Ulster v Connacht Ravenhill, Saturday, 4.0: The ramifications of losing this encounter would be considerable for Ulster coach Mark McCall. With the present climate in Irish rugby so prosperous, Ulster people would struggle to sit with the ignominy of Connacht beating them on their own patch - it hasn't happened since 1960 (6-3).
Until Leinster out-muscled Ulster last Monday, the McCall era looked to be turning the corner. They have won four of their last five games in Ravenhill, with a heart-warming dismantling of Stade Francais on December 11th, only to fail to impress against an under-strength Leinster pack. If David Holwell had been kicking instead of Felipe Contepomi it would have been a heavier defeat than a single point.
Connacht are sitting three points clear of Ulster in the Celtic League and a bonus point will keep them ahead.
Some good fortune has arrived with the return of their two key men, David Humphreys and captain Andy Ward. Humphreys has recovered sufficiently from a foot injury to regain the number 10 shirt from Adam Larkin, who slips to the bench, in turn forcing Paddy Wallace off the squad.
Larkin did an able job against Leinster but Humphreys' presence is, as ever, vital to their success. Ward returns to the squad after a string of injuries that have kept him sidelined since mid-November. However, he has failed to displace stand-in captain Campbell Feather at blindside forward, or young guns Neil Best and Roger Wilson in an unchanged back row.
Hooker Paul Shields also returns at the expense of Nigel Brady but again Rory Best manages to hold on to the starting berth. Matt Mustchin and Nigel Brady miss out entirely.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley has enough problems of his own. Their 3-0 defeat to Munster makes it three straight games without a win and with a trip to Dean Richards' Grenoble next Friday, for the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup, Connacht need to stop the rot.
Like Munster and Leinster, Bradley has opted against selecting a team until closer to kick-off with the main concerns focusing on hooker John Fogarty and back rower John O'Sullivan. Gareth Halligan and Brendan O'Connor are named in the 24-man squad as cover.
Connacht should be competitive but if Humphreys can get his pack moving forward early they could open up their visitors with a regularity that ensures a bonus point.
This will see Ulster leap-frog them in the table and in turn restore the old order again.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; S Best, R Best, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, C Feather (capt), R Wilson, N Best. Replacements: P Shields, R McCormack, R Frost, A Ward, N Doak, A Larkin, J Bell.
CONNACHT (possible): M Mostyn; T Robinson, D Yapp, J Downey, C McPhillips; P Warwick, T Tierney; R Hogan, B Jackman, P Bracken, C Short, A Farley (capt), J Muldoon, J O'Sullivan, M Lacey. Replacements: J Fogarty, A Clarke, P Myburgh, M Swift, C Keane, E Elwood, J Meagher.
Referee: Donal Courtney (IRFU).
Recent meetings - April 2002 (Interprovincial Championship): at Sportsground - Connacht 17 Ulster 18; November 2003 (CL): at Sportsground - Connacht 31 Ulster 20; April 2004 (CL): at Ravenhill - Ulster 42 Connacht 27; September 2004 (CL): at Sportsground - Connacht 13 Ulster 19.
Top try scorers: Ulster - Tommy Bowe, Andrew Maxwell and Bryn Cunninham 3 each. Connacht - Matt Mostyn and Conor O'Loughlin 3 each.
Top points scorers: Ulster - David Humphreys 48. Connacht - Paul Warwick 83.
Verdict: Ulster.
