Ulster Rugby vs Connacht

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www.ulsterrugby.com 37 ULSTERRUGBY
With back-to-back interpro fixtures
over the Christmas period, these
three games against Leinster, Ulster
and Munster represent a significant
juncture in the province’s push for a
‘top 6’ finish and qualification for next
season’s coveted Champions Cup.
Head Coach Pat Lam, in his second
season at the helm, has witnessed
a pleasing start to the season with
a string of impressive performances
from his young squad – six wins,
a draw and just two losses in the
league before last week’s clash with
defending champions Leinster.
While unbeaten at the Sportsground
this season, wins on the road to
Edinburgh, Benetton Treviso and
Challenge Cup opponents Bayonne
have highlighted the significant
progress being made and the
winning culture bubbling amongst
the growing squad.
The Galway-based club witnessed a
summer of change on the field with
a number of new signings arriving
to complement the growing base
of home-grown talent advancing
through the Connacht system.
Super Rugby centre Bundee Aki
signed from the Chiefs and arrived
in Ireland in late October after a
hectic schedule playing ITM Cup
rugby with provincial side Counties
Manakau. Aki was keen to get going
immediately and ten days after
arriving in Galway, the 24-year-old
who can play inside or outside
centre, was selected to start against
the Ospreys. He then went on to start
the next three games and followed
up a Man of the Match performance
against the Scarlets with his first
try in a Connacht jersey coming in
the Connacht’s 42 – 19 win over
Bayonne a week later.
Tom McCartney, who can switch
between hooker and loosehead
prop with ease, was also signed
from Super Rugby side Auckland
Blues and the 29-year-old arrived in
Galway in November following the
conclusion of his ITM commitments
with Waikato. The front row forward
has played three games already for
the province, showing his class and
experience particularly at the set
piece.
Undoubtedly the biggest coup in
Connacht’s history, Mils Muliaina
was the first All Black to sign for the
Western Irish province when he put
pen to paper last May.
Samoan-born Muliaina, who arrived
in Galway in August, previously
played under Pat Lam at Auckland
from 2004 - 2005 and with the
Asia Pacific Barbarians in 2012.
The 34-year-old was signed as a
player-mentor for Connacht and his
invaluable experience has already
assisted in the development of the
young Irish talent at the club. But the
All Black centurion has always been
vocal when it came to his desire
to get out on the pitch and play in
addition to the mentoring role. He
completed rehab on his elbow injury
in early November and has started
three games for the province against
Zebre, Scarlets and Bayonne, before
his involvement at the RDS last
weekend.
With a revitalised PRO12 and new-
look Europe competition, Connacht
have targeted a ‘top six’ league finish
in order to qualify for Europe’s elite
Champions Cup. In this season’s
second-tier Challenge Cup, the
Irish province currently sit in second
place in pool 2 having come up
against Top 14 sides Bayonne and
La Rochelle as well as on-form Aviva
Premiership club Exeter Chiefs.
This month in France, an entirely
new-look starting XV recorded a
dramatic 29 – 27 win over Bayonne
to set up a likely showdown with
pool leaders Exeter Chiefs at the
Sportsground next month. 20-year-
old Academy scrum half from
Monivea, Caolin Blade, scored two
tries on his first start for the province
while out half and captain Miah
Nikora converted both and added
five penalties.
Connacht Rugby arrive at Kingspan Stadium today for Round 11
of the GUINNESS PRO12 and their last game of 2014.
TONIGHT’S OPPOSITION
CLUB STATS
//Location
Galway, Ireland
//Founded
1885
//Ground
Sportsground
//Capacity
7,500
//Last Game
Leinster Rugby (A)
Fri 19th December 2014 at 19:35
//Next Game
Munster Rugby (H)
Thu 1st Jan 2015 at 17:00
//Recent Form
D W L W W
STAFF
// Coach
Pat Lam
// Captain
John Muldoon
CONTACT
Galway Sportsground
College Road
Galway
Ireland
Tel +353 91 561 568
Fax +353 91 560 097
TICKET OFFICE
Tel +353 91 561 568
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