URC: Ulster v Munster, Affidea Stadium, Friday, 7.45pm – Live on premier Sports

A new year is upon us,along with something else which feels refreshingly upbeat as this interprovincial clash between Ulster adn Munster has managed a rare thing of selling-out the Affidea Stadium.

that is some going for Ulster on what is expected to be a typically cold and possibly wet evening.Perhaps it reflects more than just festive holiday mode for the northern province’s first home game after three fixtures on the road, but also the nurturing of a feeling that a corner has been well and truly turned after last season’s grimness.

In fairness, Ulster are playing some great attacking rugby, scoring tries and collecting bonus points as well, with winger Werner Kok sitting on seven tries from his last four games.

Indeed, the Mark Sexton-inspired attack has clearly injected pace, intelligence and width to the province’s work on the ball. Other areas of their game require a fair bit of work,with the scrum,lineout,game management and overall discipline not reaching the desired levels of accuracy.

Even so, Richie Murphy will be looking at this meeting and demanding more from what is very close to his strongest selection being pitted against munster’s significantly rotated squad.

Clayton McMillan will certainly not want to be heading back into Europe off the back of two straight interprovincial losses, and though he has rung the changes there is scope to be hopeful of the trip north with a backrow of tom Ahern, John Hodnett and Alex Kendellen looking rather threatening at the breakdown, while locks Jean Kleyn and Fineen Wycherley could also do some damage to the hosts.

Munster’s scrum will reckon they can replicate some of connacht’s work on Ulster’s set-piece, while keeping the heat on up front will surely be assisted by also having the abrasive Brian Gleeson and Jack O’Donoghue lurking on their bench.

Ulster will be planning to establish a decent enough platform with Angus Bell and Tom O’toole starting, along with Cormac Izuchukwu at blindside flanker. His duel with Ahern should be captivating while the consistently accurate Nick Timoney steps down from the captaincy as Iain Henderson returns for his first Ulster game time since the Sharks clash back in October.

Indeed, Henderson pulled out of the warm-up against Racing 92 at the start of December with a back spasm which appears to have been the root cause of keeping him sidelined since. He packs down for this one alongside youngster Joe Hopes.

Should the hosts produce the required supply of possession then Ulster have the ordnance to continue inflicting damage on all those facing them.

with nathan Doak and Jack Murphy continuing to forge a useful looking halfback partnership, scope is there for stuart McCloskey to