Ulster v Connacht Friday 5th Oct 7:35pm

That's actually a reasonably strong Ulster pack and half backs, although I'm surprised Reidy isn't starting instead of Rea in the back row. You'd have to wonder how match fit/effective Best and Stockdale will be and also how marginal were the calls to play Henderson and Coetzee. Their bench is weak enough looking.

daveydavey wrote: Glad to see we have our strongest team out, wonder is Copeland injured? Great chance again for Boyle anyway. I think we can take them this time fingers crossed. I'm heading up to it with the wife 2mrw, any idea where best spot to go before/after game ?

The Errigle and Pavilion pubs on the Ormeau Road are both good and walking distance from the ground. Malone RFC is also a decent spot and walking distance from the ground.

Betty Swallocks wrote: That's actually a reasonably strong Ulster pack and half backs, although I'm surprised Reidy isn't starting instead of Rea in the back row. You'd have to wonder how match fit/effective Best and Stockdale will be and also how marginal were the calls to play Henderson and Coetzee. Their bench is weak enough looking.

Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (captain), Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Nick Timoney, Marcell Coetzee;

Without being rude, that's a very weak pack. There is undoubted quality in Best, Hendo and Coetzee (if fit) but the two props are nothing to fear, O'Connor is hit and miss and hasn't pushed on from a good start, not seen much of Rea, agree that Timoney looks to have some class but he's still very young and tough to play behind what should be a beaten front 5.

I know we ALWAYS lose in Belfast, but this is a hell of a chance.

people were saying the exact same thing about AOC a year or two ago and he was motm in this fixture. At the same time there's a lot of guys there that I don't recognise at all and we have to make our experience count.

O'Connor is a decent lock. Underrated, a little like Andy Farley used to be when playing for us. It's in the front row and back row where we can really get at these guys, and we must target Cooney. He's their key player.

Is Rodney injured for this game just wondering what’s the story with him.

Accidentally Onside wrote:

Betty Swallocks wrote: That's actually a reasonably strong Ulster pack and half backs, although I'm surprised Reidy isn't starting instead of Rea in the back row. You'd have to wonder how match fit/effective Best and Stockdale will be and also how marginal were the calls to play Henderson and Coetzee. Their bench is weak enough looking.

Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (captain), Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Nick Timoney, Marcell Coetzee;

Without being rude, that's a very weak pack. There is undoubted quality in Best, Hendo and Coetzee (if fit) but the two props are nothing to fear, O'Connor is hit and miss and hasn't pushed on from a good start, not seen much of Rea, agree that Timoney looks to have some class but he's still very young and tough to play behind what should be a beaten front 5.

I know we ALWAYS lose in Belfast, but this is a hell of a chance.

Gotta disagree here, Tom O'Toole has looked really really good whenever I've seen him this season - especially considering he just turned 20 less than 2 weeks ago
I agree we should be superior come scrum time though

Heard on the radio going to work this morning that the last time Connacht beat Ulster in Ravenhill was 1960. Did I hear this correctly? Did provincial rugby even exist back then?

ChrisY wrote: Heard on the radio going to work this morning that the last time Connacht beat Ulster in Ravenhill was 1960. Did I hear this correctly? Did provincial rugby even exist back then?

Absolutely you did hear it correctly. The interpros started not long after the war and Connacht, having had the whip hand against our northern cousins in the 50s, haven't won in Ravenhill in 58 years. We have terrible away records against all the provinces; it's 2002 since we won in Dublin and before 2015's win I think we hadn't won away to Munster since the 80s.

salmson wrote:

ChrisY wrote: Heard on the radio going to work this morning that the last time Connacht beat Ulster in Ravenhill was 1960. Did I hear this correctly? Did provincial rugby even exist back then?

Absolutely you did hear it correctly. The interpros started not long after the war and Connacht, having had the whip hand against our northern cousins in the 50s, haven't won in Ravenhill in 58 years. We have terrible away records against all the provinces; it's 2002 since we won in Dublin and before 2015's win I think we hadn't won away to Munster since the 80s.

Thanks salmson, those are some shocking stats you provide. They may have dampened but have not quenched my honest belief that this team has the potential to break that voodoo tonight.

Game on and go go Connacht. No surprise

Connacht truly conspiring to lose this. Up two men and no points. Ulster down a man and still playing most of the little rugby that is happening in this game. Too many senseless penalties, they'll be down a man themselves soon enough.

It was beginning to feel like it might be 58 more years before Connacht won away to Ulster until that Aki try. Perhaps I'm being a little tough on the lads as losing Marmion so early on with TOH following shortly after would have been distributive but that was an ugly win right up to the end even conceding the bonus point to Ulster.

Jez that was a weird match...

Brilliant and terrible all in one.

Put the win in the back pocket and look forward to Europe

We just had to come out of that with a win given the circumstances. Had us sweating until the end. I think we have all seen enough bad nights in Ravenhill to appreciate this win especially given how poor we were away from home last year hopefully this will give us confidence for future away games.

However, I'll probably be called negative for saying this but I'd nearly put that down as 1 point lost in the greater scheme of things.

Lots of good stuff but once again we look bereft of ideas when we have extra men. We gave away so many senseless penalties in the 2nd half. Ulster had no real threat but we gave them the platform to stay alive.