Connacht v Ulster 26th December

With it being christmas week maybe we should give George a week off from writing threads so he is my effort at a match thread.

Connacht v Ulster
Guiness Pro 12
Saturday 26th December 2015
6pm Kick-off, Sportground, Galway
Live on BBC NI and TG4

This weekend is the most important Irish derby of the christmas period  
With Connacht 2nd in the table they are really putting up a fight for a play off place although with 2 losses in 3 games in december they have had a somewhat patchy month, they will be looking to turn that around this weekend with another good home performance.
Ulster have had a dissapointing start to the season but with new coach Les Kiss they are the team in form with 3 wins in their last 3 including 2 excellent performances v Toulouse in the Champions Cup.
All in all this should be a very tight and intense game and with the way these teams have been playing could be a real christmas cracker.

Teams
Connacht
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15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Bundee Aki
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Finlay Bealham
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Nathan White
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. James Connolly
8. Eoghan Masterson
Replacements:
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Andrew Browne
20. Sean O’Brien
21. Ian Porter
22. AJ MacGinty
23. Rory Parata


Ulster
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15. Louis Ludik
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Rory Scholes
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar
1. Andy Warwick
2. Rob Herring (captain)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Robbie Diack
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Williams

Replacements:
16. John Andrew
17. Callum Black
18. Ricky Lutton
19. Stephen Mulholland
20. Roger Wilson
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Sammy Arnold

Great thread Thom

Come on the Westies!

VinceWLB wrote:Great thread Thom

Come on the Westies!

Good man. Means we're going to win

Don't know what to expect from this game until we see who is available for Connacht. They have been hammered with injuries, 22 the last count, although they are expecting a few back for this game, including Aki.

Ulster will be confident after having just beaten Toulouse away, but not too confident. Connacht are a very good side, bar a huge injury list, and all the more so at home.

It will also be interesting to see who Kiss selects for this game. There could be a few players rested, some maybe under IRFU orders, and maybe some returning from injury. We also play Munster at home the following week before taking on Oyonnax, Sarries and Oyonnax again.

When are the teams announced? Assuming it won't be on Christmas Eve. Wednesday?

Cheers Vince

Yeah Munchkin this is really going to be an interesting one Connacht at home, with a few players back and Ulster coming off some great performances. Way too tight to call.

Pity we couldn't get an easy fixture like Leinster or Munster to ease back into the league...

Big game for both teams. I feel a bit for Connacht as they've been the form Irish side all season and are down to their bare bones with injuries.

Ulster look to have turned a corner in the last 3 weeks so fancy our chances to get a valuable away win but not expecting Connacht to roll over whoever they manage to field.

Connacht are hoping to have these players return from injury:

Ronan Loughney, John Muldoon, James Connolly, Kieran Marmion, AJ MacGinty, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy and Tiernan O’Halloran.

Some very good players in there with Muldoon, Marmion, Aki and Healy is worth watching.

It's going to be very tough.

Really excited about this game even with the Connacht injury list! Another rare chance to see the Connacht team for a full 80 minutes, yay!!

Ulster looked to have kick started the season and I can see that confidence drawn from their Champions Cup exploits being telling here. Great to see a return to form both for them and from an Irish perspective. Thought Ulster were great against Toulouse in both games and hope that McCloskey/Marshall partnership continues to pay dividends. Honestly I'm pleasantly surprised at how well the Ulster forwards did in Europe as well, I thought with Henderson out they could have been in big trouble, particularly at lock, but the replacements have really stood up to the challenge. Despite all that praise, I wish nothing but spectacular loss ye for the 26th

If this game was played last week I think they may have had to play one of the tackle bags as 23 for Connacht. Don't want to rush everyone back as that is the way to keep the injury list loaded, but looking at the returning players it would be great to see:

15) TOH
14) Poolman if fit (if not Parata/ Niyi)
13) Aki
12) Ronaldson
11) Healy
10) Carty/MacGinty
9) Marmion
8) Masterson
7) Connolly
6) Muldoon
5) Muldowney
4) Dillane
3) Ah You/White
2) Delahunt
1) Loughney/ Bealham

Not near the full deck (Buckley, Fox-Matamua, and Henshaw big losses) but should be able to compete, that backline can cause problems. Very much expect Ulster to win this one, but would be happy if Connacht can make it uncomfortable though!

Should be a close game. I'd say Ulster will be targeting their home match against. Munster next weekend.

One of these games Connacht is going to break the hoodoo that Ulster seem to have over them. Their pack is playing as a unit and if the weather is an equalizer this could be the game. Lam will be stressing the importance of getting back in the winners circle but Ulster will be building on the European feelgood factor. Tight enough call but Ulster have the odds in their favour...

Good teams named for this match.


Connacht (v Ulster):
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Bundee Aki
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Finlay Bealham
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Nathan White
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. James Connolly
8. Eoghan Masterson
Replacements:
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Andrew Browne
20. Sean O’Brien
21. Ian Porter
22. AJ MacGinty
23. Rory Parata

VS


Ulster (v Connacht):
15. Louis Ludik
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Luke Marshall
12. Stuart McCloskey
11. Rory Scholes
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar
1. Andy Warwick
2. Rob Herring (captain)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Robbie Diack
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Williams

Replacements:
16. John Andrew
17. Callum Black
18. Ricky Lutton
19. Stephen Mulholland
20. Roger Wilson
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Sammy Arnold

Who are the two ladies?

