Good afternoon, sports fans!

As if The Masters, The Grand National and a heft Premier League schedule wasn’t enough to keep you distracted, three of our provinces are in action today with the race for playoff and top six spots comes to the boil.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Before Munster take on Edinburgh in Murrayfield later on, our main focus is drawn by today’s big inter-provincial clash at the Sportsground.

So let us stay indoors while you soak up whatever rare rays you can. It’c Connacht, It’s Ulster. AND IT’S LIVE (in a little over 30 minutes).

Here’s a reminder of why today’s game is so crucial for both sides.

Last night’s wins for Glasgow and Ospreys have nudged Ulster and Munster in to the away play-off places. Meanwhile, Connacht need points to solidify their place in the top six, a placing that would be enough to put them in the Champions Cup next season.

This is why we wait to give you the team-sheets announced yesterday. A very late switch to be made at out-half for the hosts in a blustery Galway.

This will be Nikora’s fourth start of the season, his first for the province since January. Here’s how the Connacht XV looks now.

Connacht

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Danie Poolman
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Matt Healy
10. Miah Nikora
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Quinn Roux
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Eoghan Masterson
8. George Naoupu

Replacements:

16. Shane Delahunt
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Eoin McKeon
21. John Cooney
22. Jack Carty
23. Darragh Leader

No Drama for the northern province, but thankfully they can welcome back their magnificent seven, Chris Henry.

The Six Nations-winning openside appeared off the bench against Cardiff last month, but today, he starts.

Ulster

15. Louis Ludik
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Jared Payne
12. Darren Cave
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Ruan Pienaar

1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Dan Tuohy
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Iain Henderson
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Bronson Ross
19. Robbie Diack
20. Clive Ross
21. Paul Marshall
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Stuart McCloskey

Referee: Nigel Owens [WRU].

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

While Ulster have named an ominously good looking side, history beckons for Pat Lam’s men.

Here comes Rory Best, leading Ulster out of the dressing rooms, across the road to the pitch at the Sportsground.

Now John Muldoon follows. It’s almost time.

This is odd. Both teams insisting that they’re on the right side of the field. Pat Lam comes out and insists that he said he wanted to play in to the wind.

KICK-OFF! Paddy Jackson gets us under way.

So, after the delayed start the game has a bit of a non start with two straight free kicks going Connacht’s way in their own half.

They opt to tap and play with the ball in hand rather than kick in to the wind. The set of phases ends with Aki knocking on. Good scrum position for Ulster.

Solid scrum from Ulster and Pienaar sets Payne on a lovely line to get a half break. He gets the offload away to Gilroy, but the wing loses his feet as he attempts to turn on the outside.

TRY! Connacht 0 Ulster 5 (Ludik ‘ 4 )

Superb offload from Chris Henry in the lead up, finding Henderson who drew in extra defenders on his way under the posts. The quick ball allowed Jackson a fraction of a second extra to pick his moment to pass to Ludik and he crashed over the line.

Pienaar’s conversion is pushed wide by the western winds.

Ulster use the wind in their sails early with that try thanks to good position rbought by Connacht’s reluctance to kick into the breeze.

The home side need a big response and they have shown good signs since conceding. They continue to run the ball, but more effectively now as they cross halfway.

Just as I spoke, Ulster’s physicality began to tell and the gainline wins belonged to them in the last three or four phases.

Back across the halfway line, Aly Muldowney is a little over-zealous, running at Chris Henry standing pillar and shoving him backward. Penalty to Ulster.

Pienaar takes on the kick at goal, but even for him it’s a mile out in these conditions. It drops short and hits the post padding.

Stu Barnes taking a lot of stock in Connacht’s decision to run big men down the 10 channel. Jackson has been found wanting positionally early on, but he’s a much more physical 10 than most people give him credit for.

Connacht making hay in Ulster territory now, Marmion quick-tapping a penalty inside the half and another one is forthcoming. This time Connacht move the play up to the 22. Line-out time.

Ulster defend the maul well and Connacht are forced to send Henshaw running at bodies off slow ball.

An Ulster player rip the ball out of the next carrier, but it’s ruled a knock-on after they recover the bouncing pill.

