Heineken Cup: David Denton looks forward to clash with Stephen Ferris

David Denton pushed on into the Scotland side at No 8 after fine displays in the Edinburgh back row in the Heineken Cup, and repaid the faith shown by Scotland coach Andy Robinson. But with Netani Talei available to Michael Bradley, Denton’s ability with Ross Rennie on the other side of the scrum has the potential to make the Edinburgh unit stronger than Scotland’s.

But the challenge for the youngster does not come much tougher than that posed by the Ulster No 6 Stephen Ferris, a clash watched eagerly from afar by Warren Gatland and other coaches hoping to lead a pack of British and Irish Lions to Australia next summer.

The two are not dissimilar. The Scot is 22, weighs 17 stones and stands 6ft 5in tall, while the County Antrim man is 26, 6ft 4in and weighs 17st 2lbs. Denton first faced him in the international in February, where Ferris ended on the winning side, but Denton relished the battle.

“If he’s not the best then he’s one of the best blindsides in the world,” he said. “He’s a great player and I really enjoyed playing against him in the Six Nations. “He won that game so he has one up on me and I need to get one back, but I’m looking forward to getting that chance. I felt I at least matched him, but the guy who wins the game is the one who comes out on top. That’s all that matters.”

Asked what it was that made Ferris a key figure for Ulster, Denton said: “He has great leadership ability in terms of leading from the front. When he gets on the front foot and puts in a dominant tackle the whole Ulster team gets behind him.

“That’s the influence I need to try to bring to games. If I can make a dominant tackle behind the gain line that’s really helpful for the boys around me to get attitude and psyche up. Little moments like that can change a game.

“The gain line will win or lose us the game. Personally, when I’m carrying the ball I have to look at targeting their defenders and getting over the gain line.

“The more I can do that the easier it will be to get the ball to our playmakers and get other players over the line.

“But I think I can improve my game by watching him [Ferris] play. I have certain weaknesses that I think he does well. His defensive ability is particularly strong.

“That’s where he changes games, while I look to change games more in attack. But defence is an area where I can look to have more game-changing moments like he does.”

That kind of learning is invaluable to the promising crop of youngsters Denton heads. He is a confident lad and, having grown up in South Africa, is acutely aware of the Springbok influence in the Ulster side.

“Hopefully, I can get in [Ruan] Pienaar’s head … run down his channel a few times and shake him up a bit.”

But first things first: the back row battle for supremacy. Ferris and Ulster know they need to shut down Denton, as Toulouse sought to in the quarter-final, while Denton and the Edinburgh side know the dangers of letting Ferris pick up a head of steam.

“We’re two teams who play an attacking style of rugby,” added Denton, “but we know that to do that we have to win the battle up front. Myself, Netani, Gilcho [Grant Gilchrist] and the likes play a massive role in that.

“If we can get on top, get over the gain line and keep them behind it then we have a very good chance of winning.”