Stephen Ferris: Last 120 minutes of rugby 'really concerning' for Ulster

Stephen Ferris feels the last 120 minutes of Ulster's season has been hugely concerning as costly defeats to Leinster and Sale Sharks leaves them needing to rally quickly before a stretch of tough matches domestically and in Europe.

The province had succumbed to a Leinster comeback in the United Rugby Championship on 3 December and eight days later failed to trouble the scoreboard in a heavy 39-0 defeat to Sale in their Heineken Champions Cup opener.

"It's very disheartening," former Ulster and Ireland flanker Ferris told RTÉ's Game On.

"After the week before against Leinster, a second-half capitulation, I was expecting a bit of a reaction."

Instead, Ulster only mustered seven points in 120 minutes between the second half against Leinster and the full 80 versus Sale, coupled with the concession of 10 tries at the other end in that span.

"Everybody was talking Ulster up over the last couple of seasons. We all know they have got good pedigree, half decent players, maybe lacking a little bit in strength in depth and that was probably exposed a little bit against Sale," he said.

"However, they usually turn up in bigger games and to not even register a point on the board - I think it was seven points (scored) after the first half against Leinster, so 120 minutes of rugby - that is really, really concerning.

"I'm sure Dan McFarland and maybe more importantly Johnny Bell, the Ulster defence coach, will be reviewing that game against Sale because it was very, very disappointing."

Ferris also felt the on-field issues were compounded by the weather-related travel disruption on route to their destination, with the team having to fly over on the morning of the match, which itself was an early afternoon kick-off.

"It's not ideal. I suppose if