said Cave of next week’s high-profile date at Aviva Stadium.
“But I think if we are looking at the big picture, this is a club that needs to be playing in the Champions Cup and as big as the game is next week, we need points in the league.
“We have taken 16 points from our last four games and that has been great but we need points in the league and need to be playing Champions Cup rugby.
“There is no point in getting to the final or a semi-final or beating Leinster and then sliding down the PRO14 and not making the Champions Cup for next season.
“That is not what this club is all about. Every game is a big game for the rest of the season.”
Ulster are boosted by the return of South African back row Marcell Coetzee who has not played since suffering a hamstring strain in a European win over Leicester in January.
Other changes in the pack from the team that beat Dragons three weeks ago see Andy Warwick, Ian Nagle and Matty Rea take over from Eric O’sullivan, Kieran Treadwell and Clive Ross.
Dave Shanahan also replaces scrum-half John Cooney who starts on the bench.