Connacht v Ulster

:00:35. > :00:41.STUDIO: After back-to-back European success, return to the Pro12 for

:00:42. > :00:48.Ulster, Boxing Day battle against Connacht. A rejuvenated side this

:00:49. > :00:53.season, unbeaten at home. The last two meetings between the sides have

:00:54. > :01:02.been very close. COMMENTATOR: What a score. This time last year, Ulster

:01:03. > :01:07.edged a narrow win. It is an Irish Derby in the West from the sports

:01:08. > :01:13.ground, in Galway, and it is all live here, on BBC Two. Welcome to

:01:14. > :01:17.Ulster Rugby live on this bitterly cold boxing night, get your feet up,

:01:18. > :01:22.settle in for Round 10 of the Guinness Pro12, in the company of

:01:23. > :01:25.former Allston and Ireland players. -- former Ulster and Ireland

:01:26. > :01:30.players. You have both played in these festive derbies, what makes

:01:31. > :01:36.them special? Not necessarily the fact it is a festive Derby, the fact

:01:37. > :01:39.it is a derby, end of, so it is an exciting time, very difficult to

:01:40. > :01:43.play around the Christmas New Year period, people like to, just because

:01:44. > :01:46.they are professional sports people, does not make them immune to the

:01:47. > :01:51.festivities! It is a difficult one to get your head around, it can make

:01:52. > :01:57.a potential banana skin. Looking at the table, Llanelli Scarlets our top

:01:58. > :02:02.despite losing to the Ospreys by a point today, but I suppose that it

:02:03. > :02:07.is not often we see Connacht above Ulster at this stage of the season,

:02:08. > :02:12.it is all change. Due to the fact that Connacht have been probably the

:02:13. > :02:15.one province that have been less affected by the World Cup. They did

:02:16. > :02:19.what they have to do, they won a lot of games in the early part of the

:02:20. > :02:23.season and they have had a great run of form. Ulster, fortunately, have

:02:24. > :02:27.been able to turn their form around in the last few weeks, a couple of

:02:28. > :02:30.great wins against the loose rugby, they will want to maintain that

:02:31. > :02:36.momentum going into the New Year. A lot of the internationals left out,

:02:37. > :02:40.but they are fielding a strong 18 as possible, they have only won once on

:02:41. > :02:44.the road in their last seven games of the Pro12 but what will that away

:02:45. > :02:50.win against a loose rugby have done? -- as strongly team as possible. I'm

:02:51. > :02:53.looking forward to seeing them get back into domestic competition to

:02:54. > :02:58.see what that has produced physically and mentally, it is

:02:59. > :03:03.something, success breeds success, I'm looking forward to it, it was a

:03:04. > :03:09.big scalp to go to to lose and bring it down. I'm really looking forward

:03:10. > :03:17.to it. -- bring it to to loose rugby. -- Toulouse. What kind of

:03:18. > :03:22.confidence is there around the squad, given what has happened? It

:03:23. > :03:27.is not guarantee as anything in the next game, it is about hard work and

:03:28. > :03:31.smart work, allowing us to play the kind of job that we like to. That

:03:32. > :03:42.will be difficult against Connacht, it is going to be tough. Are they a

:03:43. > :03:46.different prospect down here? They have not been beating here yet this

:03:47. > :03:53.year, they will be keen to keep it that way. They are a good team

:03:54. > :03:56.around the park, battling at the breakdown. We will see what the

:03:57. > :04:01.referee allows and does not, both teams will have to adapt, it will be

:04:02. > :04:09.interesting and it will be physical. What will Ulster bring today? Some

:04:10. > :04:12.composure, as we have done to recent games, we want to play a style of

:04:13. > :04:16.game that the guys love, but we know it does not just come to you. I hope

:04:17. > :04:21.that we get the basics well together. I hope that we can support

:04:22. > :04:25.each other well, and play like a team, if we do that, the individuals

:04:26. > :04:30.that have been shining will get a chance to shine. That is what we

:04:31. > :04:35.will be after. Winning breeds confidence, how clean will he be

:04:36. > :04:40.that Ulster keep up the good meant? As Andy has said, it is a difficult

:04:41. > :04:44.period, over the festive period, to produce your best rugby, but good

:04:45. > :04:49.management and leadership can help that. No better man than less, at

:04:50. > :04:55.the helm, to really preach the basics, work on the breakdown, the

:04:56. > :04:58.set piece, and build a solid foundation for the defence, which

:04:59. > :05:04.they have done in the last few games. If they can maintain that

:05:05. > :05:09.level of accuracy, then they have every chance of breaking Connacht's

:05:10. > :05:19.stronghold. Sounds like he's expecting it to be very tasty, Les

:05:20. > :05:25.Kiss local derby always fires up passion in the boys. Connacht have

:05:26. > :05:29.done brilliantly, have not lost at home in any competition this season,

:05:30. > :05:32.Ulster are going to have to pull up their socks, and go one step further

:05:33. > :05:37.than they have achieved in the last couple of weeks to come away from

:05:38. > :05:40.here with a scalp. Is it about every week trying to pitch the level of

:05:41. > :05:45.performance the way that they did in the games against Toulouse, and do

:05:46. > :05:56.that on a regular basis? The last thing you want to do is have such a

:05:57. > :06:03.high, and then bring it down, just because perhaps the level of

:06:04. > :06:05.competition is lower, and not as glamorous. That is when the leaders

:06:06. > :06:08.come in, the coaching staff, those that can propel up the performance,

:06:09. > :06:10.to maintain that level. They have shown what they can do against

:06:11. > :06:13.Toulouse, in the last two rounds of the European cup, so there is no

:06:14. > :06:15.reason why they cannot repeat that. They will be disappointed if the

:06:16. > :06:18.level of performance drops. After two big games, it is about getting

:06:19. > :06:24.the mental attitude right. It really is, without doubt, it is a physical

:06:25. > :06:28.game, and today, this is what it is going to take, if you are right

:06:29. > :06:34.upstairs, you will be good on the pitch. Connacht's only victory in

:06:35. > :06:38.the last 18 fixtures with Ulster, back in 2012, most people expecting

:06:39. > :06:45.this one to be close. Time to join the commentary team. Good evening,

:06:46. > :06:49.happy Christmas! COMMENTATOR: Condiments of the season from the

:06:50. > :06:54.city of the tribe, delighted to say, despite the awful rain, things are

:06:55. > :07:01.fine here, no rain worth talking about for the last couple of hours.

:07:02. > :07:04.Should be a pretty decent evening for running rugby, that is the

:07:05. > :07:13.watchword for Ulster, for the last couple of games. Usually important

:07:14. > :07:28.for both. In terms of qualification for Europe next year.

:07:29. > :07:39.I can tell you that Ulster have made four changes. From the game last

:07:40. > :07:43.week, Williams starting in the back row, and Rory Scholes coming onto

:07:44. > :07:46.the wing, among them. STUDIO: We are having a few technical problems,

:07:47. > :07:51.with the cameras at the sports ground at the moment, the teams on

:07:52. > :07:54.their way out, and we have lost cameras for the moment, but let's

:07:55. > :07:59.hope that we can restore things in the next couple of minutes. So that

:08:00. > :08:03.you will not miss a thing. We are expecting this game to be a close

:08:04. > :08:07.one! Pretty much, the part that I like a lot, the Ulster centres at

:08:08. > :08:11.the minute, the partnership has been going week in, week out, getting

:08:12. > :08:15.stronger and stronger, as a group, they seem to be working a whole rot

:08:16. > :08:19.Better Together, Paddy Jackson has come into form, so the right guys

:08:20. > :08:24.are doing the right things. Thank goodness, he are the pictures! We

:08:25. > :08:26.have not missed a thing. Back to the commentary team.

:08:27. > :08:37.COMMENTATOR: The referee, from monster, Fitzgibbon, refereeing his

:08:38. > :08:45.65th Pro12 game. He has been a referee since 2009. -- macro

:08:46. > :08:55.monster. -- Munster. Andrew Trimble, taking it forward, pain are finding

:08:56. > :09:05.his fellow South African. Cap many times for the Springboks, Pienaar.

:09:06. > :09:10.-- Pienaar. Paddy Jackson, which on it, that is what they have been

:09:11. > :09:18.doing all season. Roll on the first tackle, into touch. I'm delighted to

:09:19. > :09:22.say, back from Biarritz, O'Sullivan,,

:09:23. > :09:27.-- back from Biarritz, Eddie O'Sullivan, a great day for rugby.

:09:28. > :09:31.CO-COMMENTATOR: Full house at the sports ground, looking forward to a

:09:32. > :09:34.good game. Always intimidating, new is gone by, coming year, the old

:09:35. > :09:38.days of the old Winter pros, you thought that you would pick up the

:09:39. > :09:41.points but that has long disappeared into the mists of the West of

:09:42. > :09:49.Ireland. Hard days work here to get a result, let me tell you. First

:09:50. > :09:53.line-out. Well taken at the back. The redoubtable skipper, John

:09:54. > :10:01.Muldoon, playing his 201st league game, more league games than anyone

:10:02. > :10:05.else in the competition. That is why Connacht have had such a great

:10:06. > :10:10.season. The young openside flanker, George Connelly, taking it away,

:10:11. > :10:21.chip into space, well covered and gathered. Nice drinking kick. --

:10:22. > :10:30.dink. First penalty of the chilly evening for the home side. Did well.

:10:31. > :10:41.Had the momentum, Andrew Trimble did his best but I think the numbers

:10:42. > :10:45.were against them. This is an opportunity. Trimble may have had a

:10:46. > :10:50.case for thinking there was a player blocking him from doing the clearing

:10:51. > :11:00.out. Aiming for the post, they have gone for the line-out.

:11:01. > :11:08.Played nine, won five, lost four, and second in the table, winning

:11:09. > :11:13.seven, losing only two. The Ospreys have beaten Llanelli Scarlets. Does

:11:14. > :11:23.not change the position in the table. This is a terrific drive by

:11:24. > :11:30.the men in green. Ulster's down, Robbie Diack getting into the way.

:11:31. > :11:35.Jack Carty, running himself. Great stuff. What a start this would be

:11:36. > :11:40.for Connacht if they could squeeze it over for a try. One of 12

:11:41. > :11:48.personnel changes from last week's lost Newcastle Falcons. Maybe that

:11:49. > :11:52.should have been given by Craig Robinson. -- Craig Donaldson. It of

:11:53. > :12:00.support, good defence yet again by Ulster. Standing them in good stead,

:12:01. > :12:07.two European games against Toulouse, kicking his heels a little bit. The

:12:08. > :12:13.referee seemed to have the hand-out, playing advantage. Oh, putting in

:12:14. > :12:19.the tackle for Ulster, huge amount of pressure. Alan Masterson, moving

:12:20. > :12:25.from the flank to number eight for this game. -- Eoghan Masterson.

:12:26. > :12:31.Nicely presented. My work, they have been transformed under Pat Lam.

:12:32. > :12:34.Little kick, where is that going to go? Not backwards, dead ball area,

:12:35. > :12:40.it's given going back to the penalty. Yes, they knew that was a

:12:41. > :12:47.freebie, they ran out of steam. Interesting seeing this. The last

:12:48. > :12:50.maul was pretty impressive, brambles well up the field. You have got to

:12:51. > :12:59.wonder if it crossed their minds. They may go to the maul. Still being

:13:00. > :13:03.discussed. They are going to go into the corner. In somewhere between

:13:04. > :13:13.where you got the ball and the corner flag. What some raw from the

:13:14. > :13:19.crowd. Capacity crowd. Six hours and here. They have shortened the

:13:20. > :13:28.line-out, at the back. Tight head prop, Nathan white. Part of the

:13:29. > :13:32.Irish World Cup squad. David Heffernan, 24-year-old, to throw.

