La Rochelle sent there 3rds and beat Newcastle by 8 points.  If we have the form we had on the first half the season, I would be confident that we will win.  Still think we will,  depending on injures,  Loose head being the main worry.  Bell was off on a HIA,  which i guess he failed, he got a nice shiner

Crean  went off, not sure what it was,  and ToT did not look great at the end of the game.

The injury update (tomorrow, tuesday?) will shed a better light were we are. 

Hard to know exactly what team we'll be putting out, with half an eye on the games to come, but I'd take a stab at a team that looks something like.

1. Bell

2. Stewart

3. TOT

4. Hendo 

5. Irvine (if fit) or hopes

6. McCann

7. Ward

8. Augustus

9. Doak

10. Murphy/humph/doak 

11. Stockdale

12. The fridge

13. Hume.

14. Kok

15. Ethan

Our Irish contingent almost certainly will have to sit some games out before the end of the season, so it makes sense for me that timoney sits out this one, given we've other good options available. Stu might unfortunately have to miss out some of our key matches later on, but think it's worth him playing until judes hand is fixed. Tot and Jacob rested last week, so I imagine they'll almost certainly be playing this week.  It'd be nice to have izzy back, but after two concussions so close together, he'll probably have to sit out a while.

Watched the ospreys against connect at the weekend there and they seemed alarmingly competent, we should have far too much for them, but they've a chance if we don't turn up.  A couple of their big players leaving at the end of the season too, so they might be well motivated to try and take whats probably their last chance to win something.

Ulster Rugby is delighted to announce that Academy forward, Bryn Ward, has agreed terms on a new deal that will see him become a contracted senior player next season.
Bryn Ward signs first Senior deal with Ulster Rugby | Ulster Rugby

MUNSTER RUGBY HAS offered voluntary redundancies to its staff as the province looks to tighten its belt amid financial challenges.

The 42 understands that Munster Rugby employees were called to a meeting yesterday at which plans for voluntary redundancies were outlined.

It remains to be seen exactly how much of the Munster workforce leaves the organisation, but the news has naturally come as a huge blow for those employed by the province.

It’s believed that Munster’s senior professional players and coaches will not be directly affected by these measures, although there was a pre-existing plan for the southern province’s squad to have slightly fewer players in it next season.....

Munster Rugby offers voluntary redundancies amid financial challenges

Looks like Munster will being going though the pain Ulster have been going though the last few years, the 42 are saying the lack of home ties in knockout games last year and this year being a facture.  I know Ulster had similar issue with the La Rochelle game, but its crazy to think that can have such an effect on a club, but then I have read that Munster have been in financial difficultly for years and local business/sponsors have been bridging the funding gap for a while, but the lack of success maybe that well is starting to run dry? ( don't know how true that is)

Pos Team       P  W  D  L  PF  PA   PD    BP  Pts
------------------------------------------------
1   Glasgow    12 9  0  3  320 170  +150  9   45
2   Stormers   12 9  0  3  316 204  +112  5   41
3   Ulster     12 8  0  4  352 248  +104  9   41
4   Leinster   12 8  0  4  308 242  +66   9   41
5   Cardiff    12 8  0  4  240 210  +30   8   40
6   Munster    12 8  0  4  248 225  +23   7   39
7   Lions      12 6  1  5  325 342  -17   7   33
8   Bulls      12 6  0  6  304 270  +34   6   30
9   Ospreys    12 5  2  5  260 273  -13   5   29
10  Connacht   12 5  0  7  280 300  -20   9   29
11  Sharks     12 4  1  7  256 333  -77   6   24
12  Edinburgh  12 4  0  8  230 260  -30   7   23
13  Benetton   12 4  2  6  216 281  -65   3   23
14  Dragons    12 2  3  7  227 286  -59   6   20
15  Scarlets   12 3  1  8  210 290  -80   2   16
16  Zebre      12 2  0 10  197 365  -168  4   12

While the run ins of the top six teams look like this:

Team      | R13          | R14          | R15           | R16           | R17           | R18
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasgow   | Leinster     | Treviso      | Lions (A)     | Stormers (A)  | Cardiff       | Ulster (A)
Stormers  | Dragons      | Edinburgh    | Connacht      | Glasgow       | Ulster (A)    | Cardiff (A)
Ulster    | Connacht     | Zebre (A)    | Leinster      | Munster (A)   | Stormers      | Glasgow
Leinster  | Glasgow (A)  | Scarlets     | Ulster (A)    | Treviso (A)   | Lions         | Ospreys
Cardiff   | Bulls (A)    | Sharks (A)   | Scarlets (A)  | Ospreys       | Glasgow (A)   | Stormers
Munster   | Sharks (A)   | Bulls (A)    | Treviso (A)   | Ulster        | Connacht (A)  | Lion

As I see it, Ulster have a very realistic chance of topping the league, and in my opinion that should be the target, potentially at the expense of resting players in Europe.  Of our remaining fixtures, I think we'd be favourites for all of them except Munster away (and maybe the Ladys coming North), if we can get 5 from 6, beating Leinster and the Stomers, both of who we have at home, I think that should see us home, assumiing we can keep up with the bonus points. 

Unless Glasgow have an incredible tour of South Africa, i think the three teams with a realistic chance of topping the league are us, Leinster and the Stomers, it could well end up coming down to points difference, with us currently 8 points behind the Stormers and 38 ahead of Leinster on that front.  

Ireland’s Stuart McCloskey, 33, earns a deserved nomination following a series of powerful and influential displays in midfield, providing leadership and impact at key moments throughout the Championship, that helped Ireland claim this year's Triple Crown, and put them within touching distance of this year's title....

Try Assist: 6 - Ranked joint 1st

Defenders beaten: 20 - Joint 2nd

Carries: 74 - Ranked 3rd

Dominant contacts: 18 - Ranked 1st (31% dominant)

Tackle attempts: 79 - Ranked 8th (Highest back)

Tackles completed: 62 - 10th (Highest back)

Turnovers won: 8 - Joint 1st (Highest back)

Minutes played: 400 - Ranked joint 1st

Metres carried: 242 - Ranked 11th

Successful offloads: 8 - Ranked 5th

Oval Insights ranking: 8.6/10 - Ranked first

The winner will be determined by a public vote, here, which closes on Thursday, March 26th, at 9am.

Bielle-Biarrey will most likely get it, but I would love for Stu to get it 

Ulster Rugby can confirm that Robert Baloucoune suffered an elbow injury in Ireland's victory against Scotland last weekend, which will require surgery and will sideline him for approximately the next three months.

I was just thinking he was due another injury :(  Not great for ulster, but at least he got a good run in the 6 nations.

Ulster Rugby can confirm that Forwards Coach, Jimmy Duffy, will leave his role at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season by mutual consent.... With Jimmy set to depart at the end of the season, the agreement was reached in the best interests of him and his family, with the Galway native keen to move closer to home and spend more time with family based there.

Must be going back to Connacht.