Ulster’s Dan McFarland ready for highly-competitive United Rugby Championship

It’s been 16 years since domestic league silverware resided in the Kingspan Stadium trophy cabinet.

Last season Ulster led their semi-final four minutes into injury-time against the Stormers but were eliminated with a late converted try denying McFarland’s troops a decider in Belfast.

The Stormers beat the Bulls in the all-South African final.

And with players like Eben Etzebeth returning to play his club rugby for the Sharks, McFarland feels the rainbow nation squads will be even stronger in their second season of northern hemisphere competition.

“I would expect the South Africans to be even stronger this year, we don’t know what players they’ll have available during the first part of the season because of the Rugby Championship,” said McFarland. “But there is no doubt that they got better even without their international players (last season) so I expect them to be stronger, more used to the league.

“Three of those teams were right at the top end of the competition.

“That’s only going to add to it.

“You’re not looking at teams at the top end who are getting weaker, logic says it will only get more competitive.”

Ulster usually start the new league season against a fellow Irish Province as Connacht visit Belfast on Saturday night.

“We have the attitude that it’s a great opportunity for us and we almost look at it and say ‘it’s probably a really good test for the guys and the things we’ve been trying to do in pre-season’,” said McFarland. “They offer things around their line speed, their non-stop relentless defence, relentless attack and they are a good gain line team.

“Those are areas which are going to test what we’ve been working on over our pre-season.

“The interpro side of it?

“It’s an interesting one having an interpro first up but it’s also very exciting for the players.

“They are all looking forward to playing full stop but the interpro adds something a little bit extra, from my point of view it’s always a big one for me.”

A number of Ulster’s summer signings had impressive debuts against Exeter and with only one pre-season game under their belts, McFarland will be basing his opening selection on the performance against the Chiefs.

“A lot of guys have put their hand up,” he said. “It’s a real shame we didn’t get to play against Glasgow on Friday night but the circumstances are what they are and it’s right and proper.

“But if you take in isolation of wanting to prepare for a first-round fixture then it’s difficult for putting things in place you want to implement.

“But also for guys who wanted to put their hand up who might not have had as much opportunity, well they haven’t, because of the fact that the game didn’t go ahead.

“That will definitely have had a bearing on selection as we go into the latter end of this week.”

The coach gave an update on scrum half John Cooney.

“He’s had a little bit of an injury but he’s coming back, he’s important to us and we want to make sure he’s up-and-running before we throw him into the pitch,” said McFarland. “But he certainly won’t be a problem in the long term.

“Whether he plays this week remains to be seen but I don’t anticipate him not being on the team sheet in the not-too-distant future.”

Meanwhile, the Irish internationals who were in New Zealand in the summer will return for round two of the league.