Until recent times this game had some serious bite: Connacht sometimes pushed Ulster to the wire for what was once a cherished third qualifying place for the European Cup. Now, though, having bargained to regain their financial backing from the IRFU, Connacht have accepted their station in Irish rugby life, leaving the big three with European Cup rugby every season while consigning themselves to the Shield for ever more.
Though Ravenhill holds no joys for the westerners, they turned over Ulster at this evening's venue, the Sportsground, five and four seasons ago in the Warren Gatland era and are about due another serious tilt at the Ulstermen.
Perhaps because there is now less pressure, this fixture has loosened up and become quite high-scoring in recent times, and this instalment should follow the trend.
Connacht are a good deal nearer full strength, and with most of their squad drawn from two club sides (Galwegians and Buccaneers) who have been going better than their Ulster counterparts (Dungannon and Ballymena) of late in the AIL, they must sniff the chance of a rare upset.
As Leinster will testify, Connacht are usually good for a scalp in the west once a season.
Ulster coach Alan Solomons is very much gearing things already to next season's Celtic League, in which they are liable to be Ireland's strongest representatives, given the greater demands which will be placed on the Munster and Leinster squads during the World Cup qualifying campaign in September.
At 5.30, half an hour before the game, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Frank Fahey will cut the sod for new dressing-rooms, medical rooms, weights rooms and offices for the Connacht Branch.
Funded jointly by the IRFU and the Department of Sport, this is phase one of a major development of Galway Sportsgrounds.
CONNACHT: M McHugh; T Robinson, P Duignan, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland (capt), M Uijs, P Bracken, D Browne, R Frost, C Rigney, D Dillon, J O'Connor. Replacements: R McCormack, G Flannery, M Swift, P Neville, J Ferris, C Keane, M McPhail.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, R Constable, A Larkin, T Howe; P Wallace, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, S Best, P Johns, A Kearney, T McWhirter, W Brosnihan, A Ward (capt). Replacements: B Young, R Weir, M McCullough, A Hughes, K Campbell, S Coulter, J Cunningham.
Referee: D McHugh (IRFU).
Last three seasons: 1998-99 - Connacht 21 Ulster 18, Ulster 36 Connacht 6. 1999-00 - Connacht 9 Ulster 50, Ulster 44 Connacht 22. 2000-01 - Connacht 15 Ulster 39, Ulster 36 Connacht 22.
