Ulster vs Connacht

Ulster

15. Ricky Andrew
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Tommy Bowe
12. Luke Marshall
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Paul Marshall

1. Andrew Warwick
2. Rob Herring
3. Ricky Lutton
4. Johann Muller (captain)
5. Iain Henderson
6. Robbie Diack
7. Chris Henry
8. Nick Williams

16. Niall Annett
17. Tom Court
18. Adam Macklin
19. Lewis Stevenson
20. Sean Doyle
21. Michael Heaney
22. James McKinney
23. Stuart McCloskey

Darren Cave and Stephen Ferris have been rested whilst Pienaar, Best, Tuohy and Wilson are injured and Jared Payne is suspended. Stuart Olding, Callum Black, Paddy Wallace, Paddy McAllister and Chris Farrell are long-term injury absentees.

Connacht

15. Robbie Henshaw
14. Tiernan O’Halloran
13. Eoin Griffin
12. Dave McSharry
11. Fionn Carr
10. Dan Parks
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Aly Muldowney
5. Mick Kearney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Eoghan Masterson
8. Eoin McKeon

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Michael Swift
20. Andrew Browne
21. Frank Murphy
22. Miah Nikora
23. Darragh Leader

Unavailable/Injured:  Sean Henry, James Rael, Craig Clarke, Jake Heenan, Mata Fifita, Aaron Conneely, Paul O’Donohoe, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy.

At Ravenhill Stadium
Kick off 7.05pm.
Live on BBC Northern Ireland
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 15th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Paul Haycock (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)

Our worry Is the front row and at 9/15 although Andrew has deputised well in the past.

Seriously strong back five of the pack and 10-14

If Declan Fitzpatrick is fit, it makes no sense Macklin is ahead of him.

Congratulations to Andrew Warwick who makes his first start for Ulster. Front row is indeed a big concern.

Notch wrote:If Declan Fitzpatrick is fit, it makes no sense Macklin is ahead of him.

As I mentioned out of favour - you got to wonder if he will be here next year

geoff considering Macklin is on his way out yet still picked ahead of Fitzpatrick hard to see him going anywhere at Ulster with Anscombe around

I shall be watching Eoin Griffin with great interest in this one.

Is Eoin Griffin signing for London Irish Ozzy?

Yes mate, all signed up for next season.

marty2086 wrote:geoff considering Macklin is on his way out yet still picked ahead of Fitzpatrick hard to see him going anywhere at Ulster with Anscombe around

Agreed which is why I have doubts Fitzpatrick will be with us next year - Herbst, Lutton, Ryan wouldn't be the worst 1,2,3

We need 5 points here against a strong looking Connacht side who should be fresh after a break.

Looking forward to see how Bowe goes at centre. Paul Marshall needs a big game.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Yes mate, all signed up for next season.

He's a very talented footballing centre, he should do well for you.

I'll be happy with simply winning this one. The Westies have named a very strong side so I really don't expect a bonus point. It would definately be nice mind you.

Didnt Trimble get concussed in the Saracens game? Thought he should have had a couple of weeks off.

Given ulster could easily bring Cave in and move Bowe out one I suspect Trimble is fine

I don't expect a bonus point either - this will be a tough match

Golden wrote:Didnt Trimble get concussed in the Saracens game? Thought he should have had a couple of weeks off.

'Andrew Trimble who suffered concussion against Saracens, has followed the necessary return to play protocols, and starts the game on the right wing.'

Courtesy of Ulsters website

Risky though given this is what happened with Luke Marshall and he had a occurrence but every case is different

So are the compulsory 2 weeks rest after a concussion completely gone?

Was there ever a 2 week rest? I thought you just had to observe those protocols however long it took

Its not compulsory is it? I was surprised to see him back and I seriously hope he is ok.

Oh I thought there used to be a compulsory rest period after a concussion. Maybe I picked that up wrong.

There used to be a compulsory rest period regardless of what happened to your symptoms in that period.

Now we have the GRTP protocol which allows you to return to increasing ammounts of activity dependant on a doctor finding you symptom free at every stage.

You can return in a week if there are no on-going symptoms.

Watching the game. Have to say even though Ulster have just got try 3 both sides are looking to run it and its a high pace game

What a cheeky try! Excellent work from wee p.

Andrew Trimble is on fire again. Joe Schmidt, by starting him in every 6N match, has ignited something inside him. He is playing out of his skin.

Maybe Henshaw does have to leave Connacht.

Beautiful work from Trimble. Flattens one, and immediately rips the ball from the other.

