Ulster suffered a narrow 15-10 defeat against Connacht in the first round of the Interprovincial Championship, prompting second row Fiona Tuite to emphasize the need for her team to "execute more".

The match was tightly contested, with both teams level at halftime. However, Connacht showcased a dominant performance in the second half, securing their victory.

Despite the loss, Tuite expressed optimism about her side's performance:

That was one of the feistiest Ulster performances we've had, particularly in opening games. Usually, we leave it until the final, but that was incredible.

• She praised Connacht for their skill, particularly highlighting Anna McGann who scored tries with finesse.

Looking ahead, Ulster prepares for a challenging match against Munster on Saturday, 15 August. Tuite stressed the importance of improvement in several areas:

We need to execute a bit more, particularly our lineout.

• She noted the necessity to be more clinical when in the opponent's 22.
• Tuite acknowledged the strength of their defense, stating, "Our defence today was incredible. We need to continue that. It's our new standard."

Tuite remains hopeful, stating, "We have wins in us. I think they're coming. We're on the brink of it. We have even more young girls coming through and hopefully our internationals will get a few more minutes next week."