European Rugby Champions Cup Pool One: Ulster v Saracens (tonight, 7.45pm, live on BT Sport Europe)
IAIN Henderson returns to the Ulster line-up for tonight’s opening European Champions Cup Pool One match with English champions Saracens at the Kingspan Stadium.
The Ireland international has recovered from a hand injury sustained during the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina last month and will make his 50th appearance for the province.
Saracens opened their campaign with a 32-7 home win over Toulouse on Saturday, while Ulster were left without a game after their scheduled clash with French side Oyonnax was postponed due to the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The Aviva Premiership side, coached by former Ulster boss Mark McCall, have won five of the last six meetings between the teams, including a 17-15 Heineken Cup quarter-final victory in 2013 when Jared Payne was sent off after only five minutes for a tip- tackle on Alex Goode.
However, Ulster number eight Nick Williams says there has been no mention of that game in the build-up to the rematch.
“There’s been no talk about it at all; it’s a new season, new team, new personnel, including a new director of rugby (Les Kiss) so the talk has all been about kick-off time on Friday,” he said.
“Hopefully we can get one over on them but, as regards the last game in Belfast, it’s in the past, so let’s leave it in the past and hopefully we can get a win.
“They are all must-win games, it’s the old cliché you just have got to try and win as many games as you can home or away.
“This place (Kingspan Stadium) has always been a special place for us. It just lifts us whenever you run out here, it’s just deafening. The people are behind us; win, lose or draw, they stick with us.”
However, Williams is aware that Saracens will represent a huge threat and a step-up in class, even with the benefit of home advantage and the fact it has yielded three bonus-point wins in the PRO12 season to date.
“They have internationals all over the show and it’s hard to find any weaknesses there,” said Williams.
“[England fly-half] Owen Farrell runs the show but we have trained and done a lot of analysis work on them and that’s taught us a thing or two so, hopefully, we can bring that on to the pitch.
“They have got a certain way they play and it works for them; if opposition teams don’t read it well they tend to take advantage of that.
“We’ve definitely noted this week that discipline is going to be key because we know Farrell can kick them over from 50 or 60 metres.
“So, it’s one of the things we have been concentrating on this week, getting that extra yard behind the offside line and things like that.
“We’ve done our research on him to see how he plays the game and tried to pick up some small things that might help us.”
Ulster assistant coach Allen Clarke is also aware of the magnitude of the task ahead but he’s looking forward to renewing his friendship with McCall, having worked under him in the past and played with him in Ulster’s European Cup winning squad of 1999.
“I haven’t spoken with him for three or four weeks but I will be texting him before the game to say: ‘here we go again: I’ll talk to you afterwards,” he said.
“I’ve tremendous respect for Mark. He’s a proud Ulsterman who has done tremendously well and I think we should all congratulate him on his success.
“Obviously I’m not working closely with him, but I know from speaking to him, he is still a competitive individual and has good values and knowledge of the game.
“We have trained tremendously well since our return [from France] and mentally we have an added incentive on what will be our first game in Europe to now be in front of our home crowd at the Kingspan.
“So we want to give our support something to shout about, deliver a performance where everyone involved in Ulster rugby can be satisfied.”
McCall says he is looking forward to returning to Belfast having coached Ulster to their last piece of silverware when they lifted the Celtic League title in 2006.
“Ulster are one of the best in Europe, and we’ve had some classic battles with them in recent years.
“I know how tough a place the Kingspan Stadium can be when it’s rocking on a European night so to be facing them is a real challenge for us, but one that we are all very excited by,” he said.
Pool One
Ulster v Saracens (tonight, 7.45pm)
Toulouse v Oyonnax (tomorrow, 3.15pm)
Pool Two
Exeter v Bordeaux-Begles (tomorrow, 7.45pm)
Clermont v Ospreys (Sunday, 1pm)
Pool Three
Glasgow v Northampton (tomorrow, 5.15pm)
Scarlets v Racing 92 (tomorrow, 5.30pm)
Pool Four
Treviso v Leicester (tomorrow, 1pm)
Pool Five
Bath v Leinster (tomorrow, 3.15pm)
Wasps v Toulon (Sunday, 5.15pm)
