THE ONGOING REDEVELOPMENT works at Connacht’s Dexcom Stadium has stripped away some of the usual comforts. The home and away teams are now placed in temporary dressing rooms located in the shadow of the rising new stand. On Saturday night the songs were roaring from a joyous Ulster dressing room while across the portakabin hall, Connacht heads hung low as they digested a painful defeat.
Media are shuffled past both dressing rooms to a small room which hosts the post-match debrief with both head coaches. Ulster boss Richie Murphy was first in, and by the time he wrapped up the night was still young in Galway. While Ulster boarded the team bus back to Belfast, Murphy stayed behind for a night in the city with his family.
Saturday’s game saw Murphy’s son, Jack, make his first start at 10 for Ulster. In the second half Connacht sprung Murphy’s other son, Ben, off the bench, meaning both Murphy boys were on the pitch at the same time. It was a proud day for the Murphy household but also a strange end to the week, having shared Christmas together at the family home just a few days before going head-to-head.
“It’s definitely a bit of a challenge,” admitted Murphy.
“Myself and Stephanie, my wife, are incredibly proud of the two boys. This time last year we were in Bray, it was Christmas, Ben was involved with Leinster and Jack was getting ready to play with the Irish U20s.
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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy with Bundee Aki. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“We had no idea that one year later the two lads would be playing against each other in a URC game. So it’s a very interesting story, we’re extremely proud of both of them and yeah, my wife had a tough day I’d say.”
Scrum-half Ben has had a decent run in the Connacht team, having already started seven games this season. Jack is a fresher face in the Ulster set-up, only debuting off the bench against Munster last weekend. He’s one of many promising young talents pushing through at the province, with yesterday’s win in Galway a statement performance given the amount of senior players currently unavailable to Ulster.
The northern province had lost five games straight heading into the clash but were full value for their 10-point win.
“It’s funny, like every game is worth the same amount of points, so it’s literally just another win, but on the back of five losses and on the back of the players that we’re missing, that’s a huge moment in the careers of some of the younger guys and the challenge for them is to be getting better every week and try to become more comfortable at this level,” Murphy said.
“And again, the competition within the squad, that’s what we need in order to get everyone better and that’s the challenge from now on.”
Ulster now head into a break week before resuming a challenging European campaign, with Leicester Tigers (away) and Exeter (home) waiting for them in the Champions Cup.
James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale are just some of the senior men currently sidelined, and Murphy says Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore and Iain Henderson are the only players in contention to make it back for the resumption of the Champions Cup.
“Maybe two or three (will be fit), not many. And we’ve probably lost one or two tonight as well.
Werner Kok picked up a wrist injury against Connacht. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“Ethan McIlroy trained this week and he should resume full training next week. Stewart Moore is very close, we just need to assess him during the week. James Hume is progressing well but won’t be ready to play in these next batch of games, but he’s progressing really well. So it’s probably actually only those two and Iain Henderson.”
Ulster will also await updates on Werner Kok and Mike Lowry, who are both nursing injuries after Saturday night.
“Werner hurt his wrist, so we’re not quite sure what that is. We’ll have to wait and see. Mike Lowry had a dead leg coming into it, so I can’t imagine it’s any better after that.”
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'It's a very interesting story, we're extremely proud of both of them'
THE ONGOING REDEVELOPMENT works at Connacht’s Dexcom Stadium has stripped away some of the usual comforts. The home and away teams are now placed in temporary dressing rooms located in the shadow of the rising new stand. On Saturday night the songs were roaring from a joyous Ulster dressing room while across the portakabin hall, Connacht heads hung low as they digested a painful defeat.
Media are shuffled past both dressing rooms to a small room which hosts the post-match debrief with both head coaches. Ulster boss Richie Murphy was first in, and by the time he wrapped up the night was still young in Galway. While Ulster boarded the team bus back to Belfast, Murphy stayed behind for a night in the city with his family.
Saturday’s game saw Murphy’s son, Jack, make his first start at 10 for Ulster. In the second half Connacht sprung Murphy’s other son, Ben, off the bench, meaning both Murphy boys were on the pitch at the same time. It was a proud day for the Murphy household but also a strange end to the week, having shared Christmas together at the family home just a few days before going head-to-head.
“It’s definitely a bit of a challenge,” admitted Murphy.
“Myself and Stephanie, my wife, are incredibly proud of the two boys. This time last year we were in Bray, it was Christmas, Ben was involved with Leinster and Jack was getting ready to play with the Irish U20s.
“We had no idea that one year later the two lads would be playing against each other in a URC game. So it’s a very interesting story, we’re extremely proud of both of them and yeah, my wife had a tough day I’d say.”
Scrum-half Ben has had a decent run in the Connacht team, having already started seven games this season. Jack is a fresher face in the Ulster set-up, only debuting off the bench against Munster last weekend. He’s one of many promising young talents pushing through at the province, with yesterday’s win in Galway a statement performance given the amount of senior players currently unavailable to Ulster.
The northern province had lost five games straight heading into the clash but were full value for their 10-point win.
“It’s funny, like every game is worth the same amount of points, so it’s literally just another win, but on the back of five losses and on the back of the players that we’re missing, that’s a huge moment in the careers of some of the younger guys and the challenge for them is to be getting better every week and try to become more comfortable at this level,” Murphy said.
“And again, the competition within the squad, that’s what we need in order to get everyone better and that’s the challenge from now on.”
Ulster now head into a break week before resuming a challenging European campaign, with Leicester Tigers (away) and Exeter (home) waiting for them in the Champions Cup.
James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale are just some of the senior men currently sidelined, and Murphy says Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore and Iain Henderson are the only players in contention to make it back for the resumption of the Champions Cup.
“Maybe two or three (will be fit), not many. And we’ve probably lost one or two tonight as well.
“Ethan McIlroy trained this week and he should resume full training next week. Stewart Moore is very close, we just need to assess him during the week. James Hume is progressing well but won’t be ready to play in these next batch of games, but he’s progressing really well. So it’s probably actually only those two and Iain Henderson.”
Ulster will also await updates on Werner Kok and Mike Lowry, who are both nursing injuries after Saturday night.
“Werner hurt his wrist, so we’re not quite sure what that is. We’ll have to wait and see. Mike Lowry had a dead leg coming into it, so I can’t imagine it’s any better after that.”
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