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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Steven Crawford

Ulster destiny still in their own hands says Dan Soper

Ulster will look to take another big step towards securing home advantage in the play-off stages with victory over Cardiff Rugby on Saturday evening.

Dan McFarland's side produced a much-needed victory in Durban last Saturday running out 24-31 winners over The Sharks and becoming the first northern hemisphere team to win two games in South Africa.

Ulster currently sit in third place in the table with 49 points with victory at the Arms Park pushing them closer to a last-eight tie at Kingspan Stadium.

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"The Lions beating Glasgow and us winning keeps it in our control," said Assistant Coach Dan Soper.

"You always want to be in control of your own destiny and look at your own results, as long as we win we can keep things in our hands.

“We always want to be in control of our own destiny, and not have to look at other results when it comes to where we’re going to finish in the league.

"When we’re winning, it’s in our hands. We want to find ourselves in the position of having a home play-off game.”

Ireland hooker Rob Herring is released from Six Nations duty to captain the side, which also includes lock Kieran Treadwell and wing Jacob Stockdale in three of 10 changes from the side which defeated the Sharks.

"The team have proven they can go around the world and get a result so they will be used to travelling to Cardiff," said Soper.

"We were able to leave a handful of the squad. I'm just off pitch with 23 guys who have been able to train with a real focus to Cardiff.

"We have a core of a team who are ahead of the game and we will rely on them to steer things as they go on."

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