United Rugby Championship quarter-final: Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, Friday, 7.35 (Live on TG4 & Premier Sports)
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has made two changes to the starting line-up that beat Edinburgh last time out for the United Rugby Championship quarter-final against their provincial rivals.
Ireland international centre Stuart McCloskey and Scotland and Lions loosehead Rory Sutherland, whose last match was in the European quarter-final defeat to Leinster, return following injury, while Andy Warwick and Luke Marshall both of whom picked up knocks against Edinburgh miss out.
A more upbeat legacy from that match is that fullback Mike Lowry, centre James Hume and hooker Rob Herring, all of whom limped off, have recovered to take their respective places in the run-on team. It is a notable milestone occasion for Herring, who makes his 229th appearance for the province, equalling the record, held jointly by Andrew Trimble and Darren Cave.
It’s a curious anomaly that Ulster have included seven players in their match-day 23 that are leaving the club in the summer, props Rory Sutherland and Jeff Toomaga-Allen, number eight Duane Vermeulen and Gareth Milasinovich, Sam Carter, Jordi Murphy and Craig Gilroy who are named among the replacements.
Injuries are partially responsible, particularly at prop with Andy Warwick, Marty Moore and Tom O’Toole sidelined. But McFarland must rely on a hefty tranche of players who won’t be in Belfast next season for the most important game of the campaign and it underlines the extensive recruitment required to replenish the roster.
Rob Lyttle, Declan Moore (Connacht) and Frank Bradshaw-Ryan (Montauban) are also moving on, so too scrumhalf Michael McDonald who is going on loan to Connacht for the season.
Peter Wilkins, Connacht’s head coach, makes four changes to the side that lost 29-27 to the Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun in the final game of the league stage of the tournament. The visitors are boosted by the return of Irish internationals Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen in the backline while hooker Dave Heffernan and flanker Shamus Hurley-Langton are promoted to the starting pack.
Ulster won both the league matches between the teams, are 10-point favourites with the bookmakers and boast a first-choice three-quarter line that boasts pace and power on the wings in Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale, who becomes the latest Ulster centurion in appearance terms and a fullback in Lowry, an irrepressible will-o’-the-wisp in attack.
McCloskey’s offloading (18) and Hume’s return to something approaching the form that won him Ireland recognition provided a midfield presence that complements the game management skills of Billy Burns and scrumhalf John Cooney, who celebrated his 33rd birthday during the week. Alan O’Connor leads a pack that includes the talented Dave McCann who has won the rights to the number six jersey on merit.
Centre Tom Farrell has produced something of a highlights reel for Connacht in terms of his performances this season and has beaten more defenders (37), made more clean breaks (11) and more successful carries (74) than any of his team-mates.
The midfield tussle promises to be percussive in collision terms while Baloucoune’s tete-a-tete with Hansen will have an appeal for Ireland coach Andy Farrell, just one of several on the night with wider ramifications.
The visitors may feel that the set piece is an area that they can target, Niall Murray’s lineout-stealing prowess has been exceptional while Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham are rarely found accommodating by an opposition scrum. Josh Murphy and Conor Oliver bring a hard-nosed gritty application on both sides of the ball, so too Cian Prendergast, who lines out at number eight.
Connacht have several players leaving at the end of the season, replacement scrumhalf and Irish international Kieran Marmion is off to Bristol, while director of rugby Andy Friend also bids farewell to the western province. He offered the following rallying call.
“Tomorrow is the culmination of months of hard work. We were very clear at the start of the season that we wanted to be playing playoff football, and now that we’re here we plan on making the most of it.
“Beating Ulster in Belfast is a tough task for any team, but we’re confident in our abilities and we’ve improved a lot since our last trip up there. I’ve heard there’s a huge crowd travelling up to support us which always gives us a boost, so I’m sure they’ll make their voices heard.”
Connacht mustn’t die wondering, so to speak, have the courage to play their rugby – captain Jack Carty exemplifies this attitude – and if they do so they’ll be in with a shout. However, Ulster are understandable favourites and, provided the pack provide a decent platform, they have the ability to maximise that return on the scoreboard.
ULSTER: M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; R Sutherland, R Herring, J Toomaga-Allen; A O’Connor (capt), K Treadwell; D McCann, N Timoney, D Vermeulen.
Replacements: T Stewart, E O’Sullivan, G Milasinovich, S Carter, J Murphy, N Doak, S Moore, C Gilroy.
CONNACHT: T O’Halloran, J Porch, T Farrell, B Aki, M Hansen; J Carty (capt), C Blade; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Murphy, N Murray; S Hurley-Langton, C Oliver, C Prendergast.
Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, J Duggan, J Aungier, Ó Dowling, J Butler, K Marmion, T Daly, B Ralston.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland).
