Think the side looks fresh and will be up for it. Really buzzed at Heenan and Clarke. I have a few concerns - Henshaw has played his best rugby (that I've seen) coming onto the ball at 15. Also, Mul is no number 8 .

I think its great that the squad is at last strong enough to shake it up a bit rather than a solid 17 - 18 players & we're bare.... Gotta support the new manager and roar them on from the Clan Stand..........can't wait!!!

theCulk wrote: Pay particular attention to Court in the scrum. When Ulster are playing into the bohermore end he'll be scrumming towards the clan bar, just watch. And the main stand when they are playing into the college road end

He likes to scrummage sideways

Clancy let him away with murder in Ravenhill last year against Loughney. He kept boring in sideways

Although for someone of Loughs experience, he should have been able to address the ref/touch judge. That match was the end of Loughs getting into any Irish squads

Pay particular attention to Court in the scrum. When Ulster are playing into the bohermore end he'll be scrumming towards the clan bar, just watch. And the main stand when they are playing into the college road end

I THINK ITS A GOOD TEAM. SURE ULSTER ARE POWERFUL BUT THE GAME AINT ALL ABOUT POWER.

fecking caps lock

They are 2 + 0.

We want this scalp.

Fook the reputations they have. Love to se tom court pushed into lough atalia and wilson cleaned.

I have a feeling it will come down to parks....he has been as dodgy as jimmy saville's hands lately.

this is the fine line we face....

If Lam is sending George a message I'm fine with him on the bench. If he's just playing horses for courses then I think Muldoon at 8 is a mistake. It might be telling that he mentioned Fionn had a good week of practice by way of explaining his inclusion. It leads me to believe he didn't the prior week and that's why he was left out. The pack is going to have to step it up if Connacht are to be competitive. Clarke and Heenan won't have any influence on the game if the penalties are running up at scrum time. It will be interesting to see if Lam dares to work a game plan of getting the ball out to the backs.

connolly wrote: I think most people are forgetting that Danie Poolman was one of our best players (one that i voted for our player of the year) He score some crucial try's last season

And a great defensive player, saved more tries than he scored.. For this reason, I'm ok to put him on the bench, he may hold desperate situations when the team is tired, like he did last week in Cardiff (81th minute)

salmson wrote: Anyone else think it's a bit harsh on TOH and Andrew Browne being dropped from the 23 altogether. I realise Poolman and George cover more positions but they must feel a bit hard done by.

No. TOH has been bad for a long time. Browne has been off form at 5. He's a 6 and that's it.

Pat isn't afraid to shake things up from the looks of it either with dropping George to the bench either. More looking forward to seeing Heenan than Clarke play. While he may be the biggest name signing we've ever done, people are way to excited for Clarke's debut. He's a 2nd row, he's going to have a certain impact, but not as big an impact as some are expecting I think

I think most people are forgetting that Danie Poolman was one of our best players (one that i voted for our player of the year) He score some crucial try's last season

i was keen to see the fallon/heenan combo but against a more mobile back row, not sure it will work against this Ulster backrow, a lot will depend on Muldoon. they will for sure try to play us through the forwards and just out muscle us, if we can keep enough ball then the backs will have to score a few tries to keep us in the game. We also need to keep the penalty count down and ensure we don't give them easy ones in our half of the pitch.

Swifty- I dont know if its pointless to try. I'd expect to compete at scrum time at least until the changes are made when Connacht will struggle. The lineout is a huge concern though and if we struggle out of touch we are looking at giving up a 5 ptr at home. Playing with 2 7s will make us competitive at the breakdown and Lacey is usually good at Reffing that aspect of the game but if ulster are up for it that won't be enough.
I hope I'm wrong but it could be tough to watch.

Anyone else think it's a bit harsh on TOH and Andrew Browne being dropped from the 23 altogether. I realise Poolman and George cover more positions but they must feel a bit hard done by.

even with our strongest pack out, we couldnt match ulster and its pointless to try.
we need players grabbing ulsters ankles, simple as that, stop them. something swifty, mul and faloon is good at! george wouldnt make much yards tomorrow.

out backs are as good as anyones at the moment in the pro12, give it to the backs and keep it away from the forwards, we wont win an arm wrestle!

No recognised ball carrier in the pack and only 1 recognised lineout jumper in Clarke

Risky, given the power Ulster have in the pack in carrriers like Wilson, Nick Williams and Henderson

really want to wind this one. badly.

good pack.

pity rodney is not a hooker.
would love a really powerful no 8. george aint it.

Looking forward to seeing Clarke and Heenan in action, here's hoping for a great performance. That team on paper looks good to me possibly would prefer George to be there somewhere too though!

On a side note I'm not sure where the story is coming from that the clan terrace has been sold out for the last few days, I just bought two more tickets online five mins ago for it no problems at all?!

fatgav wrote: Why the star beside Big George's name? It's in the official Connacht release, but not explained.

Maybe he's an injury concern? Would explain dropping him from the starting 15. Didn't have a great game last week, but we'll struggle to stop Nick Williams with that backrow.