Top performers of the night
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Iain Henderson
The Irish-international was magnificent tonight as he put in a massive shift around the park, picking up the Man of the Match award as a result. He stole and disrupted much of Connacht’s lineout ball and was a key cog in the machine that was the Ulster scrum. As always he served as an additional backrow around the field, turning over ball and carrying well in the loose. The second row was one of his side’s top tacklers as well and was unlucky not to get over for a try himself. Yet another performance that will give Warren Gatland some serious headaches about who his starting second-row partnership will be on the Lions tour this summer.
Stuart McCloskey
@Stuart_Mc12 scores the first try of the game against @connachtrugby after a clinical @UlsterRugby attack. #Pro12 pic.twitter.com/D0Rm53O8kX
— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) December 23, 2016
The bulldozing centre was in flying form tonight for his Ulster side. He was lively right up until his departure in the 75th minute as he was replaced by Tommy Bowe. The centre was the key man for the Ulstermen tonight as he was used on a crash ball from virtually every scrum and lineout. He never failed to suck in more than two defenders and to get over the gainline as he barged his way through the Connacht defence. The gargantuan centre went over for his side’s first try of the game, after he showed great pace to race away down the blindside, following some quick thinking by Ruan Pienaar. It will be hard for Joe Schmidt not to keep the number twelve in his mind when he is picking his Six Nations squad next month.
Tom Wood
Wood put in a MOTM performance after a dominating shift in the loose. A well taken try in first half got Northampton on the front foot from the get go. Wood was critical to the Saints defence and managed to prevent a Sale come back before being replaced after 70 minutes.
