RUGBY: It's an indication of the pressure facing both sides in tonight's Pool Six encounter at Ravenhill that at least one of them will be winless after two rounds and facing a task of Everest-like proportions if they are to make the knock-out stages. Such is life in the European Cup, all the more so in what Alan Solomons maintains is this season's pool of death.
Ulster and Cardiff suffered at the hands of pack power last weekend when beaten by the 2000 champions Northampton and the reigning French champions Biarritz, respectively.
Solomons repeated his assertion that to stand any chance of progressing to the knock-out stages "we will have to win all our home games and then look to pick up a win or two away from Belfast".
However, Cardiff will feel equally needful of the win given they've already lost at home. At least they've had a full week to recover from their first round exertions, whereas Ulster played in Franklin's Gardens five days ago.
"It's been a very difficult week," admits Solomons. "We had a light run on Tuesday, what I would call a 'flush out', and a captain's run today. That's really all we could do."
The physical wounds compelled Solomons to lighten Ulster's load this week, and although Jonathan Bell has been passed fit, Jeremy Davidson has again been ruled out with a recurring thigh problem which will require more extensive medical examination.
A scan on David Humphreys's ankle injury revealed no structural damage and following yesterday's run-out Solomons has named him in the starting team.
"The captaincy of Ulster is a bit like a poisoned chalice at the moment - every guy who takes it over seems to get injured," said the coach. "First there was Andy Ward, then Jeremy Davidson and now David - and even when Jonathan Bell took over from David on Sunday he limped off with a dead leg."
The nature of tonight's game promises to be altogether different from Ulster's opener away to Northampton, whose star-studded pack were a typically well-drilled, Kiwi-coached forward unit. Cardiff's strengths, by contrast, have been in their talented back line this season.
Cardiff have been a bit feisty for their own good of late and six yellow cards in their last five games has cost them, as well as incurring the wrath of new coach David Young. However, given one of his four changes to their starting line-up sees the return of ultra-tough Springbok centre Pieter Muller, it's unlikely to be too passive an occasion.
"We keep letting ourselves down a little bit with yellow cards and it may be something we need to address," says the former Lions and Wales prop.
Solomons has singled out Ulster's need to "negate a very, very good back line" and to that end, the Ulster pack will need to be more cohesive than they were five days ago.
Confirming an impression which Munster no doubt drew the previous day in Gloucester, Solomons revealed: "As a team what we have all realised is that the pace of the game in the Heineken Cup is a lot quicker than in the Celtic League. There is a substantial step up from the rugby we have been playing so far this season."
Ulster need to step up to the plate tonight, and with a full-throated, Ravenhill full house there'll surely be an improvement.
ULSTER: Bryn Cunningham; J Topping, S Stewart, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton, R Kempson, G Longwell, M Blair, W Brosnihan, T McWhirter, N McMillan. Replacements: S Best, P Shields, M McCullough, N Best, K Campbell, A Larkin, S Young.
CARDIFF: R Williams; Nick Walne, J Robinson, P Muller, C Morgan; I Harris, R Smith; T Payne, A Lewis, K Fourie, H Senekal, A Jones, R Appleyard; D Baugh, M Williams (Capt). Replacements: D Young, G Woods, L Tait, D McShane, R Powell, N Robinson, A Sullivan.
Referee: Rob Dickson (Scotland).
Previous meetings: 1995-96 Cardiff 46 Ulster 6. 2000-1 Ulster 32 Cardiff 23; Cardiff 42 Ulster 16.
Formguide: Ulster - lost to Northampton (away) 9-32. Cardiff - lost to Biarritz (home) 15-26.
Leading try scorers: Ulster - none. Cardiff - none.
Leading points scorers: Ulster - David Humphreys 6pts. Cardiff - Iestyn Harris 15pts.
Betting (courtesy of Paddy Power): (Handicap odds = Cardiff +11pts) 10/11 Ulster, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Cardiff.
Forecast: Ulster to win.
Also playing tonight: Pool 2: Viadana v Gloucester (8.45) referee Simon McDowell (Ireland); Pool 3: Glasgow Rugby v Sale Sharks (7.30) referee Didier Mene (France); Bourgoin v Llanelli (7.30) referee Iain Ramage (Scotland); Pool 5: Newport v Toulouse (7.30) referee Chris White (England).
The Ulster Branch of the IRFU has announced that Roger Wilson has been awarded a full-time senior Ulster contract. Wilson played on the Irish under-21 side last year and has recently signed for Belfast Harlequins.
Ulster v Cardiff
Ravenhill (7.05, live on BBC2)