:13:33. > :13:37.Well taken. Here they go, it has worked well, Ulster have got to be

:13:38. > :13:45.very careful, it has gone to ground, legally so. Off-loaded to the

:13:46. > :13:50.skipper, Muldoon, well held up by Stuart McCloskey. Nice presentation.

:13:51. > :14:15.Men over on the far side. Ulster relieve the pressure again.

:14:16. > :14:28.Luke Marshall... Straight into the hands of O'Halloran, he will run.

:14:29. > :14:35.Marshall makes the tackle. Chance of an overlap, this is Connelly, high

:14:36. > :14:42.tackle by Rob Herring. Nicely taken on by Matt Healy, loads of face.

:14:43. > :14:53.What a great start. Ronaldson. Ulster up quickly.

:14:54. > :14:58.Ronaldson, scrum-half. Aly Muldowney... Having to check a

:14:59. > :15:05.little bit. The man on his left overran him.

:15:06. > :15:14.Chance gone. Yes, they blew it, well worked opportunity but Ulster

:15:15. > :15:20.defended the first maul brilliantly, shifting its... Head of steam up.

:15:21. > :15:27.They work really hard. Winning the turnover, loose kick by Marshall.

:15:28. > :15:33.Almost scored, roaring back. Twice at both corners they had them

:15:34. > :15:37.stretched. A couple of high tackles. Play on, O'Halloran got it away.

:15:38. > :15:44.Eoghan Masterson will not like looking at that again, the young

:15:45. > :15:56.fellow. Ulster get their first put into the scrum.

:15:57. > :16:09.The atmosphere is really boiling, the average weight of Connacht

:16:10. > :16:13.tackle is 18 stone, Ulster, half a stone lighter, unusual that they

:16:14. > :16:22.come up against a side with such a superiority. Peter Fitzgibbon played

:16:23. > :16:23.his club rugby in Limerick. He is a referee development manager with the

:16:24. > :16:37.RFU now. In successive European weeks,

:16:38. > :16:46.Pienaar has won the man of the match award. Nick Williams gets it away.

:16:47. > :16:53.McCloskey... Tries to step, outside Connelly, making good ground.

:16:54. > :17:03.A lot of adventure in Ulster's play. Tackled into touch. Connacht get the

:17:04. > :17:15.line-out. Ulster trying to run the ball. Felt like I was going against

:17:16. > :17:19.the tide sometimes these days, got loose, could have been a pass, you

:17:20. > :17:24.would think that Ulster would steady the ship, given a lot of momentum,

:17:25. > :17:28.ball in hand, maybe it is better to put the ball into the bleachers,

:17:29. > :17:38.start with the line-up, build the defence yet again. -- line-out.

:17:39. > :17:43.Taken up the front by John Muldoon. Connelly has the ball tucked in,

:17:44. > :17:44.steps all too easily inside Andrew Warwick. Tight forwards must make

:17:45. > :17:58.their tackles. Making a good run. Clever kick and a

:17:59. > :18:05.nasty hanging tantalising effort. Into touch. Did it come off

:18:06. > :18:12.Connacht? It is in Ulster line-out. Take that, get them into their own

:18:13. > :18:16.half, they have been under the palm for the first nine and a half

:18:17. > :18:20.minutes, dealing well but it is time for Ulster to steady the ship and

:18:21. > :18:30.spend some time in Connacht territory. 25-year-old from Nigeria,

:18:31. > :18:32.Niyi Adeolokun, spent five years studying at Dublin University,

:18:33. > :18:40.University College Dublin, as we used to call it. Rob Herring,

:18:41. > :18:46.captain for the ninth time. Good pressure, sloppy line-out work.

:18:47. > :18:52.Pienaar is outside his 22. Connacht straying offside. They have just

:18:53. > :19:09.about the right amount of weight on that.

:19:10. > :19:25.Ulster putting in... My whole host of tackles... Good break by the

:19:26. > :19:28.24-year-old prop, born in Canberra, and for the first time Ulster find

:19:29. > :19:40.themselves outside the ten metre line. Ulster need to take care of

:19:41. > :19:43.the kick. A bit narrow on the kick chase, and you could see Connacht

:19:44. > :19:51.loading it up on the outside channel. If it went wider, a few

:19:52. > :20:02.more problems. Having a word with Ruan Pienaar. Pat Lam, seems to be

:20:03. > :20:06.working... What a wonderful player he was, he captained Samoa back in

:20:07. > :20:11.1996, when they beat Ireland at the old Lansdowne Road.

:20:12. > :20:24.Good piece of positioning plate. There comes Ruan Pienaar. Moving it

:20:25. > :20:26.wide. Well tackled. Complaining about something, Jackson, moving it

:20:27. > :20:40.wide, Robbie Diack took it in. Ulster's good defending matched by

:20:41. > :20:45.Connacht. Setting up well from the scrum, the attack on the left flank,

:20:46. > :20:49.and then Ulster went wide again, from touchline to touchline. Very

:20:50. > :20:54.comfortable again and winning the turnover, putting the player into

:20:55. > :20:58.touch, they have got to be sensible around the outside channels. It is a

:20:59. > :21:03.turnover. They had been operating well. They do not want to give them

:21:04. > :21:12.these opportunities. The throw is picked up. Despite the attentions of

:21:13. > :21:22.Muldoon, Robbie Diack has made it available. Nick Williams is Cardiff

:21:23. > :21:32.bound at the end of the season. Ulster into the Connacht half. Or at

:21:33. > :21:41.least the ball is. Trying to hold him up, it has come away. Taken

:21:42. > :21:47.whereby Bundee Aki -- taken away by Bundee Aki. Making ground. Nathan

:21:48. > :21:50.White battling on the breakdown. McCloskey trying to get through. The

:21:51. > :21:53.referee seemed to be happy with that.

:21:54. > :22:14.Rob Herring, Ulster captain. Connacht trying to stretch wide,

:22:15. > :22:21.really getting across... Nicely done... Good work down the far

:22:22. > :22:27.touchline. Great work by Ruan Pienaar. The ball is out on the

:22:28. > :22:37.Connacht side. First penalty of the evening,

:22:38. > :22:45.Ulster, 14 minutes gone. Good work, but they seem to get caught narrow.

:22:46. > :22:48.Connacht have spotted that. Having to work hard to contain Connacht but

:22:49. > :22:54.when they get there, good job, but that has been a good first 15

:22:55. > :22:59.minutes for Ulster, defending in their own half, without the ball

:23:00. > :23:04.most of the time, if they can get a score, after all the work Connacht

:23:05. > :23:07.have put in, would be good. Must be the only game in the world where you

:23:08. > :23:13.can have a good 15 minutes without the ball! I have had to work hard,

:23:14. > :23:17.lucky to hang in there, you cannot fall them for effort, but I would

:23:18. > :23:21.like to see the defence wider, giving them more work to do. A

:23:22. > :23:27.chance here to make a statement, first option to attack the ball.

:23:28. > :23:31.Inside the Connacht half for the first time, now inside the 22 for

:23:32. > :23:38.the first time, Ruan Pienaar takes it nicely, bit of a loopy pass, well

:23:39. > :23:41.set up. Ruan Pienaar. Robbie Diack has had a couple of very good

:23:42. > :23:51.weakens of European rugby behind him.

:23:52. > :23:55.Franco van der Merwe, he has had another couple of good games in

:23:56. > :24:04.Europe. Pienaar looking to change direction. Luke Marshall. We bit of

:24:05. > :24:05.adventure from Ulster. Ruan Pienaar again, slip past, making a decent

:24:06. > :24:13.run. Connacht may have turned that one

:24:14. > :24:21.over, they have the penalty anyway. Very good work at the breakdown.

:24:22. > :24:27.Guess who, John Muldoon. Great work. You saw them, the inside pass,

:24:28. > :24:31.reminiscent of the winning try in Toulouse, but Connacht have their

:24:32. > :24:35.homework. -- have done their homework. Showing ambition but not

:24:36. > :24:36.really troubles, good shape in defence, and eventually, winning the

:24:37. > :24:52.turnover. Sneaking in ahead of the pair of

:24:53. > :25:05.them. Still inside the first quarter. Winning only once in the

:25:06. > :25:16.last 18 games, way back in April. Heffernan. Getting across the ten

:25:17. > :25:29.metre line. Kieran Marmion. Nice kick. Great kick. Kicking out in the

:25:30. > :25:33.area. A bit naughty. Tempers beginning to get up, Paddy Jackson

:25:34. > :25:40.the arbiter there. Saying, putting the camera down...

:25:41. > :25:47.OK, we will have a look. The referee wants to have a look at the big

:25:48. > :25:51.screen, he has asked Jude Quinn, the TMR, to have a look, landed on his

:25:52. > :25:55.backside... Had it been on his neck or shoulder, that would have been a

:25:56. > :26:02.yellow card, I think it is going to be a penalty. He was lucky. Very

:26:03. > :26:10.lucky. Never going to get the ball, and he dived in. He has landed on

:26:11. > :26:18.his back. It is a timing issue. Rather than intentional? Yes. Going

:26:19. > :26:25.for a penalty, this time. Fair enough. You must go to the ball if

:26:26. > :26:36.you are going up in the air, better judgment next time. Pretty reckless.

:26:37. > :26:41.Andrew Trimble landed on his back, or his backside, as opposed to his

:26:42. > :26:44.head or neck, there was no intent, according to the officials, Ulster

:26:45. > :26:53.will be mightily relieved to get the penalty. 17 minutes played.

:26:54. > :26:58.Paddy Jackson playing his seventh consecutive game of the season, with

:26:59. > :27:04.Ruan Pienaar, Andrew Trimble, playing his 199th game for Ulster,

:27:05. > :27:11.game number 200 against Munster, next week. The referee asking them

:27:12. > :27:16.to do that again. INAUDIBLE maintain the gap at all times.

:27:17. > :27:17.Putting his hand into the space, which is not allowed to do, before

:27:18. > :27:32.the ball is thrown. Just as well. Connacht came thundering through but

:27:33. > :27:42.not that one on. Robbie Diack at scrum-half. Ten metre line.

:27:43. > :27:53.Going back for the original knock-on. Making a nuisance of

:27:54. > :27:57.themselves. Uncomfortable is the best word for it. They have won the

:27:58. > :28:01.ball but it has not been the best delivery, that is a pity, very

:28:02. > :28:09.difficult to build a cohesive attack on the line-out, when it studies

:28:10. > :28:17.like that. Good scrum opportunity. Alan O'Connor... Down in the second

:28:18. > :28:23.row... With Franco van der Merwe, for the third game in a row.

:28:24. > :28:25.Replacement against Edinburgh for the injured Dan Tilley, he will be

:28:26. > :28:43.out for some time. -- Dan Tuohy. They have themselves a penalty at

:28:44. > :28:50.scrum time and they will be delighted with that. Craig Ronaldson

:28:51. > :29:02.runs in and gives his front row a pat on the back. Not sure what it

:29:03. > :29:08.was for... Up against the Hon Hoechst -- up against Wiehahn

:29:09. > :29:13.Herbst. This is another look at it, in it goes. That looks all right, on

:29:14. > :29:17.this side. Unless Ulster were deliberately trying to pull it

:29:18. > :29:22.around, or coming out of the scrum. Very unusual to have a penalty for a

:29:23. > :29:28.scrum that does not collapse. They have absorbed that, they seem to

:29:29. > :29:29.have the ball under control. The line is hard to make out but trust

:29:30. > :29:54.me. Heffernan... Knocked forward, kicked into touch.

