Rugby: URC resumes with Ulster traveling to Swansea.
Naturally, there have been two disheartening losses to Toulouse and Harlequins in the European Champions Cup, therefore April’s Challenge Cup will need to be planned for.
The teams from fourth to eleventh in the table are separated by just six points, thus domestic issues take precedence right now. With the Six Nations having concluded their mid-season break, Ulster will be seeking to advance rather than to glance over their shoulder. Therefore, it is crucial to start well against the Welsh club.
Assistant coach Dan Soper of Ulster Rugby commented, “It feels like a long time ago, from the Harlequins match and we have moved on.” “We had a difficult week; following the loss, everyone was visibly disappointed, but we have since had a few successful training weeks, so that is now in the past. We are eager to begin the second part of our season after taking the lessons we learned from it.
We have room for improvement, and we intend to improve in the second half of the season in order to move up the league standings and into the home play-offs.
“We are aware that we must do better if we hope to finish in the top four. We are all eager to start playing this weekend, but we are also realistic about the fact that some aspects of our game haven’t been up to grade.
The Ospreys, led by Jack Walsh, Morgan Morse, and Keelan Giles, are playing well this season. They have won four of their last five games across all competitions. They have also proven to be difficult to beat on their home field, taking home four of their five URC victories. However, they are attempting to string together three victories for the first time since May 2022.
Having lost in Swansea in the previous season (19–13), Ulster will be fully aware of the difficulties there, therefore a flawless effort is required.
“They are the most improved Welsh team right now, in my opinion. They have a great home record, and as a unit, they are very impressive and know exactly how they want to play,” Soper continued.
“We have a challenging afternoon ahead of us, no doubt about it, but we are all very eager for the challenge.”