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Balacoune's form has fallen off a cliff over the last season and a half. There's definitely something which has been going on behind the scenes as it has been the same with other young Ulster backs including Hume and Lowry (Stockdale probably slightly different). Be interesting to see with...

Biggest disappointment for me has been Balacoune. When he broke through I genuinely thought he would be a regular starter for Ireland but unfortunately he just hasn't kicked on. Seems to be a trend with our lads - Balacoune, Hume, Lowry to name a few.

Looks like Stockdale's goose is cooked then with Earls going. You would imagine if he was making the plane he would have been somewhere in the 23 here.

Went down to the game on Saturday. Despite keeping the score within touching distance for an hour Leinster never really had to get out of third gear. Think the most frustrating thing from my point of view was, despite being within 8 points with 20 mins to go, there seemed to be absolutely no...

From an Ulster POV not too many complaints. Guys like Hume, Lowry and Balacoune who were tearing up trees up until three or four months ago have gone bang off form - although I still think Balacoune would have been good for a spot in the squad. I'm surprised Stockdale has made it as he has been...

Leinster: 15. Hugo Keenan 14. Jimmy O'Brien 13. Garry Ringrose (captain) 12. Jamie Osborne 11. James Lowe 10. Ross Byrne 9. Jamison Gibson-Park 1. Cian Healy 2. Rónan Kelleher 3. Michael Ala'alatoa 4. James Ryan 5. Jason Jenkins 6. Ryan Baird 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Jack Conan Replacements...

Based on the Ireland A side it looks like Keenan and JGP are coming back into the side. Bit wary of two players coming into key positions having had no minutes this season.

I'm hearing that the Sharks - Ulster game has been postponed due to a vomitting bug which has circulated through the Ulster camp. Not confirmed yet.

Assuming the above is true, you can see the sense from a physical point-of-view in terms of resting players etc but you do have to wonder what it does to the mentality of a squad when you are essentially giving up on a match against a team who you would traditionally have seen as your biggest...

Delighted with the Ulster win over the Lions. A couple of years ago Ulster would have lost that game so pleased we hung on given the heat and altitude. Real test next week going to the Sharks.

Really disappointed tonight. Ulster didn't throw a punch, never mind land one, for the first 60 mins. Leinster managed the conditions so much better and controlled the game. Strange thing is that despite that Ulster could very easily have gotten a result, but for a disallowed try.

Happy with the starting XV but if we don't get a lead after 60 mins we won't win - our bench isn't strong enough. At the risk of sounding like a broken record I'm sure that Balacoune, Stewart, Doak, Moore and McCann will get much more out of playing in a scratch side against the Griquas than...

Ulster Michael Lowry, Aaron Sexton, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney; Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole, Alan O'Connor (Captain), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney. Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O'Sullivan, Marty Moore, Sam...

Forecast for tomorrow is to be very wet and windy in Belfast although maybe easing off somewhat come match time. Bit disappointing as I'm heading up to it and would have loved to see a shootout on a dry pitch. This is the second match I'll be taking my son to. His first was the Ulster Leinster...

All indications I've heard is that internationals will be back by round 3 at the latest. Obviously there's people much more in the know than me. Makes no sense for late October as that's a massive break and then straight back into Nov internationals. The potential issue arises where the likes...

Honestly, what would provide more benefit to Timoney - potentially matching up in a competitive game against Van Der Flier or playing against the Griquas?

Agreed. Ulster could be potentially missing most of their backline for the home game against Leinster. Surely they would benefit more from playing in that game than against the Pumas or Cheetahs. Really devalues the URC as well - we could see from last season how a couple of points can make a...

Putting it out front that I'm putting all of my Ulster bias into this post. How do Ulster only have two backs in this squad? It would have been three with Balacoune but even still. - What more does McCloskey have to do? He's been exceptional this season and remarkably consistent and, as...

Nope. It's a song about the opposition knocking the ball on sung to that tune - has been sung all season. Great match to be at. Ulster played well but Munster were really poor. Huge amount of knock ons and unforced errors. If Carberry is Irelands seconds best 10 we're in big trouble, he had an...

Agree largely with this although I think it's a bit of a disservice to Warwick. I've been shocked at how much he has stepped up this season as I would have always considered him a decent squad player and nothing more. He's made himself first choice this year and has more than held his own...