Ulster will not focus on Leinster selection - Treadwell

Ulster's Kieran Treadwell says the province will need a performance against Leinster in Kingspan Stadium on Saturday regardless of the side chosen by the visitors.

Leinster are second in the United Rugby Championship [URC] table but their selection for the trip to Belfast could have their bigger game a week later in mind.

Leo Cullen's men play Toulouse in the European Champions Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 25 May.

Ulster, meanwhile, are sixth in the league table with this penultimate fixture an opportunity to seal their play-off spot and, should results elsewhere go their way, a place in next season's Champions Cup.

"Leinster have a good squad, no matter what," said Treadwell.

"It's really not about them, we have to focus on ourselves.

"We need to put our best foot forward and put a performance out on the pitch.

"We want to be in the best competitions, to play against the best teams and test ourselves against the best.

"It's massive for us to get into those play-off positions."

Treadwell was in the Ulster team that beat Leinster in the RDS earlier in the season but the performances of the two sides have diverged significantly since then.

While no URC squad has won more games than Leinster this season, Ulster sacked their head coach Dan McFarland just three games after that derby win on 1 January.

Having originally been brought in on an interim basis, Richie Murphy was named McFarland's permanent successor on Monday.

Ulster have won four and lost three of the former Ireland Under-20 coach's seven games to date.

"[Leinster] are beatable but we need to put the performance out there," said Treadwell.

"We need to win and to do that we need to put in a performance that we're happy with.

"That's the snowball effect. At this stage of the season we need wins.

"We've a big week's training here and then hopefully it all comes to the forefront on Saturday."

Ulster have won three in a row going into Saturday's game

Ulster will travel to Thomond Park to face Munster in their final game of the season and even should they make the play-offs, barring an unlikely set of results, this will be their last time playing in Belfast for this campaign.

"It's effectively our last home game," Treadwell added.

"It's massive to have an interpro at home in front of our fans.

"We just need to put a performance out there.

"With the help of the crowd, we can dig deep."