Ulster hope to dial up the pressure on Leinster talisman Johnny Sexton in Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium.
Limiting the Ireland No10’s influence is key if the province is to upset the odds and reach the semi-finals for the first time in seven years - but while Sexton, current World Rugby Player of the Year, shipped flak after a dismal Six Nations loss to Wales in Cardiff, Rory Best is bracing himself for a backlash.
The Ireland and Ulster captain also believes it will be nigh on impossible to keep his national team mate quiet for 80 minutes.
“Have no doubt, Johnny is the man for the big occasion,” warned Best.
“He is still the world player of the year and you know he is going to produce something.
Leinster's Jordan Larmour ready for head-to-head battle with Ulster's Jacob Stockdale
“You can try to keep him quiet, but you’re not going to keep him quiet for 80 minutes.
“You know whenever he pulls something (out of the bag) that some of us will have to do something magical in defence where you just go ‘wow, how was he able to read that’.
“That’s what you’re going to have to do against somebody like Johnny.”
Best believes the recent blame game around Sexton and Munster scrum-half Conor Murray following Ireland’s meek Six Nations campaign was grossly unfair.
Twelve months on from winning the Grand Slam, Joe Schmidt’s men were swept aside by England and eventual Grand Slam champions Wales.
“The criticism needs to fall on the team and why we didn’t function,” he said.
“With Johnny, a lot has been made of it, but when you look at our half-backs and the criticism they’ve received, they’ve got that because in their position, they’re the best in the world.
“They’re perceived to have played well in the France game because the forwards got us on the front foot, our set-piece was rock solid and breakdown was good.
“Because they’re among the best in the world and seen as the lynch pin of the team they get the criticism. But Johnny and Conor can’t win a game on their own.”
Accustomed to demanding protection from match officials for Sexton on an international stage, Best will find himself on the other side of the fence this week.
“I won’t be having to have that conversation with the ref,” he said.
“Ultimately we will put pressure on him, but we’ll try to put pressure on all of the Leinster team.”
Ulster will make a late call on the fitness of lock Iain Henderson (knee), but centre Will Addison is ruled out with a back injury.
