The festive rugby action kicks off with the mouth-watering meeting of Connacht and Ulster at the Sportsground, as the second-placed westerners look to record their first win over the Ulstermen since April 2012.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, December 26
CONNACHT (2nd) v ULSTER (5th), the Sportsground, 6pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Northern Ireland/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made 12 personnel changes and two positional switches ahead of Ulster’s visit to the Sportsground on St. Stephen’s Day.
Niyi Adeolokun, who switches from the left to right wing, and November Player of the Month Craig Ronaldson are the only two players retained from the back-line that started against Newcastle Falcons last Sunday.
Galway man Tiernan O’Halloran returns to take his place at full-back, while Ronaldson is joined in the centre by the returning Bundee Aki. The half-back pairing sees Jack Carty and Kieran Marmion line out together for the seventh time this season.
Up front, only Eoghan Masterson remains from last week, switching to number 8 to allow captain John Muldoon return at blindside flanker. Academy flanker James Connolly completes the back row.
Ultan Dillane and Aly Muldowney form the second row partnership behind the new front row trio of Finlay Bealham, Dave Heffernan and Ireland international Nathan White.
On the bench, both Ronan Loughney and AJ MacGinty have been passed fit for inclusion in this week’s matchday squad. Academy players Shane Delahunt, Sean O’Brien and Rory Parata are also included among the replacements.
Meanwhile, Rob Herring replaces Rory Best as Ulster’s starting hooker and captain for the trip to Galway, as the latter gains a well-earned break. Andrew Warwick will make his fifth start of the season at loosehead prop, with Wiehahn Herbst anchoring the other side of the scrum.
Alan O’Connor and Franco van der Merwe continue their second row partnership from the memorable European Champions Cup back-to-back wins over Toulouse.
There is one change in the back row, with Nick Williams coming in for Roger Wilson at number 8, while Robbie Diack and Sean Reidy are retained as the other loose forwards.
Rory Scholes is the only newcomer to the back-line, replacing the injured Craig Gilroy on the left wing. Andrew Trimble is named on the right flank and Louis Ludik will again line out at full-back.
Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall will start together in midfield for the third consecutive outing, and Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson will feature in their usual half-back positions.
Stephen Mulholland will make just his second senior appearance if called upon from the bench, while the dynamic John Andrew will provide cover for Herring in the middle of the scrum. Callum Black, Ricky Lutton and Wilson are the other forward replacements.
Experienced half back duo Paul Marshall and Ian Humphreys are also included in the matchday squad, along with talented young outside back Sam Arnold.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Finlay Bealham, Dave Heffernan, Nathan White, Ultan Dillane, Aly Muldowney, John Muldoon (capt), James Connolly, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Ronan Loughney, Rodney Ah You, Andrew Browne, Sean O’Brien, Ian Porter, AJ MacGinty, Rory Parata.
ULSTER: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Rory Scholes; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Franco van der Merwe, Robbie Diack, Sean Reidy, Nick Williams.
Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Black, Ricky Lutton, Stephen Mulholland, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Sam Arnold.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips, Eddie Hogan O’Connell (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 5/6; Draw: 16/1; Ulster to win: Evens
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “It’s great to have players back available this week in what is going to be a really big test for us. Ulster have always been tough opposition and this weekend will be no different.
“When you look at what they have achieved already this season and what they are capable of, we know we will have to be clinical in everything we do to ensure we make the most of the opportunities we create.
“It’s our first derby game at the Sportsground and there’s going to be a huge crowd behind us. We are really excited to get out there on Saturday and determined to put in a performance that will keep our unbeaten home record intact.”
Rory Scholes (Ulster) – “The Toulouse games were awesome for everyone involved, they were two very different games – a good win at home and then a tighter one away. We are still working on things and we are a work in progress as a team, but those are the sort of performances we want to put in and that is the way we want to play.
“It’s an interpro this weekend and they are massive for the Irish provinces. It just makes it even bigger that Connacht are ahead of us in the table and going really well.
“It is tight up there (in the league table) and we need to get the points and get closer to them. It’s as big as it ever could be, it’s Boxing Day and everybody is looking forward to it.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 55; Tries: Nepia Fox-Matamua, Matt Healy, Danie Poolman, Tiernan O’Halloran 3 each; Ulster – Points: Stuart McCloskey, Paddy Jackson 29 each; Tries: Craig Gilroy 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Saturday, April 11, 2015 – Connacht 20 Ulster 27, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s six-match winning run in the GUINNESS PRO12 ended with their 20-16 defeat at Cardiff Blues in round 9
– Connacht are the top try scorers so far in the league and are also unbeaten at the Sportsground in any competition this season
– Ulster beat Edinburgh in Belfast in round 9 but have not won back-to-back games in the competition since April
– The Ulstermen have won just once on the road in the PRO12 in their last seven trips: 19-12 at the Newport Gwent Dragons on November 8
– Connacht’s only victory in their last 18 fixtures with Ulster was 26-21 at the Sportsground in April 2012, although they have manged to secure losing bonus points from each of their last two matches
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