:29:55. > :29:59.I think at the moment, the game has gone a wee bit scrappy in the last

:30:00. > :30:04.few minutes, Connacht dominated the first 15 minutes, Ulster came back

:30:05. > :30:07.and created nothing, they had a good 15 minutes but created nothing, and

:30:08. > :30:12.here, they have put the ball on the ground, back to the scrum again,

:30:13. > :30:17.still puzzled by the last one. We will see if this one is similar, but

:30:18. > :30:25.again, looking at Ulster trying to get out of their half. We will see

:30:26. > :30:31.how they exit here. Three forward changes have come in the front row,

:30:32. > :30:32.Rob Herring in for Rory Best, and Warwick is in for the injured Kyle

:30:33. > :30:37.McCall. The scrum has gone down on the far

:30:38. > :30:57.side again. The Australian against the South

:30:58. > :31:05.African. And the referee has gone around the Ulster tight head side to

:31:06. > :31:07.have a look. He seemed to have adjudicated that this was a loss of

:31:08. > :31:14.footing rather than anything illegal. It is not that solid

:31:15. > :31:29.underfoot. He has to factor that in when making any decision.

:31:30. > :31:47.This time the penalty goals against Connacht. Finlay Bealham, his head

:31:48. > :31:53.and shoulders going below hip level. It can go either way. People think

:31:54. > :32:03.that has gone against Ulster but that is good refereeing.

:32:04. > :32:13.Saying to John Muldoon that his loosehead was heading down. Paddy

:32:14. > :32:25.Jackson, good kick. Ulster side -- Ulster inside Connacht's ten metre

:32:26. > :32:33.line. Well taken. Luke Marshall. No change in the collar defence. Ruan

:32:34. > :32:41.Pienaar, Jackson. Organised in mighty fashion. Ruan Pienaar. That

:32:42. > :32:50.was good work by Sean Reidy. Luke Marshall. Alan O'Connor. Still

:32:51. > :32:54.therefore Ulster, better still from the men in white. Well done by

:32:55. > :33:07.Marshall. To cut slip past by Jackson. And Nick Williams. They

:33:08. > :33:19.have kept possession. Jackson. Trimble, from the right wing. Has to

:33:20. > :33:27.himself. Ruan Pienaar. Robbie Diack. Taken well by Nathan White. Louis

:33:28. > :33:35.Ludik has to stretch. Under pressure from the Connacht defence. Ulster

:33:36. > :33:39.get the penalty. And it looks like it might be within the range of

:33:40. > :33:50.Paddy Jackson. All of that patients might just have paid off. Taken

:33:51. > :33:53.quickly by Ruan Pienaar. Not one of his better decisions, Andrew Trimble

:33:54. > :33:59.was not expecting that. One of those nights when it will be determined by

:34:00. > :34:05.the number of mistakes. The defence was in control from Connacht. He

:34:06. > :34:10.seems within kicking range and you think three points for Ulster and

:34:11. > :34:15.tonight is going to be typed on the scoreboard. That could be the

:34:16. > :34:25.difference. Connacht -- Pienaar must have seen something that was on.

:34:26. > :34:41.Coming up to 25 minutes played and still no score. The first scrum of

:34:42. > :34:53.the evening through Connacht. Nathan White, the 34-year-old from his

:34:54. > :35:01.eland. 19 stone. Rob Wilson can play outside half. That was too far.

:35:02. > :35:11.Louis Ludik. Connacht have made 50 metres on that one. Pienaar. What a

:35:12. > :35:16.tackle on Robbie Diack! That was a thumping tackle. He did well to get

:35:17. > :35:25.the ball out of the tackle but he was going backwards so quickly. The

:35:26. > :35:38.energisers can lift the team and Robbie Diack was there. He is a

:35:39. > :35:46.feisty player. Also don't have as many Internationals on their side.

:35:47. > :35:51.They have got two more on the bench. The insect Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne,

:35:52. > :36:10.Darren Cave, Henderson, Dan Tuohy. Henry. -- names like. The second

:36:11. > :36:15.scrum in a row for Connacht. Solid, controlled by Eoghan Masterson.

:36:16. > :36:22.Craig Ronaldson. That has gone forward. Just as well, because they

:36:23. > :36:27.made a mess of that. That should have been walloped downfield. That

:36:28. > :36:34.was well read by the defence. Ulster hacked it upfield. That was a try

:36:35. > :36:42.scoring opportunity. Luke Marshall almost created a chance but the

:36:43. > :36:45.fly-half was missed. Rory Scholes would not be included in Michael

:36:46. > :36:49.O'Neill's Northern Ireland team for the forthcoming championship final.

:36:50. > :37:01.It happens. Still no score, coming up to 30

:37:02. > :37:06.minutes played. In terms of possession, it has been mostly

:37:07. > :37:08.Connacht. The order rare incursion into Connacht territory, but they

:37:09. > :37:23.have made nothing of it. It is a great season that Pat Lam is

:37:24. > :37:32.having. Nick Williams switching direction. Marshall. That is a good

:37:33. > :37:41.tackle. Still therefore Ulster. Robbie Diack. Pienaar. It is still

:37:42. > :37:52.therefore Ulster but they are on the retreat. Knocked on by Ulster.

:37:53. > :37:58.Ulster trying one or two things when perhaps pragmatism might be the

:37:59. > :38:06.word? It is risky, those semi off-loads. Defence dominating, and

:38:07. > :38:12.we're seeing players and we're not in confidence that is up there,

:38:13. > :38:17.players coming out of the line. It seems to be working. This is why we

:38:18. > :38:28.have all of the scrums because of the pressure on the receiver, the

:38:29. > :38:37.knock-on and defences dominating. Just inside their own half. Three on

:38:38. > :38:43.either side. Which way will they go? Assuming they win the scrum. He

:38:44. > :38:53.leaves it for 91 macro and goes to his left. Craig Ronaldson. Well

:38:54. > :39:02.taken by Louis Ludik. He was outside 22. Ulster give away the penalty.

:39:03. > :39:08.That was well taken by Louis Ludik but the support did not get there in

:39:09. > :39:13.time and Connacht got over the ball. They will take the three points

:39:14. > :39:19.here. The way the game is going, it is going to be very tight. Both

:39:20. > :39:26.defences are dominant. And the sign that Connacht is using the cross

:39:27. > :39:33.kick to get territory on the ball. Well, Connacht have asked Craig

:39:34. > :39:39.Ronaldson, who scored 144 points in his 21 Lord league appearances, 80%

:39:40. > :39:49.success rate... With his kicking in this coveted. -- in this

:39:50. > :39:53.competition. This is probably the wrong side of the field for him and

:39:54. > :39:56.there is a bit of a wind but this is in his favour. This will give

:39:57. > :40:07.Connacht and decried in Galway a considerable list. -- decried. The

:40:08. > :40:18.crowd. Three points have gone begging. You know they are going to

:40:19. > :40:23.be as tight as it possibly can be. Paddy Jackson gets it away from

:40:24. > :40:30.Stuart McCloskey. Nicely done. Kieran Marmion ). It will be a

:40:31. > :40:42.Connacht Leonard. Good piece of play between Paddy Jackson and Rory

:40:43. > :40:55.Scholes. Little needle, there. It was the Ulster line at. -- line-out.

:40:56. > :41:04.He is going to have a word with Tiernan O'Halloran. The referee

:41:05. > :41:14.giving him a slap on the wrist. There have been no niggles so far.

:41:15. > :41:21.Starting his fourth game for Ulster this season, Rory Scholes. Five men

:41:22. > :41:28.in it and plenty of options in terms of jumpers. Nicely done by Franco

:41:29. > :41:47.van der Merwe. And he has lost it! How did that happen? Good work by

:41:48. > :41:52.the assistant referee. There were hands on the site, for sure.

:41:53. > :41:57.Connacht came through, it was interfered with before. This gives

:41:58. > :42:01.Paddy Jackson, having watched Craig Ronaldson missing a couple of

:42:02. > :42:07.minutes ago, a chance to give Ulster the lead. I think Connacht have had

:42:08. > :42:11.most missed opportunities. More territory and possession and have

:42:12. > :42:17.had the chance and they have missed it. This will give Jackson the

:42:18. > :42:22.chance to get a score on the board and open up the scoring after 33

:42:23. > :42:34.minutes, almost. Hard to believe. Paddy Jackson's 65th league game for

:42:35. > :42:43.his province. Including seven tries. He needs to nail this one.

:42:44. > :42:51.That looks pretty decent. That is a good kick from Paddy Jackson. And in

:42:52. > :42:58.a game is tied as this, they all count. The first scorer goes to

:42:59. > :43:06.Ulster, with about six minutes to go until half-time. I think Ulster will

:43:07. > :43:08.be happy with that lead. You have to give them credit, they had a chance

:43:09. > :43:30.to take it. Robbie Diack, Louis Ludik, Luke

:43:31. > :43:37.Marshall. Taken by Bundee Aki. Ruan Pienaar, Jackson. That will hang a

:43:38. > :43:44.little bit underneath. The Connacht skipper, Aldon. Some blocking, I

:43:45. > :43:50.think, by Dave Heffernan. The referee let that go. Jack Carty

:43:51. > :43:58.changes direction, that is clever. Was that knocked forward? Play on,

:43:59. > :44:04.says the referee. Rather nervous start by Rory Scholes. Connacht will

:44:05. > :44:08.be happy with that Leonard. It makes no difference at the end of the day.

:44:09. > :44:11.It might have come off his hand. They called for the knock-on but

:44:12. > :44:26.Connacht still have possession. Peter Fitzgibbon telling John

:44:27. > :44:34.Muldoon he does not want to see any more huddles. Here goes Dave

:44:35. > :44:38.Heffernan. Well done by Ultan Dillane. Taken by Bundee Aki. One of

:44:39. > :44:50.his own players, the referee is happy enough. Again, some blocking

:44:51. > :44:53.by Eoghan Masterson. Niyi Adeolokun, blisteringly fast. That was well

:44:54. > :44:58.wrapped up by Ulster, Andrew Trimble in their to help Louis Ludik.

:44:59. > :45:03.Connacht up to the Ulster 22 and they have given away the penalty. It

:45:04. > :45:07.is not working for Connacht? They are working with a lot of width but

:45:08. > :45:10.to give credit to Ulster, they are working hard around the corner and

:45:11. > :45:19.when they see opportunities, they get right in to those 3rucks. --

:45:20. > :45:22.rucks. It is all about working hard and here again, over the ball and

:45:23. > :45:27.winning the penalty at the breakdown so it is probably from the

:45:28. > :45:35.perspective of the game of rugby, it is very stop start. Another good

:45:36. > :45:54.strike by Paddy Jackson. Peter Fitzgibbon is being very

:45:55. > :45:58.consistent, he told John Muldoon off for spending too much time in the

:45:59. > :46:04.huddle and has told Rob Herring something very similar. Jackson,

:46:05. > :46:11.Stuart McCloskey. Across the halfway line. Nick Williams gets under way

:46:12. > :46:17.nicely. Louis Ludik, Rory Scholes. Into touch. Adventurous stuff by

:46:18. > :46:23.Ulster but equally good defence by Connacht. The same situation, Rory

:46:24. > :46:28.Scholes into touch but the defence getting him. Nice turnover again and

:46:29. > :46:33.a promising situation coming to nothing. That was good covering by

:46:34. > :46:55.Niyi Adeolokun. Well taken by Ultan Dillane for

:46:56. > :47:05.Connacht. Kieran Marmion. Well taken by Rory Scholes. Great work by Rory

:47:06. > :47:13.Scholes. He has thrown it away. The loosehead prop, Andrew Warwick. Nick

:47:14. > :47:23.Williams. Powerful drive. Ruan Pienaar again. Little slip past two

:47:24. > :47:30.O'Connor. Ruan Pienaar in quickly. Franco van der Merwe. Jackson. That

:47:31. > :47:37.is a nice pass. Andrew Trimble. McCloskey. Strong as ever but good

:47:38. > :47:44.Connacht covering defence. They might have just turned that one

:47:45. > :47:48.over. The penalty has been given. The crowd do not like the referee at

:47:49. > :47:52.this moment. Any penalty against Connacht will not get much support.

