Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SCARLETS FEVER
Ulster chase victory in Wales as the knockout temperature rises
MICHAEL LOWRY is set to make his 100th appearance for Ulster as they bid to keep the push for a quarter-final spot going.
Richie Murphy can see light at the end of the tunnel as his last three games comprise of this visit to 14th-placed Scarlets, Leinster at home and Munster away.
Two wins from those games should be enough to clinch the knockout berth.
Billy Burns and John Cooney will be at half-back with Will Addison being asked to play outside centre for the second week running.
Lock Cormac Izuchukwu insists boss Murphy has restored confidence at Kingspan Stadium.
The Ireland under-20s coach replaced Dan Mcfarland earlier this year, initially on an interim basis.
“Richie has been great for me coming in,” 24-year-old Izuchukwu told the BBC. “He gave me a bit of confidence as well. He’s really good at telling you how good you are. He doesn’t focus on the stuff you are bad at, just the stuff you are good at.”
Although both have been injured recently, Izuchuwku normally has had Ireland international pair Iain
Henderson and Kieran
Treadwell ahead of him, as well as O’connor who has amassed almost 200 games of professional rugby.
He admits that there are times when not being selected has been difficult.
Izuchukwu added: “It’s a tough one and still something that I am working on. As every player does, you think you are good enough to play every week.
“You have to take a minute, step back, and respect that they have done so much and maybe I haven’t proved as much to the coaches.
“Maybe it is just a case, like the last two weeks, that whenever you get an opportunity just try and make sure you show the coaches what you have.”
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said of facing his former team: “Ulster are in the hunt for the play-offs and they will come here with that in mind so it is going to be a hard challenge.
“But we’ve steadily been improving, there was a good feeling at the end of the Sharks game and I thought we played some good stuff in that game. It is important we continue that momentum.”