ROUND 5 PREVIEW: MUNSTER V ULSTER

Preview this weekend's Guinness PRO14 game versus Munster...

• What: Guinness PRO14 Round 5
• When: Saturday 29th September, kick off 7.35pm
• Where: Thomond Park, Limerick
• Watch: Live on Eir Sport 1 & Premier Sports 1
• Referee: Dan Jones (WRU, 17th competition game)

The 2017/18 Guinness PRO14 season set new attacking records, with 861 tries scored, but with a scintillating Round 4 now under our belts, new heights are being reached in the Championship. In the first 28 games of the season, 168 tries have now been scored - the first time that the running average for a season has ever hit six tries per game in the entire history of the Championship. Ulster Rugby’s draw with the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings’ victory over Glasgow Warriors mean that Dan McFarland's men remain the only unbeaten side in the competition, whilst Cardiff Blues’ resounding 37-13 victory over Munster was one of the most eye-catching results of the round. Round 5 brings with it a whole host of fascinating fixtures including the season’s first derby matches which take place in Ireland. On Saturday, Munster welcome Ulster to Thomond Park, looking for a third win at home this season. Johann van Graan’s side were beaten in Cardiff last time out, but have taken a maximum ten points from their two games at home so far this season. Ulster are the only remaining unbeaten team this season, although they failed to win for the first-time last week with a draw in Bloemfontein. Ulster’s last win at Thomond Park came back in May 2014. HEAD TO HEAD Played 33: Munster won 17, Ulster won 14 with 2 games drawn. DID YOU KNOW?

• Munster Rugby’s last six matches in the Guinness PRO14 have all gone the way of the home side.
• The Munstermen’s only home defeat in any competition since February 2017 was to Leinster at Thomond Park at Christmas time in 2017.
• Munster faced fellow Irish provinces on seven occasions last season and won only one: 39-13 against Connacht in Limerick in January.
• Ulster are unbeaten in their last nine Guinness PRO14 encounters since the Blues beat them in Cardiff in March, a sequence which now includes two drawn matches.
• The Ulstermen have won their last five fixtures in Belfast since Edinburgh beat them there 17-16 with an injury time drop goal from Duncan Weir in February 2018.
• Ulster’s only two victories over fellow Irish provinces last season were both at Kingspan Stadium, against Connacht and Munster, whilst they have not been victorious away from home against an Irish province since a visit to Connacht in December 2015.
• Munster failed to achieve a victory over Ulster in either of their two fixtures last season, something that had not happened since 2013/14.
• Ulster’s most recent victory at Thomond Park was in May 2014.
• Andrew Warwick will earn his 100th cap playing for Ulster on Saturday.