The Sportsground has been a real fortress for Connacht this season with just one home defeat in the GUINNESS PRO12. Can they add second-placed Ulster to their interprovincial scalps or will Neil Doak’s men take a step closer to a home semi-final?
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 11
CONNACHT (6th) v ULSTER (2nd), the Sportsground, 2.40pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD/Galway Bay FM/BBC Radio Ulster/highlights TG4)
Team News: Connacht welcome provincial rivals Ulster to the Sportsground on Saturday, and head coach Pat Lam has made three personnel changes to the team named to play Gloucester last week.
As the fit-again Bundee Aki makes a welcome return in midfield, the rejigged back-line sees Robbie Henshaw, Danie Poolman and Tiernan O’Halloran all move out one place. Craig Ronaldson has been handed the reins at out-half for his 11th start this season.
Up front, George Naoupu represents the only change to the pack. He comes in at number 8, allowing captain John Muldoon to revert to blindside flanker.
The Galway-born duo of Ronan Loughney and Eoin McKeon have both returned from injury to take up places on the bench, while Ultan Dillane, John Cooney and Miah Nikora are the other additions to the matchday squad.
The Connacht v Ulster round 19 fixture at the Sportsground is approaching a sell-out with tickets remaining for behind the posts only. Tickets are available online from tickets.ie.
Meanwhile, Rory Best, Tommy Bowe and Jared Payne have all been named in the Ulster team to face Connacht in the latest round of league action.
They are three of 13 Ireland internationals named in the Ulster squad for the interprovincial clash, the first of three in a row for Neil Doak’s men. Best returns to captain the side at hooker, with Payne named at outside centre and Bowe selected on the right wing.
Bowe is joined in the back-three by Louis Ludik and the PRO12’s leading try scorer so far this season, Craig Gilroy (pictured above). Darren Cave partners Payne in the centre with Paddy Jackson and Ruan Pienaar continuing together at half-back.
Up front, Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst start either side of Best with Dan Tuohy and Franco van der Merwe selected in the second row.
Roger Wilson returns to the starting line-up at number 8 with Iain Henderson picked at blindside flanker and Chris Henry at openside in what will be his first start since recovering from heart surgery.
Forwards Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Bronson Ross, Robbie Diack and Clive Ross join backs Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys and Stuart McCloskey on the replacements bench.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Craig Ronaldson, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, Quinn Roux, Aly Muldowney, John Muldoon (capt), Eoghan Masterson, George Naoupu.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Ronan Loughney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Miah Nikora, Darragh Leader.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Darren Cave, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Bronson Ross, Robbie Diack, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Stuart McCloskey.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, John Carvill (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 7/4; Draw: 20/1; Ulster to win: 4/9
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “We have no doubt that Saturday will be a massive challenge against a quality Ulster side who have been up near the top of the table for the whole season. With their Six Nations stars back, they’ll be coming here all guns blazing as they vie for a home semi-final.
But we are back on our Sportsground for the first time in six weeks and we’re in a really exciting place in the league. We have put ourselves in a position where we still have so much to play for at this time of the season. A top six finish is still very much in our hands.
“These are the types of pressure games that you want this young group of players to be playing in and we know we need to put in a big team performance on Saturday.”
Rory Best (Ulster) – “You want to get to this stage of the season with your destiny in your hands. With the final coming here (to Belfast), it’s really important to finish in the top two. It’s not like previous years where you had to finish top to get a home play off and a home final.
“We know that the final is going to be here regardless. We are sitting second at the minute with a decent points difference. It’s a tough run in for us but big games will focus the team.
“We’re second and we have an opportunity. It’s a tough opportunity but a great one. Our first target has to be top four and with that we want to be in the top two to guarantee a home play off.
“This stadium has been built for occasions like that. There is a bit of pressure on us but the onus is on us to do well in this run-in and make sure that we are in the top four.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Craig Ronaldson 61; Tries: Aly Muldowney 4; Ulster – Points: Ian Humphreys 83; Tries: Craig Gilroy 9
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, April 14, 2012 – Connacht 26 Ulster 21, the Sportsground
Friday, October 5, 2012 – Ulster 25 Connacht 0, Ravenhill
Friday, April 19, 2013 – Connacht 18 Ulster 34, the Sportsground
Saturday, September 21, 2013 – Connacht 7 Ulster 18, the Sportsground
Friday, April 11, 2014 – Ulster 58 Connacht 12, Ravenhill
Friday, December 26, 2014 – Ulster 13 Connacht 10, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht have slipped to three successive defeats in all competitions with all encounters being played away from home
– Connacht have lost just once in the GUINNESS PRO12 at the Sportsground this season: 16-13 to Edinburgh on January 9
– Ulster’s only defeat in their last six PRO12 fixtures was 26-22 against the Dragons in Newport on March 8
– Ulster have won only one of their last four contests with fellow Irish provinces: 13-10 over Connacht in Belfast in round 11
– Connacht’s only victory over Ulster in their last 17 matches since 2005 came in Galway in April 2012
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