Johann Muller can’t wait for Heineken Cup opener
Ulster lock Johann Muller is confident that Ulster can do well in the Heineken Cup this season.
Ulster will start their campaign against Italian side Aironi at Ravenhill today, October 8, and will be expecting not only a win, but to claim a bonus point.
Muller will make his debut in the Heineken Cup and is looking forward to the opening game. The South African forward said, “I’ve followed it for the past five or six years from South Africa. It’s a wonderful tournament with a great history and tradition
attached to it.”
“I know it’s going to be a different intensity to what we have seen so far, but I’m ready for that. When it’s time to step up you’ve got to lift your performance in order to cope with the increased physicality and speed of the game at that higher level,”
added Muller.
Ulster have already beaten Aironi 22-15 away from home in the Magners League this season, but they will be hoping for a larger margin of victory at home.
Muller believes that the forward battle will be crucial, but that if Ulster can match Aironi up front they should have the backs to punish the Italian side.
The South African second row will face Marco Bortolami in the line out, but it is the front row and scrum that will concern Ulster.
With prop BJ Botha out with a hand injury, Ulster will lack the technique to compete with Aironi in the scrum, but they hope to gain an advantage elsewhere in the forward battle.
Muller’s fellow South African Ruan Pienaar will also make his debut in the Heineken Cup, and will be looking for a similar performance to last week’s debut in the Magners League. The scrum-half was awarded the man of the match and scored all of Ulster’s
points against Glasgow in their 19-17 win.
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