:47:53. > :47:59.But it is interesting on the replay... Ulster have the numbers

:48:00. > :48:06.but of his feet. He lost his feet around the ball. It was Craig

:48:07. > :48:13.Ronaldson. Definitely a penalty. That was a good referee call.

:48:14. > :48:16.McCloskey did the right thing, he released the ball having been

:48:17. > :48:22.tackled to the Connacht players had to stay legal and they did not. Two

:48:23. > :48:35.minutes left Ulster just three points between them. -- and just.

:48:36. > :48:42.That did not look straight, they made a real mess of that. Bundee

:48:43. > :48:57.Aki, Archduke O'Halloran. -- out too. That has gone into touch.

:48:58. > :49:03.There are still going to be an Ulster Minor. This will have to be

:49:04. > :49:14.better than the last one. -- line-out. The referee will be cross

:49:15. > :49:26.if they do not worry. -- Herriott. That was outside and no more. --

:49:27. > :49:31.Perry up. Well taken by Robbie Diack, he has had a terrific

:49:32. > :49:37.sequence in the last few weeks. The Leonard according to the referee is

:49:38. > :49:40.over. Ruan Pienaar. They have got their feet in that kicking position.

:49:41. > :49:48.Rory Scholes needs today that he does, good work. Ruan Pienaar. Nick

:49:49. > :49:57.Williams. Going backwards. That lead up by McCloskey. Pienaar. Jackson,

:49:58. > :50:03.Robbie Diack. Rory Scholes back inside. Still there for Ulster. 20

:50:04. > :50:10.seconds remaining. Jackson, Matt Bonner is very slippery. A lot of

:50:11. > :50:17.normal sure handling, they cannot get it away. Here comes Louis Ludik.

:50:18. > :50:27.Pienaar looking to see what is available. Franco van der Merwe. He

:50:28. > :50:30.has played 40 minutes. Acronyms. Bludgeoning run. He needs to keep

:50:31. > :50:42.the session and he does. Pienaar, quickly. Ulster kicking men out of

:50:43. > :50:49.the side when they are not involved. They have got the penalty. That is a

:50:50. > :50:53.very rare, overriding call. They want to Mid Ulster seem to have

:50:54. > :51:02.pimenton in the first-half and it comes to nothing. -- meant. Into

:51:03. > :51:05.touch. It was all was good to be tight but we did not think it was

:51:06. > :51:09.quick to be like this. Just three points scored? At the end of the

:51:10. > :51:12.day, it has been dominated by both defences. But making any inroads.

:51:13. > :51:29.Stop start scrums. Conditions are not a factor, the

:51:30. > :51:32.ground is slippery underfoot, what do you expect? EBorders greasy but

:51:33. > :51:36.we're in the middle of winter and no reason for the game to go the way it

:51:37. > :51:44.has gone. It is defensive at the moment. Half-time in Galway, 3-0. It

:51:45. > :51:50.has been competitive and close but it has not been a classic? Bill, it

:51:51. > :51:54.is one you wish you had kept your turkey dinner

:51:55. > :52:02.these derbies can go one or two ways, like what we have seen. It is

:52:03. > :52:08.down to the defence. The team that cracks under pressure will lose it.

:52:09. > :52:15.If you like watching defensive ruck, it has been all for you. Plenty of

:52:16. > :52:19.endeavour in terms of how Ulster have tried to play, playing with

:52:20. > :52:23.tempo and width on the ball but the conditions are tough, to play that

:52:24. > :52:27.style of rugby. Some of the basics are letting them down, passes going

:52:28. > :52:31.behind the man and Connacht have been very competitive at the

:52:32. > :52:36.breakdown and I am impressed with the outside backs, as soon as they

:52:37. > :52:40.sniff an opportunity they apply in and have created some turnovers and

:52:41. > :52:45.penalties. It has been a bit of an arm wrestles for. We can look at the

:52:46. > :52:50.break them. The penalty count at the breakdown has been even? Yes, both

:52:51. > :52:56.sides have been very combative at this point, this was the initial

:52:57. > :53:00.surge, you thought this was going to be good, setting the store I'd but

:53:01. > :53:03.in the first ten minutes, Connacht were on fire, going after

:53:04. > :53:09.everything, harassing everything from Ulster. But in the pressure on.

:53:10. > :53:14.And the mistakes that come, bad tackling, kicking out of hand and so

:53:15. > :53:18.forth, Connacht really go after things and push hard and you cannot

:53:19. > :53:20.shoot the limelight that. That is just bread-and-butter for

:53:21. > :53:26.professional players, that leaves a gap. That leaves the wide channel.

:53:27. > :53:30.You can see the weather Connacht are really for this. Really going in

:53:31. > :53:39.with full commitment. It is a tough day. We're just very fortunate later

:53:40. > :53:46.on that we did not conceive the try. This early Connacht pressure, Ulster

:53:47. > :53:50.did well to withstand that? Yes, Connacht are trying to get off-line,

:53:51. > :53:54.targeting for the second receivers, putting them under as much pressure

:53:55. > :53:59.as they can and that has paid off. You can see the dominant scrum from

:54:00. > :54:04.Connacht. They have turned down some shots at goal. And they have backed

:54:05. > :54:09.the mall, which was very strong. Ulster should start defence to hold

:54:10. > :54:14.them and they nailed them in the first-half. Connacht came out firing

:54:15. > :54:21.on all cylinders and Ulster were taken aback but you have to throw it

:54:22. > :54:25.back, David back tenfold and Ulster took 20 minutes to get into this.

:54:26. > :54:32.Was it sensible when the game is so close for Ulster to turn down two

:54:33. > :54:37.very kickable penalties? I am a very big believer in keeping the school

:54:38. > :54:41.board ticking over and both sides on this occasion, Connacht could the

:54:42. > :54:50.9-3 up, quite easily. Hindsight is wonderful. But it worked for them

:54:51. > :54:55.against Toulouse in that home game, Ruan Pienaar created that demented

:54:56. > :54:59.and created scores but on this occasion, Andrew Trimble was not

:55:00. > :55:02.raising from the -- reeling from the same hymn sheet and with the

:55:03. > :55:08.turnover, those points might be crucial. Hopefully not. That is take

:55:09. > :55:11.a closer look at the breakdown. It was good to be interesting to see

:55:12. > :55:16.the interpretation of the referee today. It is a technical area.

:55:17. > :55:24.Standing on your feet and cleaning the boys I'd. For me, the first half

:55:25. > :55:31.so far, I just think that Ulster have been second best that a lot of

:55:32. > :55:36.these situations. We're just slow at getting to that ball carrier. Ulster

:55:37. > :55:41.are watching the ball going to ground and then reacting. Connacht

:55:42. > :55:48.reacting as it goes down. They are picking the right rucks. This

:55:49. > :55:52.situation, if you watch Andrew Trimble, two steps from the ruck, we

:55:53. > :55:56.know what is happening. We need to be further forward and honoured.

:55:57. > :56:03.Ulster did seem to get more joy as the half went on? For sure. And an

:56:04. > :56:11.example here again, isolated in that outside channel. Connacht planning

:56:12. > :56:15.in. Andrew Trimble was very unlucky, for Ulster to win that penalty

:56:16. > :56:21.because it was a judgment, he is driving on the man when he goes to

:56:22. > :56:25.ground. Unfortunately for Connacht, there. What about the Connacht

:56:26. > :56:31.defence? Out of those lines very quickly? Brilliant. That has kept

:56:32. > :56:34.them in the game and if they can keep that level of performance going

:56:35. > :56:43.they will probably win the game because they are just so

:56:44. > :56:46.in-your-face. Luke Marshall getting shunted back nine metres, all of the

:56:47. > :56:51.Ulster players have to come back to get back into the game. Not making

:56:52. > :56:57.the gain line and so forth. Only living on the wrong side of the

:56:58. > :57:02.sideline? They can only play with the referee is giving them. They are

:57:03. > :57:05.coming up so fast. That is brilliant, that is class. They have

:57:06. > :57:12.obviously done their analysis on Ulster very closely because they are

:57:13. > :57:22.getting into that receiver's Hants. -- hands. Pressurising the second

:57:23. > :57:29.receiver. One meaningful Ulster full attack -- Ulster attack from deep

:57:30. > :57:34.inside their own territory? That is only Ulster have been playing. Not a

:57:35. > :57:45.lot of space to work with, fullbacks all over the shop, just like with

:57:46. > :57:54.the balance. -- lucky with the 3bounve. This turned into a 70 metre

:57:55. > :57:57.game. I suppose this is all about keeping the home team quiet, Ulster

:57:58. > :58:03.or in with that advantage at half-time? Very much so, it could

:58:04. > :58:06.have been up a more. There was that to be penalty. It could have been

:58:07. > :58:10.another three points but as you say, it is keeping the home side quieter.

:58:11. > :58:14.Throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Ulster and have not come

:58:15. > :58:19.away with as much as they would have liked. Ulster are well within this

:58:20. > :58:24.and if they can persevere, weather the storm, fight fire with fire, we

:58:25. > :58:28.could be OK. Watch out in a moment but first, the festive spirit was

:58:29. > :58:31.not lost on Ulster rugby this year, players took to the streets in

:58:32. > :58:40.Belfast to hand out some surprise gifts to fans and the Christmas

:58:41. > :58:45.shoppers. It is as famous as players to meet up with some supporters in

:58:46. > :58:55.the time, it is crazy. It is nice to say hello. And hand-outs and gifts

:58:56. > :59:00.as well. Here go. That is what I like to see. The last couple of

:59:01. > :59:04.weeks have been brilliant. Everybody is getting fully behind the team.

:59:05. > :59:13.From the squad perspective, since there is has come in, there is a lot

:59:14. > :59:18.of excitement. -- Les. Over the last four weeks, the rugby were playing,

:59:19. > :59:23.he is looking dangerous and hopefully we can have a couple of

:59:24. > :59:27.big games over the festive period. It is a good place to be, Ulster

:59:28. > :59:39.going well and hopefully we can keep things going. It is great to see the

:59:40. > :59:46.guys going so well, there is some fierce competition. We will give it

:59:47. > :59:51.a go. I will prepare myself for that and that has not changed. This is

:59:52. > :59:56.one of the rare occasions when I get the enjoyment of Christmas and can

:59:57. > :00:01.spend some time with friends and family, which is different to

:00:02. > :00:06.previous years, then the game on Boxing Day and training all the way

:00:07. > :00:16.up. I will have a good time. And then put my feet up and relax. The

:00:17. > :00:19.fans are loving but the men have done and I think that has generated

:00:20. > :00:30.some positive views about Ulster so it is good. It has been two months

:00:31. > :00:34.but I did some running this morning so, step-by-step, I am slowly

:00:35. > :00:42.getting there and I will be able to play. Two tickets to the next match.

:00:43. > :00:45.You can give them to someone. I am going to be able to enjoy my turkey

:00:46. > :00:50.this year and not worry about staying offered for the big game.

:00:51. > :00:55.Hopefully, the recovery is coming on but it is taking some time so I will

:00:56. > :01:14.enjoy myself this Christmas and look forward to the New Year. Fair play,

:01:15. > :01:17.well done. The Christmas shoppers will not fit in with the Ulster

:01:18. > :01:23.players! It is like getting new signers back. Fantastic if they come

:01:24. > :01:27.back and don't take too long to hit the ground running. It is the nature

:01:28. > :01:29.of the beast. The game has become bigger and stronger. And the

:01:30. > :01:39.injuries are more long-term. One controversial moment was the

:01:40. > :01:46.challenge on Andrew Trimble, that deserve to be a yellow? He's far too

:01:47. > :01:50.honest, I would say! He has gone up, he has been clattered, landing on

:01:51. > :01:55.his head, if he stayed down, like many players do, if he feigned an

:01:56. > :01:59.injury, the referee would go to his pocket for a yellow card. It is

:02:00. > :02:06.reckless, news not looking at the ball, he ploughs into him, in a

:02:07. > :02:11.dangerous situation. Is it fair to say that we have seen red is given

:02:12. > :02:15.for that? That is no worse than Jarrod Payne, against Saracens a

:02:16. > :02:18.couple of seasons ago. Watching that in slow motion, you can see the

:02:19. > :02:22.opposition coming straight through, watching the ball for a good period

:02:23. > :02:26.but he is travelling from a long way out, he completely takes his eye off

:02:27. > :02:30.the ball, he knows where he is going and what he is potentially doing.

:02:31. > :02:39.Where will this game be won and lost in the second half. Ulster's

:02:40. > :02:43.fitness. They have been stabbed and resolute, and hopefully, coming

:02:44. > :02:46.through 60 minutes, seeing their fitness coming through. Hopefully

:02:47. > :02:55.they will be tired. fitness coming through. Hopefully

:02:56. > :03:00.easier for them to create try scoring opportunity. What is going

:03:01. > :03:05.to be the key to get through the defence? A lack of mistakes and

:03:06. > :03:09.trying to stay true to what we are trying to get at, we were trying to

:03:10. > :03:13.get it nice and wide in the first half, we have got to get the rocks

:03:14. > :03:18.nice and quickly, clean the ball, get it out quickly. As Paddy has

:03:19. > :03:22.said, see the fitness come through. In the last five minutes of the

:03:23. > :03:26.first half, you could see that Connacht were not pushing as hard as

:03:27. > :03:31.they were in the first five minutes. -- 25 minutes. They are in a good

:03:32. > :03:35.position, the confidence of the last couple of weeks will do them no harm

:03:36. > :03:41.as well, and so I don't think that Connacht have been in such an

:03:42. > :03:47.armrest will at home in Galway. Huge confidence going down there, that

:03:48. > :03:48.they can come away with a victory. Paddy, Andy, thank you very much,

:03:49. > :03:59.now back to the commentary team. COMMENTATOR: The temperature in

:04:00. > :04:03.Galway has not gone up any since you were last with us at the sports

:04:04. > :04:10.ground, but the atmosphere is beginning to heat up, could not

:04:11. > :04:14.really be much closer. 0- three, half-time. The Irish coach, joseph,

:04:15. > :04:24.he is here, he is watching. He has his eye on a couple of players. --

:04:25. > :04:30.Joe Swift. That will be cold back on a week to week basis, Paddy Jackson

:04:31. > :04:35.scored the only points of the first half, getting the second half under

:04:36. > :04:40.way. -- Joe Schmidt. John Muldoon, what a performer he has been, for

:04:41. > :04:46.his beloved Munster, down the years, three Irish caps, 11 for the

:04:47. > :04:50.wolfhounds, and this is his 201st game in the league for Connacht.

:04:51. > :04:54.Stealing, getting it away nicely. McCluskey has a look, trying to get

:04:55. > :05:03.inside Bundee Aki. Lively start. Popping up from

:05:04. > :05:28.nowhere. Helped by the captain. Good work by Robbie dear. Good

:05:29. > :05:35.support by Franco van der Merwe. Did not release the ball in the tackle.

:05:36. > :05:40.CO-COMMENTATOR: Like the first half, East rugby, not enough north-south.

:05:41. > :05:44.I would like to see both sides tactically adjusting. More runners

:05:45. > :05:51.from the ninth. Instead of everything running through the ten.

:05:52. > :05:57.Not much advance. You might say Ulster and Connacht changing.

:05:58. > :06:11.First set piece of the second half. Quickly won by Connacht. Into

:06:12. > :06:14.space... Well covered. Try to get away from Donaldson, and does so.

:06:15. > :06:24.Robbie Diack, who gave away the penalty... Making up a bit of

:06:25. > :06:33.ground. Nick Williams is there to take it on. Trimble has

:06:34. > :06:38.positioned... Gets it away to Marshall...

:06:39. > :06:47.Something of a purple patch this season. Well stolen.

:06:48. > :06:54.Connelly had men outside him but has taken it forward.

:06:55. > :07:02.O'Halloran is very quick, who has made a decent break. Should have

:07:03. > :07:17.stayed with them a little bit more. A wee bit of that blistering pace of

:07:18. > :07:33.his, here they come again... Nicely moved... The referee says play on.

:07:34. > :07:40.That has gone forward. Good work by Connacht. The one thing that started

:07:41. > :07:53.out at the first half, Ulster on defence. Connacht getting wide. They

:07:54. > :07:56.are still not making too many inroads, once again, as they did in

:07:57. > :08:03.the first half, readjusting the defence... Very lateral and wide,

:08:04. > :08:09.both teams playing lateral and wide, I would like to see more directness.

:08:10. > :08:20.Good start by Ulster, then they gave away the penalty. Connacht kept

:08:21. > :08:24.possession. All-star line-up. White -- Ulster.

:08:25. > :08:31.Llanelli Scarlets were beaten by a single point, at home, against the

:08:32. > :08:37.old rivals, Ospreys. Does not change things at the top of the table,

:08:38. > :08:42.Llanelli Scarlets stayed top. At the moment, Connacht in second place,

:08:43. > :08:43.they have made a change, off goes Andrew Warwick, on comes his

:08:44. > :09:03.replacement, Callum Black -- Callum Black. Very clean jersey.

:09:04. > :09:11.Taken in by Ulster at the back of the line-out.

:09:12. > :09:24.Pienaar and that is a good kick. Good touch. Difficult kick to

:09:25. > :09:37.make... I cannot see Eddie O'Sullivan... He does his little top

:09:38. > :09:40.up, new looks like -- he does his little top up, he looks like ET!

:09:41. > :09:59.LAUGHTER Good work at the breakdown by Ulster

:10:00. > :10:10.the momentum is with the men in green. Running out of options, Rob

:10:11. > :10:16.Herring coming through the middle, legally. First score in the second

:10:17. > :10:38.half could well be crucial. Niyi Adeolokun loses his footing...

:10:39. > :10:44.Kieran Marmion... Men are over, if they can shift this. Rolls into

:10:45. > :10:57.McCluskey, as big as most modern second row forwards.

:10:58. > :11:12.Good continuity by the home side. Big tackle that was why it Nick

:11:13. > :11:15.Williams. Referee having a good look at the breakdown, Ulster may well

:11:16. > :11:35.have got the ball. A lot of hard work by Connacht, a

:11:36. > :11:43.lot of endeavour. Hard work from Ulster. Maybe they will try to keep

:11:44. > :11:45.hold of it, but Ulster looking comfortable, perhaps adjusting

:11:46. > :12:05.again. Good defence by Ulster, Connacht

:12:06. > :12:13.making inroads. He has a bit of a bang, Louis Ludik, not looking so

:12:14. > :12:23.great. The penalty after 32 minutes, in the first half, separates the

:12:24. > :12:24.sides. Fourth and final year. Great crowd pleaser, particularly in his

:12:25. > :12:42.first year. Kieran Marmion told to use it. Big

:12:43. > :12:51.tackle by Andrew Trimble. Riding the tackle.

:12:52. > :13:18.Good tackle by Williams. Steps inside.

:13:19. > :13:24.Ulster getting the defence well organised, a couple of men drifting

:13:25. > :13:27.out to make the overhead pass possible. Connacht have decided to

:13:28. > :13:37.go route one, referee has the hand-out. This is the right side of

:13:38. > :13:44.the field for a left footed kicker, surely they will have a go at the

:13:45. > :13:50.post. They have been able to break, going more direct. I would like to

:13:51. > :13:53.think that if Connacht had adjusted, they may have been more direct.

:13:54. > :13:58.These periods of Pienaar, knowing it was a penalty, getting a wee bit

:13:59. > :14:05.tired... Taking away the advantage... Cannot imagine that

:14:06. > :14:11.this is not going to end up in this kind of situation. Not supporting

:14:12. > :14:16.his full weight. The penalty has been given. Ronaldson missed one

:14:17. > :14:41.after 30 minutes of the first half, has a chance to make up for that.

:14:42. > :14:50.He has missed a second... This was an easier one for him... Looks of

:14:51. > :15:00.this belief on the faces of the faithful. Bad mess. The defence are

:15:01. > :15:04.dominating. Those opportunities, they need to take them if they are

:15:05. > :15:13.going to win this game. Ulster warming up. Giving Wiehahn Herbst a

:15:14. > :15:24.bit of a break. Still in possession... Tiernan O'Halloran...

:15:25. > :15:36.On the lateral side, now moving forward. Loads of strength in there.

:15:37. > :15:43.Ulster have pulled the ball in. Craig really in the middle of all

:15:44. > :15:54.that. Last man up with the ball, Robbie Diack, good work.

:15:55. > :16:11.Lifting the legs of Stuart McCloskey off the ground there...

:16:12. > :16:21.Referee Peter Fitzgibbon having a bit of trouble in his communication.

:16:22. > :16:24.Off goes Wiehahn Herbst, starting his 12th game of the season, and on

:16:25. > :16:41.comes the replacement, and next week Ulster

:16:42. > :16:50.are at home against Munster, that game will be on BBC radio Ulster.

:16:51. > :16:56.The big game tomorrow, in Limerick, Munster against Leinster. That will

:16:57. > :16:59.be a barn Stormers. Both teams looking for a victory after a

:17:00. > :17:04.disappointing European spell. All bets will be off. Despite the loss

:17:05. > :17:08.last week to the Newcastle Falklands away from home, still topping the

:17:09. > :17:15.table, in the European Challenge Cup. Ulster giving themselves a

:17:16. > :17:18.decent chance of qualification. Runner-up in the Champions Cup

:17:19. > :17:26.group. Taking control back of the scrum. They get the penalty.

:17:27. > :17:34.Significant scrum. Ricky Lutton and Callum Black, the two replacement

:17:35. > :17:40.props making a big impact. Carrying a knock, usually the last 20

:17:41. > :17:46.minutes, we are not far off that, 51 minutes in. The game will not change

:17:47. > :17:47.too much in terms of clean line breaks. Good strike from Paddy

:17:48. > :18:02.Jackson for Ulster. Played one of Ireland's's five games

:18:03. > :18:09.in the most recent Rugby World Cup but disappointed here in his lack of

:18:10. > :18:21.game time. Having a word with his skipper, Rob Herring.

:18:22. > :18:33.Trying to put Ulster on the front foot. Ulster trying a bit of a

:18:34. > :18:36.rumble forward for the first time, still moving forward, the referee is

:18:37. > :18:41.having a good look, bodies all over the place, picked up by Callum

:18:42. > :18:52.Black. In there to help Nick Williams, edging away

:18:53. > :19:04.from Aly Muldowney. Nice switch. Outside two herring. Popping it up

:19:05. > :19:12.nicely. Williams back inside, a bit clumsy. Went backward. Always a risk

:19:13. > :19:18.involving those off-loads, and it was not forward by the men in green.

:19:19. > :19:26.There is a sense that he's giving the touch judge on the far side and

:19:27. > :19:32.old-fashioned luck. I think that they were lucky, getting sloppy with

:19:33. > :19:40.the ball. I think he thought there was a clear turnover. Said to the

:19:41. > :19:46.referee, they felt they were not in the best position to call it. Bit of

:19:47. > :19:52.a stoppage in the middle of the park, inside the Connacht 22. A bit

:19:53. > :20:00.of treatment. What we saw, for the first time, we saw much moderate in

:20:01. > :20:08.attack. A lot of kick and drive. Came back, the short side. It went a

:20:09. > :20:10.bit awry. Sloppy pass. Making consistent yardage, that is the

:20:11. > :20:12.first time we have seen them do that. Change in tactics, probably

:20:13. > :20:29.not before time. Referee calls time on again. Bit of

:20:30. > :20:34.strapping on his lower right leg. Trying to fire up his troops again.

:20:35. > :20:37.They have missed a couple of relatively straightforward penalty

:20:38. > :20:40.chances, Ulster have taken the one chance that has come their way,

:20:41. > :20:42.things to Paddy Jackson, just before half-time. 15 minutes into the

:20:43. > :21:00.second half... Ricky Lutton, on the side of the

:21:01. > :21:06.Ulster scrummage. Good straight bit of scrummage, that has collapsed...

:21:07. > :21:12.Lawrie Skolrood gets through and need some help. Good work, came in

:21:13. > :21:21.off the wing nicely. The referee is happy with that, Marshall... Moving

:21:22. > :21:25.it wide. Could not gather. Andrew Trimble was looking for a third try

:21:26. > :21:33.in successive games, but not quite make it, that was a genuine chance

:21:34. > :21:36.for Ulster. Around his bootlaces. If he had set that up, I think that he

:21:37. > :21:42.could have done it, drop onto his bootlaces. Marshall did not get

:21:43. > :21:47.enough of the old left-hander, another couple of feet off the

:21:48. > :21:51.ground and Andrew Trimble could have been in and how significant could

:21:52. > :21:59.that have been, we will not know. A try is going to make the difference.

:22:00. > :22:05.The build-up came from a very direct approach, again, we had a very short

:22:06. > :22:15.strike up the middle. And again, DirectPlay has been the best

:22:16. > :22:18.strike up the middle. And again, been very lateral in their game. For

:22:19. > :22:22.a change, I would like to see them go to the right. Wilson has come on

:22:23. > :22:34.for Sean Reidy, which indicates that Robbie Diack will probably go to the

:22:35. > :22:35.openside. Sean O'Brien has come on for Connacht, and Shane Delahunt has

:22:36. > :22:49.come on for Heffernan. Sean O'Brien, not the Sean O'Brien

:22:50. > :22:58.of Leinster and Ireland, 21 Sean O'Brien. Number of Connacht players

:22:59. > :23:03.from Galway. Big fellow, six feet four, playing in the back row. The

:23:04. > :23:07.captain of the Irish under 21 team last season, or the season before

:23:08. > :23:16.last, made a big impression. He is a bit of a lump. Connacht's scrummage,

:23:17. > :23:26.following the knock-on by Andrew Trimble, third quarter... Will be

:23:27. > :23:31.very happy. There has only been one score between the sides in the last

:23:32. > :23:37.couple of meetings. Again, the crowd trying to encourage the men in

:23:38. > :23:42.green. Ulster trying to get the squeeze on, Connacht have dug in

:23:43. > :23:45.nicely. Pienaar trying to make a nuisance of himself. Kieran Marmion,

:23:46. > :23:55.into Carty... Scholes has done well, getting away

:23:56. > :23:57.from the first man. Inside Louis Ludik, but could not quite

:23:58. > :24:03.controlled it, that has been knocked into touch, Connacht line-out, they

:24:04. > :24:08.may have the option... Did it come off a Connacht hand? It has been

:24:09. > :24:13.decided that it came off a Connacht hand and it is an Ulster line-out.

:24:14. > :24:26.Great work. Got away from his man beautifully. Off-loads... But then

:24:27. > :24:38.intercepted... Fumbled it back. Connacht might be aggrieved there a

:24:39. > :24:40.little bit. Still pressure on Connacht the USA World Cup

:24:41. > :24:47.International, AJ McGinty, has come on. To play outside-half, and

:24:48. > :24:49.another veteran, Andrew Brown, has come on to play in the second row.

:24:50. > :24:55.Jack Carty is off, AJ McGinty is on. Ulster line-out. Well taken in by

:24:56. > :25:12.Franco van der Merwe. Nick Williams. That is awful...

:25:13. > :25:19.Really quite dreadful! Here comes Bundee Aki. Knocking it backward, he

:25:20. > :25:24.picks it up... Kieran Marmion gets it, back comes Rory Scholes, and

:25:25. > :25:31.Ulster could well have been the architect of their own downfall.

:25:32. > :25:38.Looking outside, nobody there. Play on, says the referee. Kieran

:25:39. > :25:46.Marmion... Meant for the corner, jumps and catches and gathers.

:25:47. > :25:51.Connacht on the front foot. Brown. Here is the replacement, Sean

:25:52. > :26:05.O'Brien. What a roar from this Galway crowd.

:26:06. > :26:14.That could well have been a Connacht School, could well have been an

:26:15. > :26:25.Ulster school. Big turning point, possibly, the maul was a bit sloppy.

:26:26. > :26:36.Going up to the DMO, Jude Quinn, to see if there was something

:26:37. > :26:41.technical. There is the loose ball. Forward pass? Checking if there is

:26:42. > :26:51.something untoward. Nothing much wrong with that... This is where

:26:52. > :26:57.Ulster made... Should have stayed on the job. Loose pass... Suddenly,

:26:58. > :27:19.racing back. Could be Luke Marshall... Taking

:27:20. > :27:32.somebody else... When he came across... A rather silly

:27:33. > :27:54.infringement, and he goes into the sin-bin.

:27:55. > :28:02.Ten minutes with 14 men, from a position where if they had scored,

:28:03. > :28:15.that was game over. All hands to the pump, to try to stay in the game.

:28:16. > :28:20.Marshall, in the bin. Ulster coming to the end of the third quarter, in

:28:21. > :28:26.this tight match. Three points between them.

:28:27. > :28:33.Connacht will be looking to put in a massive shelf, but they will still

:28:34. > :28:45.have an advantage in terms of weight. -- shove. Ulster digging in,

:28:46. > :28:48.good work. Williams... Ulster have the ball back, but kept the pressure

:28:49. > :29:02.on, good work by Robbie Diack at the breakdown. Taken on by O'Connor...

:29:03. > :29:09.Pienaar has ball in hand... Very good kick by Pienaar, no time for

:29:10. > :29:17.Healy to take a quick one. Get it out of the ten metre line. Secondly,

:29:18. > :29:22.taking off pressure. They are going to have two... Again, they are going

:29:23. > :29:29.to have to be very careful. 14 men. Connacht will keep the ball around.

:29:30. > :29:43.Shane Delahunt... Throw in... Finlay Bealham, leaving the field,

:29:44. > :29:58.Irish international, and coming on to replace him, Ronan Coghlan.

:29:59. > :30:10.-- Ronan larceny. -- Ronan Loughney. You get the feeling that the tide

:30:11. > :30:18.has turned. The crowd are sensing this, it is a chance for Connacht...

:30:19. > :30:22.You really think that Ulster have controlled the game, they get out of

:30:23. > :30:29.jail, they have a great potential. They could have cleared their lines

:30:30. > :30:54.again. Simple fumble. Pressure is back on Ulster.

:30:55. > :31:01.He won his Irish Cup against New Zealand in 2012. Dan Tuohy made his

:31:02. > :31:16.dead then and scored a try. Dan goes a scrum. -- made his debut. He is

:31:17. > :31:20.fresh off the bench. If the scrums drastic of problems, the finger

:31:21. > :31:26.tends to be pointed at the new man on the block. He has to stand wider

:31:27. > :31:34.apart. As soon as I did, the scrum went down. Perhaps it was too far

:31:35. > :31:39.apart. Still the Connacht scrum. Three points between them, in

:31:40. > :31:46.Ulster's favour. Luke Marshall still in the daily. That is a better

:31:47. > :31:53.scrum. The referee has given a penalty. Ricky Lutton's legs went

:31:54. > :31:59.from under him. And he just said, your feet were too far back. And

:32:00. > :32:08.down he goes, under no real pressure whatsoever and that must be a chance

:32:09. > :32:14.for Connacht to square this game. He was very solid in the World Cup, AJ

:32:15. > :32:26.Capped eight times by the United States, Dublin born, he went to lack

:32:27. > :32:27.ruck college. Spent a lot of time in the States and qualified for

:32:28. > :32:43.residency. -- Blackrock. If he gets this one,

:32:44. > :32:59.it will mean the cheer of even then, I have no doubt. -- of the evening.

:33:00. > :33:16.That is a good kick. A lot of happier Connacht faces. 16 minutes

:33:17. > :33:28.remaining and thanks to AJ MacGinty, it is now 3-3. Ulster need to get 15

:33:29. > :33:34.men back on the field, trying to stay in the Connacht half for as

:33:35. > :33:37.long as possible, here. Four changes but this is not the sort of

:33:38. > :33:42.performance that Ulster hoped to bring here to Galway, bearing in

:33:43. > :33:44.mind what they did against the mighty Toulouse on successive

:33:45. > :33:52.weekends in Europe. Bundee Aki with the kick, outside the 22. Well

:33:53. > :33:57.guided in live Louis Ludik. He runs straight into a lot of green shirts

:33:58. > :34:07.who drive right over the ball. Luke Marshall is in there, Ulster are

:34:08. > :34:17.short in the midfield. Pienaar. Looking, calculating... Pienaar

:34:18. > :34:27.again, Jackson. Did he see a little bit of space? Maybe. Into Tiernan

:34:28. > :34:32.O'Halloran. That has gone into touch for the Ulster Leonard. Luke

:34:33. > :34:37.Marshall will be coming back on sin. Another line-out in the Connacht

:34:38. > :34:43.have, a chance to run the clock down and slow things down and get 15 men

:34:44. > :34:48.back on the field. There is a huddle, here. Peter Fitzgibbon is

:34:49. > :34:55.getting at them again for taking those huddles. When the referee

:34:56. > :35:04.warns you, you should heed those warnings. Pienaar, well gathered.

:35:05. > :35:12.Jackson, McCluskey. Pienaar again. Nick Williams. He hit that at pace,

:35:13. > :35:21.Pienaar. Alan O'Connor. Pienaar switches. Williams. Clever stuff by

:35:22. > :35:26.Williams. Pienaar again. Jackson. That is a good kick by Jackson.

:35:27. > :35:33.Great play, exactly what Ulster needed. Pull the wings off.

:35:34. > :35:38.Beautiful kicking into the corner, it takes Connacht inside their own

:35:39. > :35:43.22, the clock running down. That is smart play by Ulster and very

:35:44. > :35:52.direct. No east-west rugby, very direct. The Connacht line-out, Shane

:35:53. > :36:03.Delahunt. He started two games this season for Connacht. Just four men

:36:04. > :36:12.in a little club, just to get this one right, and he does. Nicely

:36:13. > :36:17.taken. Bundee Aki. Kieran Marmion inside his 22. That will give Ulster

:36:18. > :36:22.the line-out. Connacht have cleared away from the danger area. Still

:36:23. > :36:28.good for Ulster. The clock is running down. Taking their time.

:36:29. > :36:34.Damage limitation for the yellow card and in a tight game like this,

:36:35. > :36:46.that is the host importance. Connacht about to bring on Rodney Ah

:36:47. > :36:50.You. Well taken. Pienaar. Luke Marshall, getting no change from the

:36:51. > :36:54.midfield. They should think about trying something else. Here comes

:36:55. > :37:01.Williams again. Pienaar. Alan O'Connor. That was a good tackle by

:37:02. > :37:05.Bundee Aki. Pienaar again. Williams, inside of trouble. He nearly

:37:06. > :37:14.flattened Peter Fitzgibbon. Robbie Diack. Connacht, the defence well

:37:15. > :37:23.marshalled. There was some crossing by Ulster. He has got himself

:37:24. > :37:29.caught. Connacht have stood on that. -- stolen. The penalty against

:37:30. > :37:33.Connacht but he is playing advantage to the bed and green. Young James

:37:34. > :37:44.Connolly takes it forward. And again, the roaring Ingleby builds

:37:45. > :37:55.up. -- in Galway. Trimble penalised for the side injury. Luke Marshall

:37:56. > :38:00.is still off the field. Paul Marshall is coming on. Interesting

:38:01. > :38:07.change by Ulster. I think we have an injury. Ulster player down. Pienaar

:38:08. > :38:11.got caught in two minds, he saw that the winger was waiting in the corner

:38:12. > :38:16.and held onto long. He got turned over. He had most of the team in

:38:17. > :38:20.front of him when he got tackled and the momentum has changed, Ulster

:38:21. > :38:23.were controlling the game beautifully with the yellow card.

