Ulster v Connacht

Guinness Pro 12 Round 11

Friday 26th December 2014 Kick Off: 18:45 On TV: BBC NI

After exiting Europe and slipping down to 5th place in the league table in recent weeks Ulster will be keen to get their season back on track at home to Connacht.

Other Match Stats

• Ulster have won just one of their last four contests in all tournaments: 24-9 over Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium in the European Champions Cup on 6th December.
• The Ulstermen have won all five previous Guinness PRO12 encounters played in Belfast this season.
• All three of Ulster’s defats to a fellow Irish Province at Kingspan Stadium since October 2010 have been inflicted by Leinster.
• Connacht’s four game winning run in all competitions ended with their 11-21 defeat to Leinster in Dublin on Friday. Connacht’s only win over an Irish Province in their last 13 such encounters was 10-9 against Leinster in Galway in September.
• Ulster’s only defeat to Connacht in their last 16 meetings since 2005 was 21-26 at the Sportsground in April 2012, whilst Connacht have not been victorious in Belfast since November 1960.
• Ulster have scored an average of 24 points and conceded an average of 15 points in their league games to date

Ulster Stats
Founded: 1879
Ground: Ravenhill, Belfast
Capacity: 18,196
Captain: Rory Best
Coach: Neil Doak

Guinness Pro 12 League Position 2014/15: Position 5th P:10 Points: 31
Rabo Direct Pro12 League Position 2013/14: Position: 4th P: 22 Points: 70 (Lost 13-9 to Leinster in S/F)

European Rugby Champions Cup 2014/15: 4th in Pool 3 P:4 Points:6
Heineken Cup 2013/14: Quarter Finalists: 1st in Pool 5 Points 26 (Lost Q/F to Saracens 17-15)

Previous Results
Ospreys 31-20 Ulster (Pro 12 Round 10)
Scarlets 22-13 Ulster (Champions Cup Round 4)
Ulster 24-9 Scarlets (Champions Cup Round 3)
Munster 21-20 Ulster (Pro 12 Round 9)
Ulster 25-16 Ospreys (Pro 12 Round 

Next League Fixture:
Saturday 3rd January 2015 14.40 Leinster v Ulster @ RDS (Guinness Pro 12 Round 12

European Champions Cup (Pool 3)
Toulon 13
Scarlets 8
Leicester 8
Ulster 6

Ulster Ins and Outs 2014/15
Players In
Ian Humphreys from London Irish
Ruaidhrí Murphy from Brumbies
Wiehahn Herbst from Sharks
Dave Ryan from Zebre
Franco van der Merwe from Lions
Louis Ludik from Agen
Charlie Butterworth from Lansdowne
Sean Reidy from Counties Manukau
Devin Montgomery from Wits

Players Out
Tom Court to London Irish
John Afoa to Gloucester
Johann Muller retiring
Niall Annett to Worcester Warriors
Chris Farrell to Grenoble
Adam Macklin to Rotherham Titans
James McKinney to Rotherham Titans
Paddy McAllister to Aurillac
Ian Porter to Connacht
Paddy Wallace retiring
Chris Cochrane retiring
David McIlwaine to Yorkshire Carnegie
Sean Doyle to Brumbies
Stephen Ferris retiring

Previous Meetings

Friday 11th April 2014 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Ulster 58-12 Connacht
www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/14716.php

Saturday 21st September 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Connacht 7-18 Ulster
www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/12893.php