Muller excited by new start
Ulster's Johann Muller says he is excited by the new chance he has been given by the Irish club.
Muller has not played domestic rugby in the United Kingdom before and says that at the age of 30 it could well be the last career move he makes before retiring from the sport.
Ulster have been working hard all pre-season to trim down their squad and bring in new players who they believe will increase their chances of winning the Magners League title this season.
Muller has a lot if qualities in his position of lock and will need to display these consistently throughout the year. However, other clubs have been much busier during the close season and Ulster may have their work cut out.
Player qualities
Muller is a very tall man and creates an intimidating impression. He is clearly very strong and this will be important as he plays at lock. He will be throwing in tackles and challenges in order to disrupt the flow of the opposition.
He can pass the ball very well for someone who plays the majority of the time in a defensive position. This is very important when setting up a counter attack because it allows the pressure on Ulster to be released instantly.
Muller arrives with a fair deal of experience. He has played just over 100 times for South African domestic sides and has made 22 appearances at international level. His scoring is not prolific but his position on the field suggests this is not the best part of his game.
He said: "I just want to get on out the pitch and get some game time, also I'm coming back from injury and haven't played for about five month – I'm coming in to play for a new club and that is something I am really looking forward to and hopefully I can do my talking on the field."
Stiff competition
Ulster face some very stiff competition from other sides in the Magners League this season. The likes of Ospreys in Wales and Edinburgh up in Scotland have very deep squads who could prevail over the course of a long season.
Therefore it is very important for Ulster to get off to a good start. Both of the clubs mentioned have also made impressive additions to their playing staff and this will make it all the more important for Ulster to get their noses in front before their rivals can react.
Muller added: "I broke my arm and it's been nearly five months, it's going really well and it's about 90% there, obviously I'm going to be a bit rusty against Bath but that is what these pre-season games are there for, to make sure that when the league starts we are ready to go."
Betting advice
Muller is an extremely large and physical defensive player. Ulster look as though they will build their defence around him and you need to work out what this means for the context of league games.
Ulster will be much harder to break down if they have bigger defensive players. This means they will concede fewer points so you can be more confident when you back them in terms of points margins. If you think they'll lose then it shouldn't be by too much and if you think they'll win then it could be a big margin.
Muller won't burst through the opposition defence and over the line too consistently. There will be other players in the Ulster team who are going to score more points this season. Back them first as they will earn you the most.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/muller-excited-by-fresh-start-with-ulster-14909788.html#ixzz0xVFHbZqV
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/muller-excited-by-fresh-start-with-ulster-14909788.html#ixzz0xVFDACUe
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