The match at Thomond may have a feeling of a pre-season friendly about it. It is a non-cap international, only three players are retained from the South Africa game and it is not taking place in Dublin.
By Declan Whooley
For Declan Kidney this game has taken on more importance than he would have liked. Badly in need of arresting a slide of defeats, a performance and a result are now crucial. Here are three things to look out for this weekend.
Ulster backs
Ulster have started the season on fire and rightly deserve to have six starters in the team. It will be the performances of the backs that will interest most, in particular the centre partnership of Darren Cave and debutants Luke Marshall and Craig Gilroy on the wing.
Cave in particular will look to lay down a marker. Brian O’Driscoll is not getting any younger and the other jersey is up for grabs. Marshall has the ideal environment to make his international debut and the presence of a provincial team-mate will be a fillip. Gilroy too will be keen to show that he can challenge for a starting berth on the wing, especially with the number 11 jersey one of the few Irish jerseys not set in stone.
Murray to assume more leadership
Conor Murray has just 13 caps himself, but will need to show leadership with such a youthful backline. The Munster man has had an up-and-down international career thus far and will look to build on a stronger performance against the Springboks.
His box kicking can come in for criticism but another solid display at nine should seem him retain his position as first choice for Declan Kidney. With a debutant as a half-back partner and two new faces in the backs, the onus will be on Murray to step up. Jamie Heaslip will wear the armband, but it is the Munster man (below) who will be marshalling the backline.
Murrayfied.
While the encounter with Fiji is priority number one, we will be keeping a close eye on events at Murrayfield. With ranking points ever so vital, an unlikely win for the Scots over the Springboks could have huge implications for Ireland and crank up the pressure ahead of the game with Argentina next week.
Despite a spirited performance against the All Blacks in scoring three tries, a home win would be most unlikely. But this is the Scots and they defeated the visitors in 2010, the only game the Springboks lost on that November tour.
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