Former Ulster centre Darren Cave has urged head coach Richie Murphy to back young stars Ben Carson and Ben Moxham to fill the void left by Ireland star Stuart McCloskey in this week’s clash against the Vodacom Bulls.
The province confirmed that McCloskey would miss Saturday’s United Rugby Championship game at Loftus Versfeld Stadium having sustained knee and ankle injuries in last week’s defeat to the Emirates Lions and would miss the trip to Pretoria, as will the already injured James Hume and Emerging Ireland call-up Jude Postlethwaite, leaving Murphy with a significant headache at centre.
While Stewart Moore will likely continue in one of the centre jerseys, there is real debate over who will grab the other, with a reduced travelling squad for their double-header in South Africa meaning Murphy either has to pick an inexperienced option in Carson or Moxham or get creative with selection by shifting potentially either Werner Kok or Jacob Stockdale, both predominantly wingers, into the midfield.
However, despite Carson having made just one appearance off the bench for Ulster — ironically in round three last season away to Connacht — and Moxham having not started a game in the centre for his province in just under three years having been preferred on the wing by Dan McFarland, Cave believes that there is no time like the present than for the coaching staff to test out what they have at their disposal in the centre, believing the young stars can step up to the mark.
“It probably comes down to who Richie feels is more natural in that position along with what depth he has in the back three,” explains the former Ireland international.
“If he feels he has a lot of depth in the back three, you might see him move the likes of Kok or Stockdale.
“If he feels he doesn’t have the depth then he might leave them out there in their best position and put somebody young in there.
“Ben Carson has played little rugby, Ben Moxham has been around for a while but hasn’t played much at centre, so they’re both inexperienced.
“At the end of the day, you get to a stage where you just have to play players. No player has ever become a quality player without a coach backing him and saying go play a few games.
“Now, in an ideal world, I wouldn’t say Loftus is the best place to throw someone in who’s never played but, equally, it’s a big person’s sport and you’re going to learn something about whoever starts. That mentality that Leinster have, it’s not complaining about who’s not there, it’s an opportunity to find out who you do have. I think Andy Farrell has done the same.
“I could see it going either way but my own personal viewpoint is I would never be critical of a coach giving a young homegrown player a go who he thinks has earned that go in training.”
Although expectation has been kept very low at Ravenhill this season, Cave has been impressed with how life under Murphy has begun for Ulster, particularly having passed an early test by grinding out their opening round win over defending champions Glasgow.
That being said, the former centre acknowledges that things won’t always be as smooth — pointing to last week’s loss to the Lions — and admits that it has been something of an adjustment to approach an Ulster season without feeling like silverware could be an option at the end of it.
“It had the potential to be a very tough start, Glasgow the defending champions coming to town,” continues the 37-year-old.
“Putting my hat on as an Ulster fan, it’s very strange adapting to the fact that, at the minute, the team isn’t as strong as it was in the past. A lot of people said it when the teams were announced in round one, a lot of new faces, a lot of names that aren’t household names, even in terms of how Ulster have recruited.
“As someone who has grown up in Ulster and followed them my whole life, I had an expectation they would beat Glasgow. It wasn’t based on the teams, it wasn’t based on logic, it was based on we’re Ulster and we beat teams at home. There’s going to be an adaptation with that.
“Werner Kok is going to be very popular. What Ulster fans want more than anything is someone who gives 110 per cent. There were clips going round of his first touch where he was knocking people over. Aidan Morgan has settled in well. The Ulster fans want homegrown players as well.
“Great to get that win over Glasgow — it was an ugly performance but you have to win those games. Lions away is always the toughest game to predict the result. When the Lions are at home, there always seems to be a lot of tries.
“They’ve got a very tough game this week at Loftus, so the fixtures come thick and fast, but they’ll be delighted they’re off the mark and moving.”