URC: Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, St Stephen's Day, 5.15pm - Live Tg4 and Premier Sports
No Christmas goodwill will be handed out to Connacht when they face Ulster in the Kingspan Stadium on St Stephen’s Day.
Ulster coach Dan McFarland is probably still reliving the thrashing Andy Friend’s men dished out to his charges in the Aviva Stadium earlier in the season when they lost 36-11, and he has no wish to tolerate another having spent considerable time trying to get to grips with his team’s collapse.
On that occasion Connacht proved unstoppable, setting a new benchmark for the season; McFarland deemed his team’s standard “unacceptable” as they recorded their first defeat.
Understandably Connacht know what is coming this time round, but are determined to continue their new fast and relentless rugby style, and senior coach Pete Wilkins says it helps knowing their plan worked.
“In terms of having good familiarity with the game plan, it worked well last time, and we will make some tweaks, but at the same time that game is also recent enough in their memories to fuel the fires to exact revenge, so it promises to be a really good match up and an exciting game.”
No doubt McFarland has been quietly plotting his revenge for some time in a bid to reverse their failure to make hay from what he said had been “an exceptional maul”.
Neither Stuart McCloskey (hamstring) nor Iain Henderson (ankle) are expected to be available having sustained injuries in Friday’s Heineken Champions Cup home victory over Northampton Saints, but it could be the occasion for the club’s high profile signing from South Africa, Duane Vermeulen, to make his debut.
And with Billy Burns, Marty Moore and Jordi Murphy among the latest players to have signed contract extensions with the province, there is an air of optimism in Ravenhill, particularly having bagged two Heineken Cup wins on the trot.
Defence coach Jared Payne says there are a few different motivators for Ulster this week, and it is making sure it is channelled the right way.
“Connacht are a class team at the moment – they are dangerous. They are aggressive in defence, and they score tries from defence. They have grown massively as a team, and are playing well.”
Similarly, he says, Ulster have improved, having addressed how the side “navigates the momentum and emotion of a game”.
“It’s about playing smart, what is required at a certain time, adapting to the game, and being able to wrestle momentum. There will be times it will not be as good as it has been, and we will be tested pretty well by Connacht this week.”
Poked the bear
If Connacht have all players available they will travel in confidence after their superb performance over Stade Francais, which they followed up with a bonus point performance against Leicester. And Andy Friend says the club intends to try to field the strongest possible side, but are still assessing injuries and availability in the camp.
Knowing that Connacht poked the bear in the Aviva, he says it will be a “very difficult assignment”.
“We know we will be facing a very different and difficult task in Belfast. It will be massive ask, but we are heading there to play our game and hope to have a positive result.”
Friend masterminded Connacht’s first win in Ravenhill in 58 years, and since then they have beaten Ulster in Belfast in the Rainbow Cup, and this season in the Aviva. Much will depend on the squad’s availability whether he can add to that tally against a wounded Ulster this time.
Teams: TBC
