Darren Cave told critics to keep an eye out for Ulster this season following their summer of upheaval. The Holywood centre predicted another strong season despite the loss, in six weeks, of captain, coach and director of rugby.
Johann Muller, Mark Anscombe and David Humphreys packed up and left Ravenhill over the summer and it took the loan-signing of Ireland defence coach Les Kiss to steady the ship ahead of 2014/15. Kiss will resume his briefly-held role as Ulster director of rugby after the World Cup but it remains to be seen in what condition he will inherit the province.
Despite a slip to Zebre in Parma, league form has been solid. The Champions Cup has proved troublesome. Pooled with Toulon, Leicester and Scarlets, the Ulstermen are zero from two outings. Injuries to Ruan Pienaar, Luke Marshall and Andrew Trimble have stunted the backline but the second row has suffered most. Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson are not expected back until the New Year while short-term signing Ronald Raaymakers was injured within a week of touching down in Belfast.
One player who has benefited from the second row injury crisis is Lewis Stevenson, although he declares he will be happier when he gets some competition again. ‘The injuries we’ve had in that area are horrendous,” he says. “We’ve managed to scrap through but the injury run has been terrible for so many of the boys.
‘It is up to me now to stake a claim for a regular starting role so when the boys get back they will have their work cut out to shift me.’
Stevenson was part of the Ulster team that succumbed 23-13 to Toulon at home and leave them on the cusp of Champions Cup elimination. Defeats to the French side and Leicester mean they may have to win their four remaining matches, including Toulon away, to progress. He says, ‘That Toulon pack is massive. In terms of physicality, it is one of the toughest games I have been involved in. Most teams, and countries, in world rugby would be jealous of their playing squad.’
Stevenson added, ‘Everybody was massively disappointed but we have regrouped and are trying to stay positive about our chances. We can’t afford to let the Toulon loss dent our confidence. Momentum is huge in this game so we are looking to get back on a winning run and hit Europe in form when it comes back around.’
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