Irish rugby’s man of the moment John Cooney says Ulster are ready to embrace the high stakes “pressure” of their Champions Cup shootout with Bath in Belfast.
A draw might suffice if other results fall their way, but Dan McFarland’s men know a win guarantees a coveted quarter-final berth for the second successive year.
Expectation will be sky high against a Bath side propping up Pool 3, but Cooney believes “pressure” comes with the territory when a knockout spot is on the line.
The scrum half, tipped to play a key role in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign after enjoying a red hot campaign to date, said: “The ball is on our side of the court.
“I remember last year Will Addison saying pressure is a privilege and that is the position we have put ourselves in this season.
“It’s important for us get a win, but Bath have nothing to lose. They are coming here with a team with a lot of good individuals and they will probably throw the ball around.”
Clermont, 29-13 victors over Ulster last week, are firm favourites to seal top spot and a home quarter-final when they face Harlequins at The Stoop.
But McFarland’s men, unbeaten in their last 19 games at the Kingspan, are odds-on to secure the victory they need to progress to the last-eight.
The province has also won 12 of its last 13 European fixtures on home soil, their only defeat coming in a 26-22 reverse to Bordeaux-Begles in 2017.
“We take a lot of pride in the home games we play and we don’t want to lose the (recent) winning record we have here,” said Cooney.
“You nearly have your rituals when you’re at home and as a collective we feel really good when we’re playing here. We have good momentum at home.”
With nine tries in 14 games this season and top scorer in the Champions Cup with 67 points, it stands to reason Cooney is being talked up as a potential starter for Ireland against Scotland in the Six Nations on February 1.
Conor Murray, the 78-times capped incumbent, might have something to say about that, but the adopted Ulsterman is relishing the personal tussles to come.
Asked if he’s ready to start high profile games for Ireland, Cooney - who moved north from Connacht in 2017 with that exact target in mind - said: “I’d like to think I am.
“I’d like an opportunity to show what I can do. It would be nice to get that, but it depends how he (Andy Farrell) wants to go, if he wants to pick Conor, Luke (McGrath) or whoever.”
Full-back Will Addison has been passed fit to face Bath, but prop Marty Moore misses out with an ankle injury.
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