The Connacht lassie is Aoibheann O'Suilleabhain, a very smart lass (has a PhD in maths or physics or summat like that) who's on the TV a lot in sciency-type shows, went out with that long streak of p1ss Ryan Tubridy for a while but won't hold that against her. Haven't a clue who the blond lass from Ulster is.

Good set of teams for the game on the 26th - should be a cracker

brennomac wrote:The Connacht lassie is Aoibheann O'Suilleabhain, a very smart lass (has a PhD in maths or physics or summat like that) who's on the TV a lot in sciency-type shows, went out with that long streak of p1ss Ryan Tubridy for a while but won't hold that against her.  Haven't a clue who the blond lass from Ulster is.

Good set of teams for the game on the 26th - should be a cracker

Quite correct Brennan the Ulster lass is Zoe Salmon former blue peter presenter and miss northern ireland amoungst other things

Not terribly suprising that Ulster have made some changes up front in the wake of 2 tough weeks. Can't wait for this should be a cracking game.

As strong side as Connacht could put out, only real worry is at loosehead where it is a big test for Finlay Bealham, but think he can hold his own. Both sets of backs should be asking very interesting questions!!

Hoping I can find a place to watch somewhere in Madrid!!

I wish we had held onto Ian Porter. Another player we mismanaged- better than Shanahan or Rowley.

Marshes wrote:As strong side as Connacht could put out, only real worry is at loosehead where it is a big test for Finlay Bealham, but think he can hold his own. Both sets of backs should be asking very interesting questions!!

Hoping I can find a place to watch somewhere in Madrid!!

Try James Joyce's Irish themed pub in Madrid theya re usually good for it, think they have a website too where you can check it out

neilthom7 wrote:

Marshes wrote:As strong side as Connacht could put out, only real worry is at loosehead where it is a big test for Finlay Bealham, but think he can hold his own. Both sets of backs should be asking very interesting questions!!

Hoping I can find a place to watch somewhere in Madrid!!

Try James Joyce's Irish themed pub in Madrid theya re usually good for it, think they have a website too where you can check it out

They are showing it, cheers!

No worries been there a few times on holidays and what not they usually have our sport on so thought they might have it

Connacht team looks handy enough with the likes of Aki and Ronaldson back in the side and they're at home.

Hopefully they can break their recent duck against Ulster. Would be good for the game to have two of the provinces pulling their weight whilst the former heavyweights swing pillows at each other.

That is a clear case of the ref and TMO failing to enforce the law book ruling. Land on neck/head it's red. Land on back it's yellow. A tackle in the air is never as lenient as a penalty alone.

Getting really fed up with the lack if consistency on this issue.

clivemcl wrote:That is a clear case of the ref and TMO failing to enforce the law book ruling. Land on neck/head it's red. Land on back it's yellow.  A tackle in the air is never as lenient as a penalty alone.

Getting really fed up with the lack if consistency on this issue.

I picked a bad moment to walk away from the TV, what happened?

Trimble was taken in the air. Fitzgibbon decides that intent does matter and said it was 'a timing issue rather than intentional'.

Penalty only.

Poor match so far. Defences on top with greasy conditions.

Ah Ulster one end to another because of a stupid mistake

this next tewn mins will be huge now down to 14

Pienaar hasn't had his best game. I think paul Marshall is a good sub at this stage.

Well that was a hard fought game, not pretty too watch but if your Ulster you don't care one bit. It's a show of how far Connacht have come though with a number of injuries. Welldone to both teams

Yeah. Not one for the compilation reel. Still both teams toughed it out and both had chances to win. Ulster better composure to pull through especially after a yellow card.

Surprised Ronaldson missed two kicks. Those six points could have made a difference to how the match went.

For all that, a losing bonus point keeps Connacht in second despite giving up their home record.

Well done Ulster, keeps the top four place in sight.

Very tough game, as predicted. It was a scrappy game with plenty of mistakes from both sides, but I think most of that was largely down to two very strong defences, although Pienaar wasn't having one of his better days.

Big Nick getting MotM has answered a question that a few were asking (not me) about whether he would continue to play at the same intensity. He has, and he will continue to.

Just glad to get the win, especially the away win. We really needed it, and hopefully we can pick up another 4 points v Munster, before we take on Oyonnax.

Bravely fought, Connacht, as fully expected. You kept it really close, and your team can stand tall, even in defeat.

SUFTUM!

I'm happy with that. We really let ourselves down at times with basic skills but we dogged it out, and we absorbed a lot of Connacht pressure.

We'll need to make changes next week. We can't keep flogging the same players and we have three European games after the Munster tie- I think today was a pretty tired performance by a team thats just had two massive games against Toulouse. Problem is, rotation is going to be very hard with the injuries we have. There really aren't many options for us in the outside backs at all, nor at lock.