United Rugby Championship: Ulster's pack must stand toe-to-toe with Leinster's says Rory Best

Ulster's pack must achieve at least parity with Leinster if they are to stand any chance of claiming a win at the RDS on Saturday, says former Ireland captain Rory Best.

The northern province's forwards came a distant second when their side suffered a chastening loss at the hands of Connacht in their last United Rugby Championship outing a month ago.

"They've got to do the basics well. If I'm in that Ulster changing room I'm saying you need to be really good in that set-piece," Best said.

"We've got to make sure our discipline is key because we have to play in the right area."

Best was speaking on the Ulster Rugby Show, which returns on BBC Two NI at 22:00 GMT on Thursday.

• Ulster captain Henderson out of Leinster match with hamstring injury

• Leinster can sense improving Ulster trying to close gap - Toner

Ulster have had a full month to consider what went wrong in their first interpro of the season against Connacht, where they were comprehensively outplayed in all departments as they shipped five tries.

They remain in good shape sitting second in the table, but with four interpros and four European Champions Cup games between now and the end of January Ulster know they cannot afford to perform as poorly again if they are to take a step towards achieving their aim of ending this season with silverware.

"When you take a season across all the months they play, one game isn't going to define you but it's how you recover from that," Best said.

"There were a lot of worrying signs from it. They were beaten up up front, they really were physically dominated.

"I think the way Connacht played against them, they took them on at the breakdown and in the pack especially, but they also played some really good rugby.

"From an Ulster point of view if there's a trend that continues like that, and we saw it at time-to-time last year, when Ulster don't get at best parity up front they really struggle because they don't have enough big men to get them across the gainline."

Leinster's firepower not restricted to internationals

Leinster, the only undefeated side in the URC, are likely to be without the vast majority of their large Irish international contingent who played such a big role in the recent autumn Tests.

Despite the absences they will still expect to extend their unbeaten start against a side they have defeated in each of the last six meetings.

"The worrying thing for Ulster is that yes Leinster won't have their internationals but they will have a lot of firepower to come on," Best said.

"They will have the guys that have been on the periphery of Ireland or Leinster and will want to go 'here's a two game window leading into Europe where I can put my hand up and say I should be starting for Leinster'.

Leinster's star players were instrumental to Ireland's autumn success

"When you look at it, if you're starting for Leinster you've got a very good chance of starting for Ireland and that's the ambition you want from your players. "

Ulster will be without captain Iain Henderson who injured his hamstring in the warm-up of Ireland's win over Argentina last week, but will likely select a team close to full-strength as they seek to get their league campaign back on track with a statement win.

Robert Baloucoune, Rob Herring, Nick Timoney and Tom O'Toole were the only other Ulster players to feature during Ireland's autumn campaign, with the majority of their squad having had the last month without a competitive fixture.

"The way to beat Leinster or any top side is to keep a hold of the ball," Best said.

"There was a stat in that New Zealand game [when Ireland defeated them two weeks ago] after about 30 minutes where New Zealand had made three or four more tackles than Ireland, and that takes it out of you.

"If you keep a hold of the ball you control the tempo, the play, the areas you play in and you frustrate Leinster."