That Connacht backline is great going forward it is just the defense they need to tighten up

Joe Schmidt's face a crimson red at being cheered 

Ulster i think could get another 3 but i think connach could get two. Much better running game than Os v Leinster which does seem to be at the same speed

Super team try scored by L Marshall there!

Amazing last try

Just what the lads needed.

Apart from the injuries.

What an incredibly entertaining game of open, running rugby. Connacht actually looked really dangerous with ball in hand. Their ball retention and continuity is very good, and they have a good structure to their game- they really stretched Ulster at times. But my god their defence is sieve like at times. I mean they really didn't make us work very hard to get four tries on the board. The first one came from a ridiculous cross-field kick by Parks, right from the off. And then they started the second half by gifting us another. Some really good attacking play by Ulster, don't get me wrong, but Connacht weren't as hard to break down as they need to be to make progress.

Was pretty delighted with Ulster being so ruthless in putting away opportunities. I think Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall and Andrew Trimble all gave Joe Schmidt food for thought tonight- him getting all bashful and embarrassed when his face came up on the big screen was probably the funniest moment of the match.

How good was Paddys wrap around for Lukes try?



He looks like he could have taken the pop from Tommy with 1 finger

That. Was. Beautiful.

Doctor. Ordered   

Try of the season contender perhaps. That floating pop was delicious.

That one loop around move takes out four defenders. Ulster creating a four on one off first phase- Connacht won''t be happy with that.

Very pleased with Paddy Jacksons kicking. Thought he was going to have another inconsistent night when he missed the first two conversions but after that he nailed everything.

Joe Schmidt has made Trimble believe he is the best winger in Ireland and the way he is playing he is.

That one fingered take by Jackson was unreal.

That was a great great response - these guys want that Pro12 title and with Leinster losing and Munster having 2 tournaments to juggle a home tie in the play offs is perfectly possible.

That's us what, 4 points behind Leinster? 2 ahead of Munster albeit they have a big game tonight. A win next week and we are perfectly set for two massive interpros

Munster I think will beat Glasgow. If we then beat Glasgow next week we'll be in a good position but they have a nice easy run-in after next weeks game; Edinburgh, Treviso and Zebre. We better hope Munster win and then we win because then we'll leave them with 12-13 points to make up.

We're now 9 points ahead of the Ospreys but I'm pretty sure they will win their 3 remaining games. Ospreys have Dragons, Zebre and Connacht- couldn't be more of a contrast to our run-in! Even if the Ospreys had the Dragons at Rodney Parade it would be better but although it's an 'away' game it's at the Millennium Stadium.

We need to win two out of three, definitely.

The games have fallen perfectly for Ulster this weekend. A home semi is now not only in their hands but they can earn top spot as well.

They are and they aren't. If they had fallen the other way we'd be on course for two away games but almost guaranteed a playoff place. Now we have more chance of finishing in the top two but also more chance of missing out altogether because the Ospreys and Glasgow are still right in it- and their last three games are very easy. I fully expect Leinster, Ospreys, Glasgow and Munster to win every game we're not involved in between now and the end of the regular season.

We need to beat Glasgow next week to make tonights result work for us and they are flying high right now- win and we're in a very good position. Lose and we'll be scrapping to make 4th unless someone takes their eye off the ball.

Has anyone heard anything about the injuries?

Diack's ankle?

I also think Herring had ice on his shoulder when he came off and Gilroy looked like he had a hand injury. Then Annett was looking like he hurt his shoulder too.

It's like Gone with the Wind at Newforge these days... pretty worrying.

If Ulster have aspirations to be the best team in Europe then they should always be looking up rather than down.
More importantly than that they should be delivering a home semi. Anscombe has yet again taken the team forward this year with 6/6 in the HEC and a home quarter, and this year actually having the P12 semi at home would be consistent and also feel like progression because of the new stand. Yes there are injuries but what better way to develop the squad with high level exposure.

True, but we are mere fans so we can look wherever we want. Up, down, sideways if the mood takes us.

Ulster will be very confident they can beat Glasgow and get a home semi-final but Glasgow will feel the exact same way. It's going to be a very close match, Glasgow are a really dangerous team that can score from anywhere and are coming into form at just they right time. Ulster won't underestimate the challenge we face next weekend.. both teams definitely in with a shot at the title this year. And the side that wins on Friday will shorten the odds for themselves.

The way it's going it's not going to be long before Anscombe can giving 1 to 1 training to all fit players, soon Newforge is going to have more coaches than players at training