Ulster V Connacht On Tv: URC round 13 teams, kick-off and Connacht’s Top 8 push
ulster v connacht on tv is the headline fixture of Round 13 in the United Rugby Championship at Affidea Stadium, Belfast, with kick-off listed as 19. 45 IRE & UK / 20. 45 ITA / 21. 45 SA. Ulster run out with Michael Lowry at 15 and Iain Henderson as captain; Connacht name Seán Naughton at 15 with Cian Prendergast captaining. The game matters because Connacht sit 9th on 30 points and remain in the race for a Top 8 finish with six rounds left.
Ulster V Connacht On Tv — teams and kick-off
ulster v connacht on tv brings the matchday squads into focus. Ulster’s starting XV: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Jacob Stockdale, 12 Ben Carson, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Marcus Rea, 6 David McCann, 5 Joe Hopes, 4 Iain Henderson (c), 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Angus Bell. Ulster replacements include Rob Herring, Sam Crean, Tom O’Toole, Matthew Dalton and others listed on the bench.
Connacht start: 15 Seán Naughton, 14 Shane Jennings, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Finn Treacy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Colm Reilly, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Cian Prendergast (c), 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Darragh Murray, 4 Joe Joyce, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Billy Bohan. Connacht replacements include Matthew Victory, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Niall Murray and others.
Venue and timing: Affidea Stadium, Belfast; kick-off details are given as 19. 45 IRE & UK / 20. 45 ITA / 21. 45 SA for this Round 13 fixture. Match officials were listed for other Round 13 games in the fixture list; the Ulster–Connacht referee entry is shown in the match schedule context.
Connacht in the mix for URC race to the Top 8
Connacht sit 9th on 30 points with six rounds remaining in the United Rugby Championship. The Play-Off picture is tight: the top eight qualify for the Play-Offs and top four earn home Quarter-Finals. Connacht are noted as likely needing at least four wins from the remaining fixtures and face a difficult run that includes five matches against current top-eight sides.
Connacht’s remaining run includes this Friday night away trip to Ulster, then home matches against the Ospreys and Sharks, followed by a South Africa double-header against the Stormers and Lions. The regular season closes with a home game against Munster and an away trip to Edinburgh.
What to watch next
The immediate focus is matchday selection, set-piece battle and how each club manages their bench across a congested run-in. With Connacht pushing for a Top 8 slot and Ulster sitting among the teams competing for higher placement, this fixture could swing momentum for both sides over the final six rounds. Viewers checking schedules and broadcast arrangements will be looking for clarity on how to tune in; for now the fixture is firmly marked in the Round 13 slate and the outcome will feed directly into the end-of-season race.
Expect squad rotation and tactical adjustments as both coaches prepare for the remaining fixtures and the pressure of the Race to the Eight intensifies; the edition of ulster v connacht on tv for Round 13 will be a key early marker in that run.