:38:24. > :38:27.Any onto the ball and forcing Connacht to kick out. One mistake

:38:28. > :38:36.and suddenly Connacht or on the rise again and on the front foot. They

:38:37. > :38:37.are a very long way from the posts. AJ MacGinty has given Connacht a

:38:38. > :38:57.very good position. Nick Williams are going for the toss

:38:58. > :39:02.because Andrew Trimble ran into the referee and it should have been a

:39:03. > :39:07.scrum to Ulster. I have to stand somewhere, he says. He has a point.

:39:08. > :39:10.Had the referee not been there, Andrew Trimble could have been right

:39:11. > :39:19.through the defensive line and at this stage, that is a certain score

:39:20. > :39:25.so he does have a point. If Trimble goes through, boom. That is a line

:39:26. > :39:31.break. With someone of his power and pace. Fine margins. Luke Marshall

:39:32. > :39:39.wedding to come back, he might come back as this line-out is waiting to

:39:40. > :39:44.take place. That has not find touch. Louis Ludik runs into three Connacht

:39:45. > :39:51.defenders. Paul Marshall on the field for Pienaar. Not a bad kick

:39:52. > :39:56.coming infield. Well taken by Trimble, knocked back by Ulster.

:39:57. > :40:00.Marshall does it again, clever kick by the replacement scrum-half Andy

:40:01. > :40:06.bounce is kind. That is a belter about Paul Marshall. Clever play by

:40:07. > :40:10.Ulster. Great kick. Andrew Trimble wanted to spill that loose. And

:40:11. > :40:15.another kick immediately has pinned Connacht back within the 22. Ulster

:40:16. > :40:22.back with the full condiment of 15 players. Shane Delahunt wipes the

:40:23. > :40:36.ball and wipes his brow. Little Connacht con club. -- conflab. Some

:40:37. > :40:40.confusion about the line-out call. Very nearly picked off by Ulster but

:40:41. > :40:47.well taken in by Andrew Browne at the second attempt. Spotted an

:40:48. > :40:56.Ulster knock-on. Kieran Marmion injured Marshall, he has taken a

:40:57. > :41:00.thump to his eye. Rodney Ah You. The former New Zealand Junior World Cup

:41:01. > :41:09.player. Not a great pass. AJ MacGinty, nice step, very nearly got

:41:10. > :41:14.away, away to Kieran Marmion. Clever play, realising that was doubled on

:41:15. > :41:20.his outside. Rodney Ah You, outside half and the inside centre. Good

:41:21. > :41:21.work by Ulster at the break time. Connacht still inside their own

:41:22. > :41:25.half. AJ MacGinty, good kick. Connacht still inside their own

:41:26. > :41:35.wonder what side would be happier if Connacht still inside their own

:41:36. > :41:39.would think so but Connacht feed if they have one more shot they can win

:41:40. > :41:43.the game because the crowd sends that there is more scoring in

:41:44. > :41:52.Connacht but again, Ulster defended pretty well. Ulster have brought on

:41:53. > :41:59.the replacement forward, Steven Mulholland. For just his second

:42:00. > :42:06.senior cap, he started against the Dragons at number eight. Alan

:42:07. > :42:10.O'Connor has gone off. Robbie Diack might go into the second row, where

:42:11. > :42:28.he has played a number of times before. And all those O'Connor. --

:42:29. > :42:32.of those. -- off goes. Injury to Paul Marshall, he might have got a

:42:33. > :42:43.finger into his eye, accidentally I might add. Marshall came at the

:42:44. > :42:52.worst in that one. It could not be more finely balanced. The doctor,

:42:53. > :43:08.Michael Webb. Marshall seems to be fine. 159 appearances for Ulster.

:43:09. > :43:15.Joe Schmidt looking on. Into space. Bundee Aki goes back. Luke Marshall

:43:16. > :43:19.has, the referee telling Marshall to release back in the Connacht side.

:43:20. > :43:29.AJ MacGinty tries to put some width on it. Well taken on by Connacht.

:43:30. > :43:33.Ulster have affected the turnover, advantage with the knock-on.

:43:34. > :43:41.Jackson, Stuart McCloskey, here comes Marshall. Great Connacht

:43:42. > :43:56.tackling. Paul Marshall. Jackson. Roger Wilson. Bit ambitious. Rory

:43:57. > :43:59.Scholes. Strong one by Rory Scholes, the referee is having a good look at

:44:00. > :44:04.Ulster at the breakdown. Marshall on the narrow side, Jackson. Franco van

:44:05. > :44:14.der Merwe gets into the Connacht half. Marshall. Williams. Good work

:44:15. > :44:17.by Williams. Less than eight minutes left. Jackson has a go himself.

:44:18. > :44:30.Marshall. Robbie Diack. Connacht restricting Ulster. Callum

:44:31. > :44:37.Black, the Ulster replacement loose head prop. Narrow side stuff by

:44:38. > :44:48.Ulster, Franco van der Merwe once again. Marshall. And Williams.

:44:49. > :44:54.Connacht reading whatever Ulster are doing pretty well. Marshall, Jackson

:44:55. > :45:00.does nicely. Back inside, Rory Scholes is well tackled, he has to

:45:01. > :45:08.release and he does. Dayak. Ferocious, defending. -- ferocious

:45:09. > :45:14.Connacht defending. Into the hands of Tiernan O'Halloran. Body bad ploy

:45:15. > :45:20.by Marshall, he gives it to AJ MacGinty. And he finds decent touch

:45:21. > :45:32.but it is an Ulster bull. Is this heading for a draw? Is looking that

:45:33. > :45:37.way. -- it is. In a lot of overland back, east-west rugby, from Ulster.

:45:38. > :45:41.Continuity is good but not conducive to winning yardage. You have the

:45:42. > :45:48.feeling that at some stage, they need the line break to win this.

:45:49. > :45:59.Herring. Franco van der Merwe. Marshall. Trimble. Marshall gets

:46:00. > :46:06.into way. That was Mulholland. Louis Ludik, out to Rory Scholes. Chip and

:46:07. > :46:09.chase from Ulster. That was good covering from Connacht but Ulster

:46:10. > :46:14.get the Leonard. That is a good setup in terms of getting deep into

:46:15. > :46:18.Connacht territory. Very direct handling from Ulster and a very nice

:46:19. > :46:22.chap and chase. We get the feeling that for Ulster, if they does go

:46:23. > :46:28.here, Connacht will come roaring back and get a shot. Crucial times

:46:29. > :46:32.for Ulster. They have had another huddle, they're testing the patience

:46:33. > :46:37.of the referee. Great piece of covering by the Connacht left-wing,

:46:38. > :46:41.Matt Healy, who right across. He prevented Rory Scholes from doing

:46:42. > :46:48.anything more than just chasing. Well taken by Ulster at the back.

:46:49. > :46:53.The referee blows his whistle straightaway.

:46:54. > :47:01.Ulster get the scrummage, John Muldoon getting into the way of

:47:02. > :47:05.everything. He had to think they were setting up the wall, there, but

:47:06. > :47:11.it went to ground and turned into a ruck. Robbie Diack's work in the

:47:12. > :47:19.last few games has been pretty exemplary. And at a crucial moment,

:47:20. > :47:27.you have to think of that one, if it went astray, it would have lifted

:47:28. > :47:37.Connacht. The final five minutes of this tight, tight game. There has

:47:38. > :47:41.not been much between them in this scrummage. The last time, his legs

:47:42. > :47:47.went from under him and Ulster were penalised. He needs to keep this one

:47:48. > :47:58.up. On the far side, Connacht going down on one knee.

:47:59. > :48:08.Completely new Connacht from true. Ulster have replaced both props

:48:09. > :48:19.early in the second half. The clerk asked up. Under four minutes, still

:48:20. > :48:23.going on. Peter Fitzgibbon called that directly, this is a big scrum,

:48:24. > :48:38.I don't want anybody to be penalised.

:48:39. > :48:45.Marshall has to get it in and he does. That is a good Ulster scrum.

:48:46. > :48:49.Nick Williams tried to control, dinette goes, Luke Marshall, driving

:48:50. > :48:56.to the line, he hasn't quite cut there. He needs to release. They are

:48:57. > :49:02.over, I think! And the referee has given the try and might just be Nick

:49:03. > :49:09.Williams. That was a great strike in Luke Marshall, right under the

:49:10. > :49:11.posts, great last-ditch tackle by Connacht but Nick Williams arrives

:49:12. > :49:18.and get that all-important touchstone. The last set piece,

:49:19. > :49:25.perhaps, of this game has produced an Ulster try at long last. Strong

:49:26. > :49:28.run by Luke Marshall and it was left and Williams went in and the big

:49:29. > :49:35.fellow, off to Cardiff, powered over and will that we the conclusive

:49:36. > :49:38.school? Marshall had to make round, he did make round, he more than

:49:39. > :49:45.compensated for his sin billing. Over here goes. And Paddy Jackson

:49:46. > :49:50.has added the points and Ulster are seven points to the good but there

:49:51. > :49:54.is still time for Connacht to come back. You feel that Connacht will

:49:55. > :49:58.come roaring back. But Ulster are controlling possession here and with

:49:59. > :50:05.the long kick, they put up a white wall. Defence has been good. You

:50:06. > :50:13.have to back this right up to the last two minutes. Ian Porter is

:50:14. > :50:21.coming on for Connacht. And Rory Parata as well. Marshall, goes

:50:22. > :50:29.inside his own 22. He has not find his touch. O'Halloran has made good

:50:30. > :50:34.ground. Connacht have to get the converted try to share the spoils,

:50:35. > :50:41.they have not got more. Rory Parata, he leaves that for Bundee Aki. This

:50:42. > :50:44.is good from Luke Marshall, Ian Porter, formerly of all is and

:50:45. > :50:52.Queens University. That has gone forward. Ulster have stolen it on

:50:53. > :50:58.the ground. Paul Marshall get Jackson has a glance. He has struck

:50:59. > :51:04.that pretty nicely. All the way back goes Matt Healy. Into AJ MacGinty.

:51:05. > :51:12.O'Halloran with him and the American runs and is tackled. The referee

:51:13. > :51:16.says, get the hands out of it. Ulster are where they want to be,

:51:17. > :51:21.right on the Connacht 22, it is a long way from here to the Ulster

:51:22. > :51:25.line and that is what we have to do. Rory Parata get it away. O'Halloran,

:51:26. > :51:32.out to the ever willing John Muldoon. Ian Porter has a go against

:51:33. > :51:39.some of his former colleagues. Ulster trying to hold him off the

:51:40. > :51:42.ground. Connacht must shift this. Once again, Ulster tackling

:51:43. > :51:51.ferociously, good work by Callum Black. AJ MacGinty away to Bundee

:51:52. > :51:54.Aki, chipped away by Healy. We goes Paul Marshall, there might be a

:51:55. > :51:59.penalty. The referee has got his flag out. 15 seconds to go and

:52:00. > :52:04.Ulster have given away a penalty and this could be another yellow card.

:52:05. > :52:09.It was a foolish penalty, they had possession back, and this was

:52:10. > :52:16.accidental but he has got the flag. They will have to look at this all

:52:17. > :52:25.the TMO but you get the feeling it was a foolish enough penalty, given

:52:26. > :52:28.the circumstances. Well, the touch judge is happy that this is just a

:52:29. > :52:42.penalty. 14 seconds remaining. The referee is

:52:43. > :52:46.telling them that there was time for the line-out if they go right now.

