Injury-hit Ulster will have to play to their highest potential if they are to halt high-flying Montpellier from claiming a third EPCR Challenge Cup title when the sides clash in the Grand Final in Bilbao on Friday.
To Win
Montpellier | Draw | Ulster
Handicap
Montpellier | Ulster
Match context
The French club have been in brutally efficient form and enter this final off the back of a ridiculous seven-game winning run in all competitions. Under head coach Joan Caudullo, Les Cistes have so far enjoyed one of their best campaigns in recent years and remain on course to have a big say in the Top 14 too, where they currently occupy second.
Montpellier were made to fight hard in their semi-final against Dragons at Septeo Stadium before ultimately coming away with an 18-12 victory. There’s no doubting the quality of the side, with names like Arthur Vincent, Tom Banks and Adam Beard on their payroll, but that will mean little if their finishing in the red zone doesn’t improve on what has been on display over the course of the Challenge Cup this season.
Standing in the way of backing up their title triumphs of 2016 and 2021 are Ulster, who have never won this competition but do have their Champions Cup triumph of 1999 on which to hang their hats. That was a different era though, and this current crop under Richie Murphy may be feeling extra motivation this week given the outcome of their disappointing URC season.
The Belfastians were dumped out of the latter tournament following last week’s 22-26 home loss to log-leaders Glasgow Warriors, finishing up in ninth on the overall standings after Connacht’s late-season surge pipped them to the post. To get over the line here, Ulster will have to have a hard look at that latest performance against Warriors — especially the 20-minute period in which they failed to score a single point despite playing against 13-men.
The club recently announced that 11 players would be leaving the Kingspan at the end of the season, with Werner Kok (who scored a hattrick against the Stormers two weeks ago) and Angus Bell among them. That could serve to galvanise the side, with Kok having already conquered this tournament in Hollywoodbets Sharks colours back in 2024.
They’ll certainly need all the experience they can get coming up against Montpellier’s mighty pack of forwards.
Players to watch
Billy Vunipola (Montpellier)
A three-time Champions Cup winner during his glittering spell with Saracens, Big Billy has the chance to become part of a select group to have won both of Europe’s biggest prizes on Friday. The former England No 8 is now 33 but as driven as ever with the possibility of winning two titles this season still very much alive.
While he may not be the Vunipola of old, he still has the ability to cause plenty of damage to would-be Ulster defenders.
Werner Kok (Ulster)
As is usual for the workhorse wing, expect Kok to give maximum effort in his final outing for the club. Ever the opportunist, the former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year simply must be clinical with ball in hand against a Montpellier side that has notched up the third-most points and scored the fourth-most tries in the Top 14 this season.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a high-scoring affair in Spain, and as such Kok needs to make his chances count out wide if Ulster are to keep pace with the two-time winners.
Tactical overview
Montpellier’s forwards have the potential to hurt Ulster badly, not just at the contact point but also at set piece time. The Northern Irish club have been mediocre at best in the latter department and completed their URC campaign ranked 10th for lineout accuracy and 14th for scrum success. Given the number of experienced heads Caudullo has at his disposal, this should be a target area for the French outfit.
Especially given Ulster are without suspended skipper and lineout leader Iain Henderson, who is one of a quartet of key players missing for Murphy’s men. The others, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale and Rob Herring, veterans all, are injured, with the significance of their absences likely to have a direct impact on proceedings for the men in white.
Those four have together racked up 198 Ireland caps and 800 Ulster appearances between them, meaning those that do take to the San Mamés pitch on Friday will genuinely have to produce the best performances of their season to stop Montpellier.
While Ulster have certainly proven over the past few months that they have a capacity to cause upsets, their cruel mix of injuries and suspension means this may just be a bridge too far.
Prediction
Montpellier to take this one on the board and extend Ulster’s 20-year wait for silverware by at least another season.
