Pro14: Ulster coach McFarland hopes to turn tables on old Glasgow pals
- Published
Iain Henderson played a key role in Ulster's 21-13 Pro14 quarter-final win over Connacht
In the three years Dan McFarland spent working with Glasgow Warriors and the Scottish national team, he never made it to a match at Celtic Park, but now he is just one game away from putting that right.
The Ulster head coach returns to Scotstoun on 17 May looking for the win against his former club that would clinch a place in this season's Pro14 final at the famous Parkhead arena on 25 May.
Ulster may have missed out on a European semi-final last month but their quarter-final victory over Connacht has extended their season by at least another two weeks.
"It's massive isn't it? But we're in it to win it," said McFarland, who worked as a forwards coach at Glasgow under current Scotland coach Gregor Townsend.
"The goal at the start of the season will always be for us to consistently be in play-off games.
"The more play-off games you play, the better you get at them and the more chance you have of winning them because they are an individual beast.
"Winning one now will give us experience but going to Glasgow, we're under no illusions as to the task there, having been there about a month ago and been sent home packing."
Glasgow were emphatic winners against a virtually full-strength Ulster side when the two semi-finalists met in early April, a defeat that McFarland had to 'take on the chin' but will now serve as a motivation over the coming two weeks.
"Just like the Connacht guys, I get on really well with the coaches over there," the former Glasgow and Connacht assistant coach added.
"The last time we played there we were well beaten, so it'll be tough, there'll be a bit of an edge to it, but I love that - that's just added spice."
Reflecting on that 30-7 defeat when the sides last met, McFarland added: "They are very big, they've got a big forward pack, a big front row, they're an aggressive team, so if you let them get on the front foot, it's very difficult to deal with that scrum and maul."
Ulster captain Rory Best, who played his final game at the Kingspan Stadium in the quarter-final win over Connacht, is painfully aware of how difficult it is to beat Glasgow at their home ground after losing the 2015 Pro12 semi-final at the same venue.
"We've two weeks to catch our breath and prepare for Glasgow and they have three weeks to prepare for us," Best said.
"The last time we were there we got a bit of a battering. But, by and large, with this squad we give it our best shot and if we do that and we get a little bit of luck then who knows?"
Darren Cave tackles Matt Fagerson during Glasgow's 30-7 win over Ulster on 5 April
Glasgow will have their own sources of motivation ahead of their showdown with Ulster after also topping their conference table last season before losing to Scarlets in their semi-final at Scotstoun.
The chance to play in a final in their own city is an opportunity that Dave Rennie's Warriors side will be desperate to take advantage of.
"For them, playing at Celtic Park would be massive," McFarland acknowledged.
"I know they were desperately disappointed last year, with their performance in the semis, so for them there's an added incentive of demonstrating that they're better than that."
Play-off 'learning curve'
In McFarland's first season in charge, Ulster have developed a high-tempo style of play that stretches opposition defences to the limit.
Ulster pass the ball more than any other Pro14 side - averaging just under 200 per game; over 20 more than Leinster or Scarlets and nearly 40 passes per game more than Glasgow.
The attacking approach has been rewarded with both league and European play-off appearances and the incentive for their head coach is to learn from the disappointment of their Champions Cup exit at the hands of Leinster.
"It's a learning curve, playing in play-off games. In order to win those, there are particular things that you've got to be able to do," McFarland added.
"Being put into the mix where the pressure is on you and performing, it is a question of learning and of experience and once you've been there and done it, then it's not new."
The question now for Ulster is whether they gained enough experience from their last two quarter-final appearances to reach a final?
"For me, physical intensity-wise, we're pretty good," McFarland continued. "We can mix it in there.
"In terms of big plays, we can definitely produce those. It's around the precision side of things, at the moment, we don't have that nailed. We'll have to be better in Glasgow if we're to win."