:52:47. > :52:52.Connacht have a long way to go, they will still be in their own half as

:52:53. > :52:57.AJ MacGinty finds touch. Andrew Trimble went in and he pulled away

:52:58. > :53:03.at the last minute. I think they were fortunate to get that one,

:53:04. > :53:09.there was no malice in it. Anyway... That being said, Ulster still have

:53:10. > :53:14.to back themselves for the last play of the game. Ulster told to leave a

:53:15. > :53:19.bigger gap. They have to challenge this one if it possible can. Well

:53:20. > :53:26.taken by Muldoon. Connacht must run this quickly. Into Rodney Ah You,

:53:27. > :53:32.stolen by Paddy Jackson, can you believe it? And outside half taking

:53:33. > :53:35.the ball from the prop forward. Paul Marshall, into touch. And Ulster

:53:36. > :53:41.have come to Galway and they have won this game. My word, they kept us

:53:42. > :53:50.on tender hooks and they left it very late. We thought this would be

:53:51. > :53:55.a one score game, Ulster kept their composure and at a crucial time in

:53:56. > :53:58.the second happy change strategy and became one correct and were much

:53:59. > :54:02.more successful and that led to the try that won the game. It wasn't the

:54:03. > :54:06.exuberant display from Ulster we have seen in Europe but to come

:54:07. > :54:11.against Connacht, unbeaten at home this season, that is not a bad

:54:12. > :54:16.result. No, we said was always gone to be hard to get a result, Connacht

:54:17. > :54:21.have had good form at the moment so Ulster will take that very much so.

:54:22. > :54:24.It was dominated by defence but they were all was going to get one shot

:54:25. > :54:29.and they too could well in the end. It is fitting that look Williams got

:54:30. > :54:35.to score and win the game. Eddie will be with us in Belfast next week

:54:36. > :54:44.for the game against Munster. Half-time it was 3-0, and at the

:54:45. > :54:51.end, big Nick Williams converted and Ulster hung on, the final score at

:54:52. > :54:56.the Sportsground, 3-10. Thank you. Connacht beaten for the first time

:54:57. > :55:00.at home this season. Andy and Paddy, it was all about composure,

:55:01. > :55:05.resilience and patients? Very much so, we said at the break that the

:55:06. > :55:08.team that kept their composure and stay true to what they were trying

:55:09. > :55:12.to get but come away with the win and thankfully it wasn't Ulster

:55:13. > :55:18.performance so the last 15 minutes looked like we had probably more of

:55:19. > :55:23.a solidified way of playing with the kicking from the back, we kept

:55:24. > :55:28.Connacht under pressure and we made them pay. Two very strong

:55:29. > :55:33.performances from both teams but I think that Ulster created probably

:55:34. > :55:37.the best try scoring opportunities. We let one of them slip through our

:55:38. > :55:41.grasp in the second half and we were good enough to take that second

:55:42. > :55:45.opportunity. Nick Williams going over from one metre, that will be

:55:46. > :55:51.hard to stop and Ulster on that statistic deserved to win. The

:55:52. > :55:52.introduction of Paul Marshall made a difference and help set up a great

:55:53. > :56:01.score at the Paul gets few opportunities but

:56:02. > :56:06.whenever he does, but not in the team, but they load up the centres,

:56:07. > :56:10.they have two centres running hard and it is up to Paul to pick the

:56:11. > :56:17.right player and he ran a great line, he got across a gain line and

:56:18. > :56:23.Nick Williams... Stuart McCloskey had been running the ball up all

:56:24. > :56:30.day. You can see from the back play, it was really well done but Rory

:56:31. > :56:36.Scholes really set that up. Down the left-hand territory. Brilliant. It

:56:37. > :56:41.just shows that when you get some big European Games like that, just

:56:42. > :56:46.what impact that has, when you come into the tight situation like this

:56:47. > :56:49.one. Absolutely, the last few weeks have been tough, and the style in

:56:50. > :56:53.which Ulster handle themselves in that tough environment has led them

:56:54. > :56:58.to where they are today. You have to give playing for that last couple of

:56:59. > :57:02.minutes and games can be won and lost and this is a classic example

:57:03. > :57:06.on how games can be won at the death. Ulster kept a lot of ball in

:57:07. > :57:08.hand on the first-half but they switched their tactics to great

:57:09. > :57:17.effect in the second? The kicking game? It was very effective. Paddy

:57:18. > :57:22.Jackson, and he puts this onto this expense, that creates not only

:57:23. > :57:26.territory but it takes Connacht very far from their own line, they are

:57:27. > :57:31.unable to score tries from there. Great kick from Marshall, great

:57:32. > :57:35.challenge from Andrew and then again, apologies is that the winger

:57:36. > :57:39.has come up to feel that last kick and there is space behind. Again, 70

:57:40. > :57:46.metres turnaround from two very accurate kicks. Paul has been on the

:57:47. > :57:51.money, his first kick allowed Andrew Trimble to make that contest, the

:57:52. > :57:55.one that back. Assen is that happened, you knew there was a

:57:56. > :58:00.sequence of play, those guys got tied up so he technically kicked the

:58:01. > :58:05.ball perfectly. It was always going to be about taking the

:58:06. > :58:09.opportunities. To be fair, Ulster probably created the better chances

:58:10. > :58:13.in the second half? They did, the first coming from a lovely scrum

:58:14. > :58:20.move here. Pienaar dragging the player across. He drops Rory Scholes

:58:21. > :58:24.underneath, very powerful player. He does right thing, holding onto the

:58:25. > :58:29.ball, recycling that well and the execution it is time at the most

:58:30. > :58:34.important time. It is a long pass in tough conditions, Andrew should have

:58:35. > :58:36.slowed up and he could have accelerated onto it and instead he

:58:37. > :58:42.tries to pick this off his bootlaces. Conditions very tough,

:58:43. > :58:47.regardless of his size. We treated more opportunities than Connacht and

:58:48. > :58:51.again, straight into it, Rory Scholes doing it again, creating

:58:52. > :58:56.something. It is just pressure, Connacht struggling to get out but

:58:57. > :59:01.their 22, he is working very small environment, there. And I've gone to

:59:02. > :59:04.hand, who knows? But the pressure is there, Connacht struggling. It is

:59:05. > :59:09.great to see Rory Scholes, who was not get lots of game time, in this

:59:10. > :59:12.position whenever Craig has gone down. He has been able to step up

:59:13. > :59:16.and show some very good performances. We can hear from the

:59:17. > :59:22.Ulster cries scorer, Nick Williams, with Gavin Andrews. Congratulations,

:59:23. > :59:28.how satisfying was a typical that when? You know, this is a tough

:59:29. > :59:34.place to win out. As much as Chris was saying, mentally we kept it

:59:35. > :59:40.together. But new we were going to turn up, a recessed how much Hamas

:59:41. > :59:46.Trekkie had over Christmas. How tough did Connacht make this? They

:59:47. > :59:50.are always tough, we knew it was going to be dog versus dog and

:59:51. > :59:58.hopefully we held up, full credit to the boys. We were 3-0 for about 65

:59:59. > :00:02.minutes and two, we any last five minutes, to show that mentality that

:00:03. > :00:09.we have had over the past five weeks, I am chuffed. What about the

:00:10. > :00:18.try? The ball was there, so... It was a team try, I just really

:00:19. > :00:20.enjoyed my time with the boys. Before, the manager was talking

:00:21. > :00:28.about composure. Have things been turned around? Of course, with best

:00:29. > :00:34.not here, some of the boys had to stand up. The whole squad, everyone

:00:35. > :00:38.has decided to keep calm and play the kind of game you want to. And he

:00:39. > :00:44.has brought that kind of controlled chaos. Interesting week for you, you

:00:45. > :00:51.will be leaving at the end of the week. High with the efforts to

:00:52. > :00:58.prepare for this? The last six months, in Belfast, I love the

:00:59. > :01:04.place, my girls love the place. I am not gone yet. I have come here to

:01:05. > :01:11.win something. I want to give a great crack of it until I live.

:01:12. > :01:18.Cardiff is at the end of the season. And the big games keep coming. We

:01:19. > :01:21.have to be the big ones. We will celebrate tonight, enjoy it and go

:01:22. > :01:34.back to our families. Have some turkey and reassess next week.

:01:35. > :01:41.STUDIO: Big performance from the big New Zealander, healer like he was on

:01:42. > :01:46.fire! Last five weeks, perhaps more than a month, he really has been an

:01:47. > :01:50.instigator in this excellent performance, when Williams is going

:01:51. > :01:54.forward, the rest of the team is going forward. -- he looked like he

:01:55. > :01:58.was on fire. It is nice to hear him say that he would like to leave with

:01:59. > :02:03.a bang. A neighbour of mine for three years, he has made this place

:02:04. > :02:06.his home, a couple of daughters, he will be disappointed to be moving on

:02:07. > :02:13.but I have no doubt, he will be working just as hard to try to come

:02:14. > :02:17.away with some silverware, his time in Ulster, so many memories. It has

:02:18. > :02:20.been a fantastic time. What were the key moments, I think it was when

:02:21. > :02:25.they weathered the storm, when they were down to 14, and the sin-bin,

:02:26. > :02:29.fair enough. To be brutally honest, he was lucky to not get a red card,

:02:30. > :02:34.I have seen things like this ten very nasty. He knew what he was

:02:35. > :02:37.about, no doubt, giving away some silly penalties at this stage,

:02:38. > :02:42.horrible passage of play, to be honest, little bit of scrambling. If

:02:43. > :02:48.only we made the calls, sitting on the sofa here, as most people do in

:02:49. > :02:56.their front room. Sloppy play from the line-out, tried to create some

:02:57. > :03:02.lament from the backs... Of history goes awry, as come across... That is

:03:03. > :03:08.an instinctive mistake, it has cost the team dearly. Cynical, certainly

:03:09. > :03:11.deserved a yellow. Looking at the table, give us your assessment, your

:03:12. > :03:17.end of year assessment of where they are at the moment?

:03:18. > :03:24.Ulster are exactly where they need to be, up among the top four or five

:03:25. > :03:30.teams. They need to maintain it and keep it going. They took a little

:03:31. > :03:32.dip but since the introduction of Les Kiss, they have not just

:03:33. > :03:39.steadied the ship, they have moved on, really. We were struggling a

:03:40. > :03:40.bit, without momentum. Les Kiss has injected a new momentum into the

:03:41. > :03:49.side. We were ravaged by injuries, sport

:03:50. > :03:52.is based upon the Menton, we have created that going into the New

:03:53. > :03:59.Year, we have some huge games coming up, the derby against Munster. Big

:04:00. > :04:02.games, week on week, we need to maintain the momentum and hopefully

:04:03. > :04:06.get a feel of the front is back in. Having said that, those that have

:04:07. > :04:11.filled in have done an excellent job. Next up, first game, 2016, it

:04:12. > :04:15.would be nice to keep the Menton going, with another big-time

:04:16. > :04:19.performance. Very much so, and I think that we are laying down a

:04:20. > :04:23.platform at the minute. It is good to see, a lot of young guys coming

:04:24. > :04:26.in, as Paddy has said, they do not look out of place, there is

:04:27. > :04:30.continuity within the squad, strength within the squad. Exciting

:04:31. > :04:33.time faults to rugby, the next couple of years, if these young guys

:04:34. > :04:37.keep growing and growing as individuals and as a collective

:04:38. > :04:41.group and as a team, moving forward. Sitting nicely at the top of the

:04:42. > :04:46.Pro12, still some work to do if they are going to get out of the European

:04:47. > :04:50.group with some big games ahead. It is going to be very difficult, we

:04:51. > :04:52.are in a tough group, but we have a chance, and three weeks ago, that

:04:53. > :04:53.seemed like a