Ulster vs Connacht, Friday 1st of April, KO 19:35, BBC NI & TG 4

connemara man · 31-03-2016 5:32pm #1

Well 1st travel to 5th for Connachts second interpro in two weeks and Ulster while Ulster look to bounce back after defeat to Ulster

Ulster Team | * | CONNACHT TEAM

| * |

J Payne| 15 | Robbie Henshaw
A Trimble|14 | Niyi Adeolokun
L Marshall| 13 | Bundee Aki
S McCloskey| 12 | Peter Robb
C Gilroy| 11 | Matt Healy
P Jackson| 10 | Shane O’Leary
R Pienaar| 09 | John Cooney

C Black | 01 | Denis Buckley
R Best (C) | 02 | Tom McCartney
R Lutton | 03 | Rodney Ah You
4 P Browne | 04 | Andrew Browne
5 F van der Merwe | 05 | Aly Muldowney
6 I Henderson | 06 | John Muldoon (C)
7 C Henry | 07 | James Connolly
8 R Wilson. | 08 | Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16 R Herring | 16 | Dave Heffernan
17 K McCall | 17 | Ronan Loughney
18 B Ross | 18 | Finlay Bealham
19 R Diack | 19 |Ultan Dillane
20 S Reidy | 20 | Sean O’Brien
21 P Marshall | 21 | Caolin Blade
22 S Olding | 22 |Cormac Brennan
23 D Cave. | 23 | Danie Poolman

This should be a great game Connacht looking for a first win in Belfast since 1960, Ulster need to keep their top 4 hopes alive.

Rumours of a mysterious illness seem in the Ulster camp to be greatly exaggerated. While Connacht go through another mini injury crisis down to fourth and fifth Out half and second choice scrum half.
Half backs will hold the key to this match I sadly think Ulster will win this battle, I am looking forward to the battle of the backrows. Will we get the Rodney from Edinburgh? or the Rodney looking to impress his new coach and supporters?

And obviously Les and Pat are just trolling Schmidt!

Ce4NFhPXEAAD55P.jpg:large

bilston · 31-03-2016 6:24pm

There is a lot of pessimism on uafc about this game, although they are a miserable lot over there. I'm a bit more confident, mainly because we never lose to Connacht in Belfast (well not for 56 years).

On paper I think Connacht have an edge in the tight 5, I'd have Buckley, Ah You and Muldowney starting over their opposite numbers in the Ulster side. Add that to the threat posed by Henshaw, Healy, Bundee and Adeoleun and there is definite concerns here. Ulster should have an edge at half back, but Pienaar hasn't been setting the world alight recently.

Benches are interesting, Connacht have Bealham, Dillane and O'Brien who could all change the game, and Ulster have Herring, Reidy, Diack, Olding and Cave who could all make a positive contribution from the bench.

I reckon we will win, but it will be close. Ulster will need to start well and hopefully not lose themselves after 20 minutes which has been their want in recent games. Getting Best, Trimble and Payne back is a huge boost.

freyners · 31-03-2016 6:38pm

bilston wrote: »

There is a lot of pessimism on uafc about this game, although they are a miserable lot over there. I'm a bit more confident, mainly because we never lose to Connacht in Belfast (well not for 56 years).

On paper I think Connacht have an edge in the tight 5, I'd have Buckley, Ah You and Muldowney starting over their opposite numbers in the Ulster side. Add that to the threat posed by Henshaw, Healy, Bundee and Adeoleun and there is definite concerns here. Ulster should have an edge at half back, but Pienaar hasn't been setting the world alight recently.

Benches are interesting, Connacht have Bealham, Dillane and O'Brien who could all change the game, and Ulster have Herring, Reidy, Diack, Olding and Cave who could all make a positive contribution from the bench.

I reckon we will win, but it will be close. Ulster will need to start well and hopefully not lose themselves after 20 minutes which has been their want in recent games. Getting Best, Trimble and Payne back is a huge boost.

Pretty much agree with this read. Can see us having the edge at scrum time and if the game breaks down but Ulster having more control around the park.

