Cockerill: I’d love a squad like Ulster’s

Preview Edinburgh v Ulster Monday. Kick-off 8.15pm

RICHARD Cockerill believes Edinburgh’s shot at redemption against Ulster may have to wait as the Autumn Nations Cup weighs heavy on the options available to him.

In a rematch of last season’s PRO14 semi-final, which saw Ulster overturn a 12-point deficit to complete a 22-19 victory, Edinburgh welcome Dan McFarland’s unbeaten side to Murrayfield on Monday.

And Cockerill says the advantage lies with Ulster as the current international window leaves him short of 14 senior players, compared to the visitors’ six.

“I don’t think we have a hangover, we’ve just got to get on with playing what’s in front of us,” said head coach Cockerill.

“The side that goes out for us on Monday will be vastly different to the one that played last time, unfortunately.

“It’s a shame for the competition because the last two or three times we’ve played Ulster it’s been very tight. They are missing some individuals but I think we’re missing 13 lads with Scotland. (Mesulame) Kunavula is with Fiji, so there’s 14 guys who potentially would be in and around our squad.”

Cockerill added: “We just have to accept that’s the way the cards have fallen at this point. I’d love to be in Ulster’s position where you have a deep squad and bigger budgets and you lose five or six guys to the Test team.

“Those are the things I dream of – having only six players away with the Test squad.”

Ulster will be without second row Kieran Treadwell after he was handed a three-week ban by a citing commission.

Treadwell courted controversy when he was shown only a yellow card for a high tackle on Scarlets prop Javan Sebastian last week. It was upgraded to a sixweek ban but halved by the disciplinary panel due to a ‘clean record, acceptance of his actions, co-operation and remorse shown’. The province are also set to be without Luke Marshall after the centre was wheeled off the pitch with suspected knee ligament damage in the 26-24 win over the Scarlets.

Ulster are unbeaten in their last three visits to Murrayfield and are looking to go eight from eight.