RUGBY:ULSTER MUST win their final two Magners League matches, probably with at least one bonus point, if they are to realise ambitions of making the semi-finals. That remit begins in Belfast this evening when they face Connacht, a potentially tougher obstacle this season than previous years given the form of the visitors.
The home side are also without a number of high-profile players, notably Irish internationals Andrew Trimble (thumb), Paddy Wallace (thumb), Tom Court, Springbok BJ Botha (knee ligament). The reason for Court’s absence wasn’t specified but there was a suggestion he picked up a blow to the head in the Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to the Northampton Saints.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has elected to start with promising young loosehead prop Paddy McAllister and 26-year-old Mallow-born Jerry Cronin at tighthead. Bryan Young is named among the replacements alongside former underage international Adam Macklin, the latter absent since breaking his ankle while playing for the Ravens last September.
Johann Muller missed the defeat by Leinster with a dead leg but returns to partner Dan Tuohy in the secondrow. Willie Faloon is at openside so Chris Henry will wear the number six jersey with Robbie Diack dropping to the bench. Ian Humphreys has recovered from a back injury sustained at the RDS.
Darren Cave’s cameo the last day is rewarded with a start, Nevin Spence shifts to inside centre, Craig Gilroy from left to right wing with Simon Danielli returning following injury.
Ulster had won six games on the bounce until they came a cropper in Dublin and know there is no latitude for a repeat.
Connacht coach Eric Elwood will have been disappointed with the nature of his side’s defeat to Cardiff at the Sportsground. He has elected to recall a triumvirate of centurions to the pack, Ireland Wolfhounds prop Brett Wilkinson, secondrow Michael Swift and number eight John Muldoon.
New Zealand-born Bernie Upton is named in the secondrow with Ireland squad member Mike McCarthy underlining his versatility by switching to the backrow. It’ll be instructive to note how Eoin Griffin fares against Danielli in gauging his development.
Connacht haven’t won in Belfast for 50 years, November 1960 to be precise, and while they managed a creditable 15-15 draw in Galway when the two sides met earlier in the season, beating Ulster at Ravenhill, when the home side are fighting for a tangible reward will be a much tougher prospect.
McLaughlin will appeal to his team to produce a display that marries the first 40 minutes of their clash against the Saints sprinkled with the resilience and character they showed for large tranches of the second half against Leinster.
The disruption to the frontrow is offset appreciably by McAllister’s presence. He is very capable in the tight despite his tender years and possesses an impressive skill set with a work-rate to match. Muller’s return will provide the home side with shrewd direction. The traditional values in deciding matches apply and Connacht will be aware disrupting the home pack will yield a significant reward.
There are come captivating individual match-ups; Humphreys against Ian Keatley at outhalf, Craig Gilroy and Fionn Carr, Henry and McCarthy, McAllister Jamie Hagan and Rory Best and Seán Cronin to highlight five.
Quite apart from the fact it is half a century since Connacht triumphed in Belfast on their last couple of trips they have been on the receiving end of some sizeable thumpings. That shouldn’t be the case tonight but on the basis Ulster have far more for which to play and that their season will stand or fall on the result, it should galvanise them to prevail.
An additional footnote is that tonight’s referee JP Doyle, Dublin born and bred, but attached to the English RFU, will take charge of his first Magners League game.
ULSTER: A D’Arcy; C Gilroy, D Cave, N Spence, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; P McAllister, R Best (capt), J Cronin; J Muller, D Tuohy; C Henry, W Faloon, P Wannenburg. Replacements: A Kyriacou, B Young, A Macklin, T Barker, R Diack, P Marshall, I Whitten, C Gaston.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; E Griffin, N Ta’auso, T Nathan, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, B Upton; M McCarthy, J O’Connor (capt), J Muldoon. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, R Ah You, A Browne, M McComish, C Willis, M Nikora, T O’Halloran.
Referee: JP Doyle (England).
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