'I preferred the old one' - McCloskey on cup format

McCloskey will make his 45th Champions Cup appearance for Ulster this weekend

Investec Champions Cup: Toulouse v Ulster

Venue: Ernest Stade-Wallon, Toulouse Date: Sunday, 8 December Kick-off: 15:15 GMT

Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds & Radio Ulster; text updates on BBC Sport website & app

Ulster's Stuart McCloskey admits he preferred the Investec Champions Cup's previous format, adding the current structure can leave teams with an "absolutely terrible draw".

Teams previously played their pool opponents home and away, but this season Ulster's four pool games are away to holders Toulouse and Leicester and at home to Bordeaux and Exeter in Belfast.

Last season, Ulster failed to qualify for the knockout stages after defeats by Bath, Toulouse and Harlequins.

"I preferred the old one, I think most people do," said McCloskey.

"I've spoken to most players and they all prefer the old way. I know it's probably less games and we should prefer that because it's probably better on the bodies, but I preferred the old way."

McCloskey added he believes the previous set-up was "a bit more cut and dry with what you had to do".

"I really liked that home and away [fixtures against the same club], like that fixture around Christmas. We had the Toulouse one eight or nine years ago [in the 2015-16 competition].

"There are some years with this one that you seem to get an absolutely terrible draw. You could say our draw isn't particularly great with the fact we've got first and second in the Top 14 [Toulouse and Bordeaux] in the first two games."

Having returned from Ireland duty, McCloskey will make his first Ulster appearance since October in Sunday's Pool 1 trip to six-time champions Toulouse.

The 32-year-old made just one appearance off the bench in Ireland's win over Fiji with head coach Andy Farrell instead handing starts to Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw in midfield.

While McCloskey appreciates the quality of the players above him in the pecking order, he admits his ongoing struggle for Test starts "does get frustrating after a while".

"I know I haven't played an awful lot with Ireland over the past three or four years but I've been down [in camp] a lot," he said.

"It's a great environment and I do love being there, don't get me wrong, but it's nice to actually get back and play a good bit more rugby here and hopefully push my case going forward for the Ireland jersey.

"I still think I've a few more good years left in me so I want to put my best foot forward here.

"I'd have loved to play a bit more. I thought I did well when I came on against Fiji, usual story, but look I'll see how I can get on in the next six weeks before the Six Nations and hopefully push my way on to the team."

McCloskey started Ulster's 48-24 loss to Toulouse in Belfast in last season's pool stage

Ulster have had a mixed start to the season with three wins and four defeats in the United Rugby Championship.

They have lost their last two games either side of the international break - to Cardiff and Leinster - and McCloskey concedes they are heavy underdogs against a Toulouse who are averaging 30 points per game in this season's Top 14.

When the sides met in the pool stage last season, France internationals Antoine Dupont and Thomas Ramos starred in a 48-24 win in Belfast, with McCloskey admitting "I don't think you can completely stop" the holders' frontline stars.

"You can try and contain them. They've broken down the best teams in the world, but for us it's staying in the fight: don't let them run away and score easy tries, make them work for every point and don't let them go through the middle of us.

"But [it's] also [about] hitting them when we have chances as well and getting back in it.

"I don't think this is a game we'll win by scoring 10 or 15 points, we'll have to score 30 or 40."