Stephen Ferris: Ulster need more consistency in team selection

Stephen Ferris believes Ulster need to show more cohesion and greater consistency in team selection to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Edinburgh in time for a crucial run of Champions Cup games.

The province suffered a 24-27 defeat to the Scottish side at Kingspan Ravenhill on Saturday despite having a number of leading lights available and Edinburgh reeling from a poor result at home to Benetton Treviso the previous week.

Speaking on RTÉ's Game On, former Ulster and Ireland back-row Ferris felt the province was "dominated" at scrum time, struggled with their maul defence and were "devoid of ideas" with ball in hand, which will be a concern with back-to-back European pool games against Bath and Racing 92 coming over the next fortnight.

"I think over the last number of weeks, Ulster have actually been going well in the first 20 minutes of matches," he said.

"You saw it in Glasgow the week before, they went 14-0 up and were flying it against Edinburgh in the opening 10 or 15 minutes of the game. But they are just fizzling out in matches and for me, it's very difficult to say this is the reason why.

"There has been so much chop and change in the squad, there have been so many players used, young academy guys coming in getting their first caps over the last number of weeks.

"Billy Burns has been in and out, him and Jake Flannery have been switching about, Nathan Doak and John Cooney switching about.

"The centre partnership, I think that's only their second game this season starting together and obviously (Steven) Kitshoff has just arrived, Rob Herring has been out injured.

"There are so many different variables to say why the team isn't firing on all cylinders. There needs to be a little bit more cohesion and in the team