Don’t miss the last game of the season, it’s come upon us so quickly!

Unfortunately, Ulster’s last game of the season is in early May and as other teams prepare for the play offs we in Ulster must lick our wounds, put the season behind us and look forward to the FRU Awards and next season.

There’s a fair bit of optimism already being generated as far as next season goes, the performances of Mr Xavier Rush for Cardiff Blues in the Amlin Cup being the main cause for this sprig of hope.

So excited are some posters that the sprig seems to have sprouted into a fully blown “shrub” in the case of Rooster and Scrum5 over on the UAFC! So impressive have been Mr Xavier’s farewell performances that he is already the first name on the team sheet for next season, and no doubt the first name on Rooster’s and Scrum5′s dance card at the next Armagh Young Farmers do!

It may have it’s negative connotations  but I actually think it’s good news that our ofter enforcer Johann Muller is taking an enforced rest after breaking his arm. No real need to worry as the plate in his arm, from last seasons break, stopped it breaking worse and he should arrive in Belfast in July fully repaired and rested and raring to go.

July should also be the time that we see big Stevie Ferris return to training, as someone had the good sense to bust his face in practice yesterday. I understand that his boyish good looks will not be spoiled and the big man should get a good rest now that he will be left out of Ireland’s ill fated antipodean adventures in June.

The incredibly handsome Chris Henry may be the one to benefit from 1F’s busted chops as the “Golden Child” may be travelling to New Zealand and Australia in his stead. Were it may have been “a tour too far” for Stevie it may be “the makings of the boy” in the case of Chris, though it may depend on what he’s surrounded with in what will surely be an experimental Irish back row. However I think a few clashes with McCaw and Elsom, and a few lessons in how to play the ref should hold him in good stead.

Anyway, Ulster have picked a panel of 29 for the game they cannot afford to lose (by more than 60 points) as follows:

Forwards: Tom Court, Bryan Young, BJ Botha, Declan Fitzpatrick, Nigel Brady, Rory Best, Andy Kyriacou, Ryan Caldwell, Neil McComb, Ed O’Donoghue, Dan Tuohy, Chris Henry, Stephen Ferris, Robbie Diack, TJ Anderson, Willie Faloon. Backs: Paul Marshall, Isaac Boss, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Darren Cave, Andrew Trimble, Simon Danielli, Jamie Smith, Nevin Spence, Timoci Nagusa, Tommy Seymour.Not available due to injury: Bryn Cunningham, Matt McCullough, Justin Fitzpatrick, Mark McCrea, Cillian Willis and David Pollock.

Any team selected should be fit to beat Connacht and I suppose what team the Management choose will depend on what statement they want to make to the players they have forced out this season. I suspect that Boss, O’Donoghue and Nagusa will spend considerable time on the bench only being brought on for a wee wave when the game is done and dusted. So here’s the team that I think Ulster will start, though not necessarily the team I would have selected.

Forwards: Court, Best, Botha, Caldwell, Tuohy, Henry, Faloon, Diack. Backs: Marshall, O’Connor, Danielli, Wallace, Cave, Trimble, Smith. Replacements: Brady, Fitzpatrick, O’Donoghue, Anderson, Boss, Spence, Nagusa. The match day 22 will be named on Thursday at 12 noon.

To purchase tickets click here or call 02890 493 222 Option 2 or visit the Ulster Rugby Ticket Office (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm, 4pm match night.)

Tickets are also available from Ulster Rugby ticket outlets province wide.

500 FREE Magners Pints for the first 500 supporters through the gates on Friday evening.
– Over 18’s only
– Only one voucher per supporter Enjoy Magners reasonably.

More like this:

• Ulster Squad for Ospreys
• Squad for Cardiff at home
• Ulster squad for Treviso.
• Squad for Edinburgh