CONNACHT LOOK FOR RUTHLESS RESPONSE
BEING centrally involved in a Christmas classic will have been little consolation to Connacht this week following last weekend’s thrilling 29-33 loss at the RDS.
It’s not such a wonderful life when you cough up a 17-point advantage with 17 minutes left and it is essential Andy Friend’s side use that as motivation tonight at The Sportsground as any wound-licking will leave them vulnerable to an Ulster side buzzing on the back of their win over Munster and recent run of excellent form.
It sets up an intriguing contest in what is turning out to be highly compelling and instructive inter-provincial series and, while both provinces have rotated their selections, there is much here to exercise the thoughts of Ireland management with the Six Nations looming.
One of the more puzzling rotations is Friend’s decision to bench Paul Boyle. The Wexford man had a huge game at the RDS, making 18 tackles in a highly industrious all-round display, and when he was hauled ashore his team were 29-12 ahead, only to ship 21 unanswered points in his absence.
However, the backrow is an area of significant strength for Connacht this season and Sean O’Brien will relish this opportunity alongside the in-form Colby Fainga’a and captain Jarrad Butler.
The home side could do with another dominant display from half-backs Jack Carty and Caolin Blade, both of whom looked sensational at times against Leinster, while their centre partnership of Bundee Aki and Tom Farrell is the match of any around at present.
They will need to be on their game to curb the threat of Will Addison, arguably Ulster’s player of the season, just as the backrow will have their hands full against the carrying and scrapping of Marcell Coetzee and Jordi Murphy.
It will also be interesting to see how Johnny McPhillips goes at 10 for the visitors. The former Ireland Under-20 star has been largely a peripheral figure this season behind new signing Billy Burns but is a highly accomplished playmaker. This would be the perfect opportunity to state his case.
Another player to have gone under the radar is second row Ian Nagle. The Corkman has had a stop-start career, taking a break from the game after injury compromised his efforts to kick on from his stellar display in Munster’s win over Australia in 2010 and then living in the shadows at Leinster before getting his chance on loan with Ulster this season.
Nagle was immense against his former team-mates at Ravenhill last weekend and should have won the Man of the Match award — if he can continue that form, the 30-year-old can nail down his spot in what has been a problem position for Ulster since Johann Muller departed four years ago.
Ulster have taken massive strides under Dan McFarland this season and perhaps the most striking aspect to their progress has been the bit of backbone the new coach has introduced.
They are no longer a soft touch on the road — as the recent Champions Cup win away to Scarlets proved — and they will run out in Galway determined to make it five wins on the bounce.
However, the end-game loss at Leinster was Connacht’s only reverse in their last five and they are guaranteed to raise their game in front of their feral support at The Sportsground.
It makes for an extremely difficult result to predict but home advantage and a bench brimming with impact through the likes of Boyle, Ultan Dillane and Dave Heffernan could see Connacht see out the game in the winning fashion they were unable to execute last weekend.