John Cooney has been pushing Marmion hard when fit so have no problems with him but I really havent seen enough of SOL at any position to comment knowledgably on him. He has done well any time he has been called up but it has invariably been 15 mins at the end of a game. He started and finished a great move v Zebre last year and scored an excellent try v munster last season and was solid last weekend but Pienaar Jackson is as scary a half back pairing you will meeting in this competition and I feel will ultimately be the winning of this game.

Still, if we are ever going to break the duck I'd fancy it this season, very tempted by a +9 handicap

bilston · 31-03-2016 7:28pm

A quick head to head shows how much Connacht have closed the gap

15 Payne vs Henshaw - In a way it's a pointless head to head because they are equally as good, I suppose I'd take Payne over Henshaw at FB though

14 Trimble vs Adeoluken - Hard not to pick Trimble, but Connacht's Nigerian winger is a definite threat

13 Marshall vs Aki - Aki gets the nod here, but Marshall is in great form and this should be a cracking battle

12 McCloskey vs Robb - Robb is a decent young player but he will have his work cut here. McCloskey wins this head to head

11 Gilroy vs Healy - This is probably where Ulster and Connacht fans will disagree, it's not helped for me by the fact that I seemingly caught Healy at his worst last week. Either way they are both electric runners but from what I've seen there is a bit more to Gilroy's game but it will be an exciting contest

10 Jackson vs O'Leary - Worringly for Connacht there is no debate here

9 Piennar vs Cooney - I rate Cooney, but again there is no contest here, but Pienaar could do with upping his game over the next four games.

1 Black vs Buckley - Buckley all day for me, he should be pushing for the Ireland squad now and this is another opportunity for him to impress,

2 Best vs MacCartney - The Irish captain gets my vote, although MacCartney impressed last week

3 Lutton vs Ah You - A big contest for all sorts of reasons. However while both may be questionable scrummagers I'd expect Ah You to more effective around the park. He will want to play well. Ah You wins this one.

4 Van Der Merwe vs Browne - VDM for me, mainly because he is so key to the Ulster line out

5 Browne vs Muldowney - Muldowney comfortably, although Browne has improved week on week

6 Henderson vs Muldoon - Two key men here. Muldoon is the heartbeat of Connacht, similarly Henderson for Ulster. Here you can't ignore Henderson's quality though so he gets my pick

7 Henry vs Connolly - I'm ashamed to say I know nothing of James Connolly...well not this one anyway...I'm just giving the vote to Henry by default here.

8 Wilson vs McKeon - Not sure what to make of this one. Last week McKeon was absolutely superb, but then he was playing O/S I think. Still I'm giving him the edge over the aging Wilson.

So Bilston's composite XV

15 Payne
14 Trimble
13 Aki
12 McCloskey
11 Gilroy
10 Jackson
9 Pienaar
1 Buckley
2 Best
3 Ah You
4 Van Der Merwe
5 Muldowney
6 Henderson
7 Henry
8 McKeon

10 Ulster
5 Connacht

Just a bit of fun, it means nothing...although that would be a pretty good side!

Bazzo · 31-03-2016 7:40pm

Connolly has really impressed in his outings so far. He's an academy player, only 21 or 22 I think, but he's made a really big impression in his senior appearances this year.

McKeon is a quality 8, he was playing open side last week out of necessity, and the only reason you haven't seen more of him is because of the emergence of Masterson and he's also been injured a decent bit this season. I'd rate him well ahead of current Wilson who I think is a bit over the hill at this stage.

bilston · 31-03-2016 8:07pm

Bazzo wrote: »

Connolly has really impressed in his outings so far. He's an academy player, only 21 or 22 I think, but he's made a really big impression in his senior appearances this year.

McKeon is a quality 8, he was playing open side last week out of necessity, and the only reason you haven't seen more of him is because of the emergence of Masterson and he's also been injured a decent bit this season. I'd rate him well ahead of current Wilson who I think is a bit over the hill at this stage.

