In times past Connacht were pretty much a Leinster `C' team in disguise, Ulster were kingpins and not even Eric Elwood, Noel Mannion and co could turn water into wine. Ulster merely felt they had to show up in Galway and that was another three points in the bag.
As he coached Ulster to four successive inteprovincial titles from 1987 to 1990, Harry Williams could afford to feel like that. The scorelines backed it up: 203, 16-3, 38-3 and 16-6. Contemplating those coach journeys as Ulster made their way from Belfast yesterday, Williams conceded: "We expected to win in those days."
Last week's opening Guinness Interprovincial salvos might appear to have reaffirmed old ways, especially as Connacht lost yet again at home to Munster whereas a rejuvenated Ulster whupped Leinster with 20 points and a bonus point to spare. "But times have changed dramatically," Williams said.
In the corresponding fixture last year Connacht were far from flattered by their 27-17 win, which ended a 13-year winless streak against the northerners.
But Ulster are a much improved force since then. The homecoming of David Humphreys, Mark McCall and Allen Clarke has been augmented by the arrival of Simon Mason and Justin Fitzpatrick - five professionals at a stroke. "They've brought a whole new attitude and mentality," claimed Andy Ward in the aftermath of last week's win. And then, of course, there's New Zealand-born Ward himself, now even a better player than the one who, according to some Connacht men, almost single-handedly wrested the game from them a year ago.
Although Ulster are greatly changed since last year, there are enough survivors to have some bearing on today's game. Unfortunately for Connacht, the hugely influential Junior Charlie will not be one of them - he turned on his ankle near the end of training yesterday and has been replaced by John Casserley. "It's one of those freak things which happen teams which aren't supposed to do well," said Connacht coach Glenn Ross.
This leaves Connacht with only seven survivors from a year ago, and only three of the pack. Still, in other areas, Connacht look every bit as strong, and certainly Jimmy Screene and Martin Cahill make their scrum look possibly the strongest around. Ulster had problems in this area a week ago.
Ulster retain nine of last year's team and five of the pack - Fitzpatrick, Clarke and Murtagh Rea adding to the quotient up front though not as strikingly as one would have expected against Leinster.
Both teams had poor line-outs last week with both Billy Mulcahy and Allen Clarke having untypically awry days. This is unlikely to happen again to the same extent.
"We're expecting to be better and if we haven't learnt the lessons from last week then we'll be extremely disappointed," said Ross. "If that can be reflected in the scoreboard all the better."
Casserley's height adds to Connacht's line-out options and, again, given a wet day with plenty of ball on the ground his ability in broken play could come into its own.
Williams and Ulster are clearly bracing themselves for a more severe examination up front against a pack whose physique impressed a hard-blowing Munster last week. "It's going to be a hard one and we're as confident as we can expect to be. Connacht will be very hard and very rugged. We know we're in for a big battle up front," forecast Williams.
The stakes are higher for Connacht. A second successive home defeat would leave them eight or nine points off the pace. On a typically wild and wet western day at the exposed Sportsground, a fired-up Connacht pack could well impose themselves on the visiting eight. It doesn't even have to be that wild and wet for them to have a decent chance.
This is particularly so as the midfield defences are liable to cancel each other out and Eric Elwood is a more astute and reliable tactical kicker than Humphreys, an intriguing duel within a duel between the two leading Irish out-halves.
Connacht are also likely to make bigger strides for last week's outing. Nevertheless, Simon Mason looks the equal of Elwood when it comes to place-kicking and even if Connacht shaded the territorial and possession graphs, on last week's cumulative evidence a clinical Ulster look by far the most adept at taking their chances.
Ulster: S Mason; J Cunningham, S McDowell, M McCall (capt), A Park; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, G Leslie, M Rea, G Longwell, S McKinty, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements: S Coulter, B Cunningham, A Matchett, S Duncan, D Macartney, R Irwin, R Weir.
Connacht: W Ruane; N Carolan, P Duignan, M Murphy, A Reddan; E Elwood (capt), D Reddan; J Screene, B Mulcahy, M Cahill, J Cullen, J Duffy, J Callerley, B Gavin, S McEntee. Replacements: D Mescal, S Allnutt, O Cobbe, B Jackman, G Heaslip, J Maher, I Gillon.
Referee: G Black (Leinster).
