GO WEST

Rather aptly, Ulster’s famous song “Stand up for the Ulstermen” has the same tune as the Pet Shop Boys’ equally famous hit “Go West”. And west is where Ulster find themselves this weekend as they take on the most westerly based club in Ireland and all of European rugby – Connacht.

You have to go back to September 2009 for Ulster’s last win in Galway, a resounding 30-6 win which included tries for Ian Humphreys, BJ Botha, Darren Cave and Timoci Nagusa. Fast forward three and a half years and only one of those players features in Ulster’s squad this season.

He starts in Ulster’s chase for top spot in the Pro12…

Mixed build-up

Approaching this match, Ulster have made a press statement, released yesterday. And it was extremely controversial.

In said press statement Ulster Rugby CEO Shane Logan revealed that if Ulster get to the final of the RaboDirect Pro12 and have “home” advantage, then the match will be played in the RDS Arena in Dublin since Ravenhill does not meet the capacity requirements for a Pro12 final. Considering where Ulster are in the league, this is a high possibility.

Why the controversy? Two reasons. One, throughout the season Ulster have been reassuring fans that the stadium would be ready in time for any Pro12 final. In fact, whenever the building project initially began they had hoped to have the two stands ready in time for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals at the start of this month! However the stadium will not be completed in time and this is the cause for the change of venue.

However, the second reason is possibly more important. The way the league is going it looks very much like Ulster’s opponents in the final of the Pro12 would be Leinster, whose home ground is obviously the RDS. So not only would Ulster be giving up their home advantage, but they would also be handing it straight over to the “away” side which could be a massive boost for them. However, this will only happen if Leinster are Ulster’s final opponents.

It is a kick in the teeth for Ulster fans. After watching their team do so well at the start of the season, slowly slide down the table during the Six Nations, then find their form once again afterwards, it really is a blow to find out that if they do get to the final then they will have to travel all the way down to Dublin to a ground that isn’t theirs to support their team.

It’s a very tricky scenario. The move from Ravenhill was inevitable since the stadium wasn’t ready, but after Ulster claiming all season that the stadium would be ready, where did it go wrong? As mere fans we probably will never know, but there will definitely be a degree of discontent in the fans.

But that is for another time. There is a match on Friday night, and with a win, Ulster will guarantee themselves a place in the Pro12 play-offs. Connacht are the opponents, and they too still have a slim possibility of something to play for – an automatic Heineken Cup spot for next season.

Currently the Westies sit twelve points behind Munster in ninth and with three games left they can still mathematically overtake their provincial rivals. No matter how unlikely their chances may be, while they still have a chance they will fight. And Ulster will have to be wary of this. Connacht are a tough side, but when they are in the so-called “last chance saloon” they become even trickier to beat, especially in the windy atmosphere of the Sportsground.

For Ulster they will simply have to play their normal game. Play the basics right and that should be enough to beat the men from Galway. With all of their best players back and raring to go in the run in to the play-offs there will be no more excuses. After going out of the Heineken Cup two weeks ago to Saracens, only one thing will make up for it: the Pro12 title.

Will they keep the run going? I think they will, but they will have to do the job against a resilient Connacht side. It should be a tightly contested match but Ulster should have enough to win handily. Bonus point? Not this time. But Ulster will take the win – any win. Prediction – Ulster by 17.

Connacht Rugby vs. Ulster Rugby

Friday 17^th April, 19:45

Galway Sportsground

RaboDirect Pro12, Round 21

Live on BBC2 NI and TG4

CONNACHT RUGBY

15. Robbie Henshaw, 14. Danie Poolman, 13. Eoin Griffin, 12. Brian Murphy, 11. Gavin Duffy, 10. Dan Parks, 9. Kieran Marmion; 1. Brett Wilkinson, 2. Adrian Flavin, 3. Ronan Loughney, 4. Michael Swift, 5. Mike McCarthy, 6. Mick Kearney, 7. John Muldoon, 8. George Naoupu.

16. Ethienne Reynecke, 17. Rodney Ah You, 18. JP Cooney, 19. Andrew Browne, 20. Mata Fifita, 21. Paul O’Donohoe, 22. Miah Nikora, 23. Fetu’u Vainokolo.

ULSTER RUGBY

15. Jared Payne, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Darren Cave, 12. Stuart Olding, 11. Andrew Trimble, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 1. Tom Court, 2. Rory Best, 3. Ricky Lutton, 4. Lewis Stevenson, 5. Dan Tuohy, 6. Robbie Diack, 7. Chris Henry (c), 8. Nick Williams.

16. Rob Herring, 17. Callum Black, 18. John Afoa, 19. Johann Muller, 20. Iain Henderson, 21. Paul Marshall, 22. Mike Allen, 23. Peter Nelson.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Barrie O’Connell (both IRFU)

Citing Commissioner: Eugene Ryan (IRFU)

TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)