Good position for Connacht’s scrum. Centre of posts in the Ulster 22.

A nice looking play off the back of the scrum, but Ulster’s defenders watch the moving parts carefully and Connacht have to start again from a ruck.

That they do. Persistence pays off with yards after the tackle and as the attack moves left, Marmion makes a break for the try-line.

The bodies pile in and Owens calls for the TMO to see if the ball is on the line.

No try! Ruan Pienaar just about put some downward pressure on that ball before Aki flew in to get a hand on the ball as it sat on the line.

That would have been a howler, had Pienaar allowed Aki to sneak a score like that.

Still a good position for Connacht, but a big shove makes it messy and then Chris Henry makes an effort to show that his prowess over the ball hasn’t left him. A superb penalty win from the openside.

A golden chance to relieve the pressure is wasted by Jackson, Connacht keep the ball from going out of play and they will run it back, forcing Ulster to rack up more and more tackles.

Ah, there’s the man. Rory Best wrestles Aki to the ground, twisting him to a position where Ulster can steal the ball back. Now the visitors have a line-out platform to work off in the Connacht half. Most importantly, they can take a break from tackling for a few minutes.

Jackson sets the attack away with a fine pass to Bowe, but Connacht set their defence well and they win possession back when Roger Wilson holds on in the tackle.

Connacht rack up another set of 10 phases and show very good hand skills to keep the move alive after the ball was slowed to a crawl. Unfortunately for the hosts, they turn it over after moving right and Jackson stabs the pill upfield.

Big break from Darren Cave, bursting through the line on a pass from Henry. Ulster move right again, hoping for a repeat of the opening try, but Henry blots an otherwise superb copybook and is pinged for not rolling away from a five metre ruck.

TRY! Connacht 0 Ulster 10 (Bowe ’31)

Ulster with another clinical strike, quick ball after the drop-out giving Jackson the ball and he fizzed a gorgeous pass to Bowe who is difficult to stop in a one on one battle when he can see space and the line in front of him.

Pienaar’s best kick of the game comes back off the post.

TRY! Connacht 0 Ulster 15 (Gilroy ’35)

Connacht caught at sixes and sevens in their defensive line and Jackson makes sure they’re punished with a third try-assisting pass. Gilroy does what he does best, tempting tacklers and stepping out of trouble, into space and over the left-side try-line.

Pienaar makes the conversion from the left side.

Connacht 0 Ulster 17

HALF-TIME: Connacht 0 Ulster 17

The hosts will have it all to do when they have the wind at their backs in the second half.

Some good quick analysis from Stuart Barnes, pointing out not only the dearth of numbers, but the poor body language and intent of the Connacht defenders as Gilroy ran in the third try.

It’s half time, so here’s a nice shot of Robbie Henshaw. Ulster have ensured that he stayed well-marshaled in the first 40.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Henshaw’s international centre partner Jared Payne has been solid throughout, making one notable half break before the Ludik try.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Here comes the Second Half.

Can Connacht storm back with the wind behind them, or can Ulster grab a bonus point against the breeze.

Whoa! Matt Healy storms in to a gap out left, leaving Roger Wilson for dead before Ulster are penalised.

Connacht kick for the line-out in the 22, but Ulster manage to win another turnover. John Muldoon charges down Pienaar’s box kick, but it bobbles all the way out across the end line.

TRY! Connacht 5 Ulster 17 (Healy ’44)

Another searing break from Healy, this time after Chris Henry and Rory Best failed to make a tackle on the winger before he stepped off his left and clear on a run to the try-line.

Nikora adds the conversion and we have a 10-point game.

Connacht 7 Ulster 17

Connacht have their tails up now and the game is opening up Bundee Aki’s a handling starting to stick again.

Alas, the pressure is relieved by a very forward pop pass from Henshaw to his centre partner.

Well now. Connacht’s pack are certainly fronting up and rising up the Ulster scrum on their own put-in. The hosts win the ball back and the penalty follows.

Nikora will kick at goal.

PENALTY! Connacht 10 Ulster 17 (Nikora ’51)

The run of tries is over, but it means the game is well and truly on.

A break in play here as Nigel Owens recovers from a glance of Iain Henderson’s power.

The break came at a perfect time for Ulster, with the game opening up and getting a touch scrappy.

However, the following line-out sees them fall short again. After the line-out is set, Connacht manage to kill the maul and win the line-out on their own five metre line.

Connacht can’t escape their 22. Ulster are back in possession in a very promising position and Pienaar is picking out his big boys – Tuohy, Van Der Merwe and Henderson to punch holes.

TRY! Connacht 10 Ulster 22 (Bowe ’57)

Owens has a quick check with the TMO, but it’s AOK. Henderson is again the man making space up the middle with a fine offload to Payne.

Jackson again makes the most of the space, feeding on to Cave and his flat (not forward) pass finds Bowe who just does not miss from 10 metres out with only 1 covering defender.

Pienaar misses the conversion again.

Ulster welcome back Stuart ‘The Bangor Bulldozer’ McCloskey.

Connacht could do with them easing off the pedal, but the young centre only has one speed.

PENALTY! Connacht 13 Ulster 22 (Carty ’62)

The replacement out-half keeps the home sid ein touch with a fine effort from 40 metres.

Ulster win the ball off a short restart and Best charges in to  force Connacht back on their heels and back onto their own 22.

TRY! Connacht 13 Ulster 27 (Best ’64)

Rory Best started the pressure with his barreling run in to the 22 and his line-out throw set up the maul. Once the pack had a foothold, the captain wasn’t releasing his grip on the ball.

Pienaar is unable to convert again, but Ulster are in perfect position now.

Great stat from Sky, pointing out Ulster’s tendency to finish league games strong this season.

23 tries scored in the final quarter, 7 conceded – both numbers are league bests.

He’s been called ashore, but with 12 minutes to go I’m calling a clear man-of-the-match here.

Chris Henry deserves a mention, but he still has to find his feet after months on the sidelines. Jackson has made the tries, but has made some errors with the boot so I’m handing to the big man, Iain Henderson.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

TRY! Connacht 20 Ulster 27 (O’Halloran ’70)

They just don’t know when to give up, these Westerners. The replacements for Ulster to make decisions in defence in their 22 and they get plenty of answers wrong before Carty spins a long pass to the left for O’Halloran and the fullback crashes in to the left corner.

A superb conversion from Carty puts Connacht back in bonus point territory.

Ulster trying to up their possession stats over 12 phases here and, interestingly, Paddy Jackson will be a centre for the final mintues here with Humphreys on the field.

Oh, Connacht turn over and Leader hares up the right wing. Here we go.

Superb stuff form Connacht, bringing this game alive again when it should be dead. Carty’s pass drops to feet, but still they keep it alive.

Back to thr right, Henshaw makes a break and gets his offload away out of the back of his hand, but Poolman can only knock it on.

Scrum Ulster, and they’ll breathe a sigh of relief before a big shove here.

Ulster’s scrum is good and, when his team most need it, Jackson finds a healthy touch from his own goal-line. Connacht have the line-out, but Ulster will be confident of defending from 40 out.

TURNOVER! I couldn’t see who won it, but it’s Rory Best tearing up field with the ball again and Ulster threaten a breakaway with Best, Bowe and Pienaar popping short passes between eachother before the ‘Bok opts to return a pass to Bowe when the winger has over-run the play.

Scrum.

If it’s horsies, you’re in to, Many Clouds has won some race called the Grand National, but there’s serious thoroughbreds approaching the last at the Sportsground.

Out of nowhere, a storm in Galway and Connacht have a wet ball to play with to try and go the length of the field.

FULL-TIME! Connacht 20 Ulster 27

Jakers. I think I need a lie down after that eight-try cracker.

The players hurriedly shake hands and move in out of the elements after a superb contest in fine sunshine ends in a howling gale.

Here’s how the Pro12 table looks (with Scarlets currently beating Zebre).

Thanks for sticking with us, folks. Remember, there’s more Pro12 to come this weekend with Munster in action tonight and Leinster taking on the Dragons tomorrow.

Who do you think will make up the Pro12 semi-finals now?