I'm very jealous of Connacht's homegrown back row stocks at the moment. We don't really have any young back rows of note. Dow looked decent against Treviso but hasn't had a look in since, other than that we have no one. One small chink of light at the end of the tunnel is that the captain of the Irish U19s, Marcus Rea, is a back row but he could be years away if he ever gets to Ulster level.

connemara man · 31-03-2016 10:00pm

bilston wrote: »

I'm very jealous of Connacht's homegrown back row stocks at the moment. We don't really have any young back rows of note. Dow looked decent against Treviso but hasn't had a look in since, other than that we have no one. One small chink of light at the end of the tunnel is that the captain of the Irish U19s, Marcus Rea, is a back row but he could be years away if he ever gets to Ulster level.

I really like Connolly, it's almost a shame for him that Heenan and Fox are ahead of him at 7 since he's emerged I know he came through as a 6 but he's very good on the deck so works really well at 7

bilston · 31-03-2016 10:15pm

connemara man wrote: »

And obviously Les and Pat are just trolling Schmidt!

So it's Pat Lam versus Alan Titchmarsh tomorrow night?!

Losty Dublin · 31-03-2016 11:38pm

I'm going to say something controversial here.

This is the biggest game of the weekend.

former total · 31-03-2016 11:58pm

Losty Dublin wrote: »

I'm going to say something controversial here.

This is the biggest game of the weekend.

In terms of significance for the league, both are almost identical. In terms of public interest, the game in the Aviva is still way out in front.

I'll be glued to both anyway.

Stheno · 01-04-2016 12:01am

I'll be glued to both, the turncoat is going to be glued to tomorrow night

Qualification wise, can all four provinces still qualify for Europe?

bilston · 01-04-2016 12:04am

Stheno wrote: »

I'll be glued to both, the turncoat is going to be glued to tomorrow night

Qualification wise, can all four provinces still qualify for Europe?

Yeah. Think it's the top 6 plus an Italian side so yes there is a good chance that all 4 will qualify alongside Glasgow and the Scarlets.

Journeyman_1 · 01-04-2016 12:06am

Assuming all 4 finish in the top 6 with Glasgow and Scarlets, yes.

Stheno · 01-04-2016 12:06am

bilston wrote: »

Yeah. Think it's the top 6 plus an Italian side so yes there is a good chance that all 4 will qualify alongside Glasgow and the Scarlets.

Thanks, I was working it out trying to figure out was it six or seven when you included the Italians

former total · 01-04-2016 12:07am

Stheno wrote: »

I'll be glued to both, the turncoat is going to be glued to tomorrow night

Qualification wise, can all four provinces still qualify for Europe?

I'd say 85% chance that all 4 will qualify. An Ulster win tomorrow will seal it for them I reckon.

Stheno · 01-04-2016 12:12am

former total wrote: »

I'd say 85% chance that all 4 will qualify. An Ulster win tomorrow will seal it for them I reckon.

Hmmm.

For the sake of domestic harmony, should I perhaps will Ulster on silently, or risking said harmony, attempt to explain the qualification permutations to the OH, given he's in his first real season of rugby and doesn't quite yet get the linkages between the various tournaments and is deeply in love with Connaught?

freyners · 01-04-2016 7:14am

I'm genuinely hope all 4 qualify. Would be a good way to close the chapter on an ultimately disappointing season for irish rugby over all, our renaissance not withstanding

Having said that, nothing will make me happier than a win tonight and a win in two weeks, even if it contributes to one of ulster or munster missing qualification

Korat · 01-04-2016 10:52am

I'll be hoping Connacht win tonight and keep up their momentum. They could yet do Ulster a favour against the Warriors.

neelia11 · 01-04-2016 10:55am

Korat wrote: »

I'll be hoping Connacht win tonight and keep up their momentum. They could yet do Ulster a favour against the Warriors.

connacht would want a win tonight, seal top 2 spot and rest players in the last weekend or two? Especially if they win in grenoble?

bilston · 01-04-2016 6:26pm

It's bucketing it down in Belfast right now!!!

Don't expect an expansive game tonight. Packs and half backs will be crucial. Back three players will be a luxury.

Journeyman_1 · 01-04-2016 6:27pm

bilston wrote: »

It's bucketing it down in Belfast right now!!!

Don't expect an expansive game tonight. Packs and half backs will be crucial. Back three players will be a luxury.

Sounds like a setup for a miserable game so...