Passion and performance key for Ulster, insists McFarland

WE MEET AGAIN: Shamus Hurley-Langton of Connacht celebrates at the final whistle of the United Rugby Championship Quarter-Final match between Ulster and Connachlast season. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

There has been plenty of history between Connacht and Ulster in their 42 league meetings in the professional era — not to mention all that went before then — but the two sides will not be looking beyond the happenings of the past year as they both put their winning starts on the line in the first Irish derby of the season at the Sportsground on Saturday evening (7.35pm).

Ulster were the last visiting team to win at the Sportsground when they triumphed 22-20 two days before Christmas last year. 

That win completed a league double having also won on the opening weekend of the season in Belfast and brought their record then to 30 victories in 41 meetings between the sides.

But Connacht, who have since won all seven games at the Sportsground, gained revenge last May, a 15-10 URC quarter-final win at Kingspan Stadium which ended Ulster’s season and denied them a home semi-final date with the then reigning champions the Stormers.

Dan McFarland, the Ulster head coach who spent a decade and a half as a player and coach with Connacht, summed up that meeting earlier this week.

“I think there is always an element of that the last time we met we didn’t do ourselves justice. They played very well in that game, we played one of our worst games of the year. There is definitely history around that but is it the biggest thing? I don’t think so.

“We have an understanding that we need heart, passion, that feeling of letting ourselves down but we also need to be clinical and good at the rugby. Their first two games of the season have shown some really good rugby, so we have to be on the money rugby-wise, as well as being really pumped up for it."

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins, who has started his reign after taking over from Andy Friend with home wins over Ospreys and Glasgow Warriors, knows that there has been very little between these two sides in recent seasons.

“From encounters with them over the last few seasons, their structure, box-kicking, mauling game, those physical elements of their game have been really key parts in how they've come at us.

“It'll be interesting to see that end product at the weekend in terms of how they decide to go after us, whether that expansive game does come in, or whether they go back to what has served them so well at times in the past,” said Wilkins.

Unlike McFarland, Wilkins is able to select a strong squad for this clash as they bid to make it three wins on the spin at the start of a season for only the third time ever.

Skipper Jack Carty returns from a jaw injury to make his first start of the season after JJ Hanrahan suffered a knee injury last weekend, and that is the only change in a backline where Cathal Forde has been outstanding in the centre and where Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen will return in a few weeks.

The other two changes are upfront as Wilkins again shuffles his back five. Joe Joyce, who has made an impressive start at the Sportsground since his move from Bristol, will be partnered by Oisin Dowling, as the Dublin native again swaps places on the bench with Niall Murray.

Conor Oliver gets the nod ahead of Jarrad Butler in a back row where Cian Prendergast moves to No.8 for his 50th appearance for the side.

McFarland is without 19 players for the trip to Galway, five who were on duty at the World Cup including Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff, with a casualty list which now extends to 14 players.

Only four players survive from the side which defeated the Bulls in Belfast last weekend. 

And with the likes of Jacon Stockdale, Mike Lowry, Rob Baloucoune, Luke Marshall and John Cooney ruled out, it is very much a callow backline which will do duty at the Sportsground with former Munster player Jake Flannery starting his fourth game for Ulster where he will partner Dave Shanahan at half-back.

Up front development player and former Irish U-20 Harry Sheridan will partner skipper Alan O’Connor in the second row with academy lock Joe Hopes providing cover on the bench and set for his senior debut.

Another development player Reuben Crothers will make first competitive appearance for his home province at openside flanker, while Cork native James French makes his first start at tighthead since his move from Munster.

Connacht: T O’Halloran; B Ralston, T Farrell, C Forde, D Kilgallen; J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier; O Dowling, J Joyce; S Hurley-Langton, C Oliver, C Prendergast. Replacements: T McElroy, J Duggan, D Roberston-McCoy, N Murray, J Butler, C Reilly, D Hawkshaw, A Smith.

Ulster: W Addison; A Sexton, J Hume, S Moore, E McIlroy; J Flannery, D Shanahan; E O’Sullivan, J Andrew, J French; A O’Connor (c), H Sheridan; Matty Rea, R Crothers, N Timoney. Replacements: T Stewart, A Warwick, G McGrath, J Hopes, D McCann, N Doak, B Burns, B Moxham.

Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa).