RUGBY: CONNACHT v ULSTER, SPORTSGROUND ON SATURDAY (7.30):ULSTER HEAD coach Brian McLaughlin has shown confidence in the players that have given them a dream start of three wins from three in the Magners League.
Big-name signing Ruan Pienaar, who has a slight shoulder injury, has been left out of the squad to face Connacht at the Sportsground on Saturday (7.30pm).
The 47-times capped South African utility player, who hopes to play in next year’s World Cup with the Springboks, has not been considered for the side after his arrival in Belfast just last week and will have to wait at least another six days for his first competitive start for the province, who face Warriors at Ravenhill on Friday October 1st.
BJ Botha, who played in the frontrow for South Africa in this season’s Tri-Nations alongside Pienaar, is again included in the 28-man squad. Having come off the bench last week, he joins fellow African travellers Johan Muller and Pedrie Wannenburg, who also came into the Edinburgh game as a replacement.
But McLaughlin has included Ireland’s Paddy Wallace for the interprovincial meeting in Galway. The Irish back missed last Friday’s 29-21 victory at Ravenhill, which has Ulster second in the Magners League table behind Munster and ahead of struggling Leinster and Connacht. Eric Elwood’s Connacht side also lead Leinster after two wins from three outings with Leinster down in eighth place after just one win so far.
Although Pienaar can play in several positions and crucially is also a place kicker, scrumhalf Paul Marshall will feel most vulnerable. Marshall started last week’s match before being replaced by Ian Porter, although he has been impressive in all three of Ulster’s games so far. The 25-year-old from Methodist College in Belfast is pragmatic about the internal battle he is likely to face.
“At the end of the day, Ruan is coming into the squad and he’s going to play some rugby for Ulster at some stage. I’ve just got to keep my head down and do my best any time I get a chance,” said the scrumhalf.
If Ulster are on a mission to bring home some silverware this season, Elwood is similarly determined to change perceptions of Connacht after years of finishing bottom of the table.
“I want to change people’s perceptions of the province. I no longer want to lose well and have people patronise me by saying ‘you played a good game’,” he said after beating Glasgow at the weekend.
“I want to win and make the province proud so that instead of people talking about there being three provinces plus Connacht in Irish rugby, they’ll talk of four provinces.”
After a long session yesterday several Connacht players sat out some or all of the squad training. Gavin Duffy (back), captain Frank Murphy (ankle), top try scorer Fionn Carr (foot), winger Tiernan O’Halloran (knee) and Jamie Hagan (back) all took precautionary measures ahead of the game.
On the plus side, flanker Johnny O’Connor is back training but as yet cannot take contact after a back injury.
Eoin Griffin and Brian Touhy are also back with team captain John Muldoon pencilled in for a return in Connacht’s Challenge Cup game on October 9th.
All of the players will be monitored through the week to assess their availability for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Iarnród Éireann will put in place special train arrangements to cater for supporters who wish to travel from Athlone, Ballinasloe, and Athenry for Saturday’s match. Passengers will be able to avail of regular trains departing Athlone at 16.04hrs, 17.04hrs and 18.02hrs, all of which will arrive at Ceannt Station in time for the game. A return train will depart Galway at 22.15hrs returning to Athlone and serving Athenry, Attymon, Woodlawn and Ballinasloe.
CONNACHT– Forwards: R Loughney, B Wilkinson, S Cronin, A Flavin, R Sweeney, J Hagan, A Browne, D Nolan, M Swift, B Upton, M McCarthy, R Ofisa, M McComish, S Conneely. Backs: C Willis, F Murphy, M Nikora, I Keatley, F Carr, K Matthews, N Taauso, T O'Halloran, A Wynne, T Nathan, G Duffy, D Fanning.
ULSTER– Forwards: T Court, P McAllister, B Young, BJ Botha, R Best, N Brady, A Kyriacou, J Muller, T Barker, R Caldwell, S Ferris, C Henry, W Faloon, R Diack, P Wannenburg, D Tuohy. Backs: A D'Arcy, J Smith, D McIlwaine, P Emerick, A Trimble, P Wallace, I Whitten, I Humphreys, N O'Connor, I Porter, P Marshall.
