This Saturday at Dexcom Stadium

Connacht Eagles Vs Ulster 'A' at 2pm.

We probably won't hear any team new's or result's but seen on Connacht media as its on the same day as their preseason match againt Ealing.

However heres my shot of the team only condition I used was must be IQ.

Also, We have our own preseason game against Edinburgh away so any players there are unlikely to feature here.

Assuming that most of the Internationals who seen limited minutes are available for preseason match.

- 1 Jacob Boyd

- 2 James McCormick

- 3 Tom McAllister

- 4 Paddy Woods

- 5 Joe Hopes

- 6 James McNabney

- 7 Jon Rodgers

- 8 Tom Brigg

- 9 Mathew Devine

- 10 Owen OKane

- 11 Chay Mullins

- 12 Ben Carson

- 13 Jonny Scott

- 14 Aiztol King

- 15 Dan Green

- 16 Henry Walker

- 17 Tyrese Alboringham

- 18 Blake McClean

- 19 James McKillop

- 20 Ben Donnell

- 21 Clarke Logan

- 22 Owen OKane

- 23 Tom Bell

McNabney Likely to feature in the Pre Season so move up Ben ODonnell and maybe Adam Boyd on the bench ?

Also maybe swap Devine and McKee.

B. O. I. Senior Cup

Group 1

C of Armagh 7 Ballynahinch 35

Banbridge 46 Dungannon 14

Group 2

Instonians w/o Queens

Ballymena 21 Clogher Valley 27

Senior Shield

Rainey 47 Enniskillen 43

Ballyclare 31 Malone 31

Championship 1

Ards 29 v Bangor 26

Ballymoney 7 Omagh 15

Harlequins 5 Portadown 38

Cooke 7 Limavady 14

Dromore 43 Lurgan 0

Championship 2

Carrick 45 Letterkenny 0

C of Derry 38 Lisburn 19

Larne 17 Coleraine 30

Randalstown 20 CIYMS 27

Strabane 23 Academy 16

U19s Interpros

Ulster 24 Connaught 19

Hinch off to a good start despite a rusty first half. Sexton still looks rapid and was hungry for the ball. Luney and Rankin seemed to have a running argument in the second half - Rankin told Luney the match wasn't the Bradley show and off it went from there! To be a fly on the wall afterwards!

Armagh dominated the scrum but offered little else. Rio McDonagh looks like a useful addition to the front row but resources will need to be managed there. Fly-half Lowey needs to find more distance from the boot as many of his kicks from hand didn't find touch and brought pressure back on when it should have been relieved.

QUB off to a poor start but Jonny Gillespie and team are presumably sacrificing cup to stop the AIL rot. Could be another rough season ahead for them.

After losing every match in the round-robin, 10-15 to Connacht, 0-62 to Munster and 5-75 to Leinster, Ulster have managed to win the third/fourth place playoff against Connacht, 29-10. First interpro win since the third/fourth place playoff in 2023, also against Connacht. And that was their first interprovincial win in 11 years.

Munster v Leinster in the final later this afternoon.

It's not the most competitive competition out there. Final is nearly always Munster v Leinster, third place playoff is nearly always Connacht v Ulster.

I know they're students but with all the academy lads there this is a bit of a joke.

Ulster under 18 Schools team to play Leinster. PwC Interprovincial Championship. Rifle Park, Banbridge. Kick-off 1pm.

1. Adam Crone (Wallace High School)
   
2. Dylan Armstrong (Campbell College Belfast)
   
3. Reuben Gibson (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
   
4. Will Downey (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
   
5. Oscar Eddis (Ballymena Academy)
   
6. Elliot Magowan (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
   
7. James Flanagan (Royal School Armagh)
   
8. James Reid (Methodist College Belfast)
   
9. Rocco Steen (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
   
10. Jack Best (Campbell College Belfast)
    
11. Zach Thompson (Campbell College Belfast)
    
12. Jonnie Kennedy (C) (Larne Grammar School)
    
13. Will Rogers (Wallace High School)
    
14. Zac Topping (Ballymena Academy)
    
15. Dylan Gray (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
    

Replacements
16. Issac Crawford (Omagh Academy)
17. Matthew Watkins (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
18. Conor McKinney (Campbell College Belfast)
19. Elijah Fitzpatrick (Ballymena Academy)
20. Ben Ellis (Wallace High School)
21. Scott Henderson (Sullivan Upper School)
22. Lucas McKeown (Sullivan Upper School)
23. Jack Thompson (Campbell College Belfast)

I watched the schools cup final and thought he seemed a very impressive talent (and very pacey which we can lack at times in Ireland). I don’t see him in any of the u19 or u18 squads for Ulster and when I google’d, he seemed to be playing Ulster u19 and Ireland u19 a year ahead last year.

Does anyone know if he’s given up rugby or just not getting selected anymore? Either way I think it’s a shame as he could have been an exciting prospect.

