Match Preview | Ulster

A spirited
display against Leinster last weekend was ultimately in vain, as the defending
champions came away with victory from their trip to Scotstoun.

The Warriors
now travel to the Kingspan Stadium for the first time since April 2018, with
both scheduled meetings between the Conference A rivals last season having been
cancelled due to the COVID-19 enforced shortening of the Guinness PRO14.

Coached by
former Glasgow Warriors assistant coach Dan McFarland, the hosts for Monday’s encounter
will provide a stern test for Wilson’s men as they go in search of a first away
win of the campaign.

Here’s how
the Ulstermen are shaping up ahead of the match:

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Ulster
Form Guide

McFarland’s
side are one of only three unbeaten sides remaining in the Guinness PRO14 after
the opening four rounds, sitting behind only Leinster in Conference A by virtue
of having two fewer bonus points than the RDS outfit.

After edging
an eight-try thriller against Benetton in Belfast in round one, a hard-fought
24-12 victory on the road to the Ospreys showed Ulster’s hard-nosed edge.

Five first-half
tries then blitzed the Dragons en route to a 40-17 win at the Kingspan in round
three, before grinding out an 11-7 victory over Cardiff Blues last Monday.

Summer
departures

A settled
Ulster squad saw few departures over the summer months, with McFarland and his
coaching team retaining the bulk of the squad that made it to the Guinness
PRO14 Final in 2019/20.

Angus
Kernohan was the sole player to move to pastures new in the off-season, as the
winger joined ambitious English Championship outfit Ealing Trailfinders.

New
arrivals

Two
experienced heads arrived in Belfast ahead of the conclusion of the 2019/20
season in August, with both men making an immediate impact.

Ireland
international fly-half Ian Madigan wrote himself into Ulster folklore in the
Guinness PRO14 semi-final, kicking the penalty against Edinburgh that sent the province
to the competition’s showpiece event in Dublin.

Former New
Zealand scrum-half Alby Mathewson was also recruited ahead of rugby’s restart,
providing an experienced presence at the breakdown.

Ones to
watch

In Marcell
Coetzee, Ulster are able to boast one of the most dangerous and prolific ball
carriers in the Guinness PRO14. The South African leads the league in carries
with 26 after four rounds, having also touched down for three tries so far this
season.

The
experienced Mathewson has settled in immediately at the Kingspan Stadium, his
speed of service and threat around the breakdown providing Ulster with
front-foot ball from which to launch attack upon attack. Capped five times by
the All Blacks, he provides a perfect foil to fellow scrum-half John Cooney to
give Ulster a high-quality tandem for the number nine jersey.

A try-scorer
in the Guinness PRO14 Final, centre James Hume has been catching the eye of
Irish rugby observers after breaking onto the scene last season. A balanced runner
with impressive distribution skills, the former Ireland U20 international is a
promising up-and-comer for both club and country.

Previous
Encounters

The Warrior
Nation have fond memories of the most recent meeting between their side and Ulster,
having roared their team to a 50-20 victory in the 2019 semi-final at
Scotstoun.

Two tries
from Tommy Seymour plus scores from Ali Price, Rob Harley, Kyle Steyn and both
Horne brothers saw Glasgow delight the home supporters, booking a place in the
2019 Final to boot.

It was
Ulster who emerged victorious on Glasgow’s most recent trip to Belfast though,
claiming a 36-15 win over the Warriors in April 2018.

Nick Timoney’s
brace, coupled with tries from Cooney and Sean Reidy, ensured it would be a
full five points for the Ulstermen in front of their own supporters.

Match
officials

The familiar
figure of Nigel Owens will oversee Monday night’s clash at the Kingspan, as the
Welshman takes charge of his 186^th Guinness PRO14 match.

Frank Murphy
and Chris Busby will be on the touchlines as assistant referees, with Joy
Neville on hand as TMO should she be required.

Broadcast
Information

The match
will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1, with kick-off set for 8.15pm.

Radio
commentary will also be available on BBC Radio Scotland MW, whilst you can keep
up to date with all the action as it happens with our Live Match Centre on
glasgowwarriors.org.