If anyone would is interested in any of the designs give me a shout! #suftum

Enniskillen 38 C of Armagh 19

Ards 47 CIYMS 21

Ballymena 43 Carrick 21

Ballymoney 19 Banbridge 31

Clogher Valley v Dromore

Donaghadee 33 Bangor 31

Holywood 14 Ulster University 45

Inishowen v Donegal Town

Limavady 28 Randalstown 12

Limavady 2 v C of Derry

Malone 51 De La Salle Palmerstown 47

Omagh 38 Dungannon 40

Omagh 2s 21 Larne 29

Dee 33 Bangor 2s 31

Ulster Rugby Under 19’s v Munster Rugby. PwC Interprovincial Championship. Saturday 22 August. Virgin Media Park, Cork. Kick-off 5.30pm. 

1. Elias Agbonkpolar (Belfast Royal Academy)
   
2. Charlie Reaney (Royal School Armagh)
   
3. Noah Carson (Ballymena RFC)
   
4. Charlie Best (Campbell College Belfast)
   
5. Archie Graham (Dalriada)
   
6. Theo Scott (Campbell College Belfast)
   
7. Jayden Irwin (C) (Belfast Royal Academy)
   
8. Cian McClean (VC) (Royal Belfast Academical Institute)
   
9. James Wells (Campbell College Belfast)
   
10. Ollie Worth (Clongowes)
    
11. Jack Coulter (Royal Belfast Academical Institute)
    
12. Josh McCaughey (Down High School)
    
13. Ryan Hamilton (Royal School Armagh)
    
14. Aaron Lowey (Campbell College Belfast)
    
15. Isaac Hatch (Campbell College Belfast)
    

Replacements:
16. Josh McColgan (Ballyclare High School)
17. Joel Irwin (Friends Grammar School)
18. Jonah Wholly (Antrim Grammar School)
19. Austin Adair (Ballyclare High School)
20. Jacob McKeown (Sullivan Upper)
21. Sam Paton (Enniskillen Royal Grammar School)
22. Adam Millar (Royal Belfast Academical Institute)
23. Alfie Clarke (Dromore High School)

Ulster u18 Schools

1. Adam Crone (Wallace High School)
2. Dylan Armstrong (Campbell College Belfast)
3. Reuben Gibson (RBAI)
4. Will Downey (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)
5. Oscar Eddis (Ballymena Academy)
6. Elliot Magowan (RBAI)
7. James Flannagan (Royal School Armagh)
8. James Reid (Methodist College Belfast)
9. Rocco Steen (RBAI)
10. Jack Best (Campbell College Belfast)
11. Zach Thompson (Campbell College Belfast)
12. Jonnie Kennedy (C) (Larne Grammar School)
13. Will Rogers (Wallace High School)
14. Zac Topping (Ballymena Academy)
15. Dylan Gray (Royal Belfast Academical Institution)

Replacements
16. Issac Crawford (Omagh Academy)
17. Matthew Watkins (RBAI)
18. Conor McKinney (Campbell College Belfast)
19. Elijah Fitzpatrick (Ballymena Academy)
20. Ben Ellis (Wallace High School)
21. Scott Henderson (Sullivan Upper)
22. Jack Robinson (RBAI)
23. Jack Thompson (Campbell College Belfast)

Latest from the Stand Up podcast. The three things they want Ulster to focus on are managing the season, tackling, and the maul.

Definitely agree with the first one. Before taking over at Ulster, Richie had never had to manage a squad across a full season, and he has a tendency to play his best team every week, only giving squad players a chance when forced to by injury. By the end of the season we were dead on our feet. A bit more rotation means, if you have to bring in a player in a big game because of injury, you know you can trust him because he's done it before.

Defence improved last season compared to the previous season, when if the opposition made a break chances are they'd score, but more improvement would be good. We're strongest defensively when we have our first choice centres available.

Mauling is about winning ugly. Last season we played an open, attractive game, but doing the grunt work is important too. They don't mention it, but surely Clark Dermody has to target improvements in the scrum. Last season we had one tactic - if the scrum's going backwards, get it out quickly to Augustus or Bryn at the base and have them run hard. But both of them are recovering from surgery and might not be available at the start of the season. McNabney can also do that job, but he's just back from injury too. We need other ways to get go forward from the scrum. Lots for Dermody to work on in the front row. Hopefully Snyman can provide a bit of heft in the second row, and Charlie Irvine can keep improving.

Ulster:

Tries: Nelson, Z Thompson (2),

Cons: Kennedy (3).

Pens: Kennedy.

Grabbed from Campbell College Socials so excuse what I can only presume is AI creates Team Sheets ...

With Jack Best ... in the U18s is Simons lad and his Brother is Hooker in the 2nd team in the U17s Sam.

Ben Best Flyhalf in the 1st Team is Rory's son to my Knowledge.