Connacht must look to steady their ship after a disappointing start to the season.
CONNACHT
Starting XV: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Eoin Griffin, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Craig Ronaldson, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Nathan White, 4 Michael Swift(c), 5 Craig Clarke, 6 Andrew Browne, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 John Muldoon
Replacements: 16 James Rael, 17 Rodney Ah You, 18 Ronan Loughney, 19 Aly Muldowney 20 George Naoupu, 21 Paul O’Donohoe, 22 Dan Parks, 23 Fionn Carr
Unavailable/Injured: Denis Buckley, Willie Faloon, Conor Finn, Jason Harris-Wright, Eoin McKeon, Shane Layden, Tadhg Leader, Dave McSharry, Miah Nikora, Kyle Tonetti, and Marcus Walsh
Starting XV: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Eoin Griffin, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Craig Ronaldson, 9 Kieran Marmion
1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Sean Henry, 3 Nathan White, 4 Michael Swift(c), 5 Craig Clarke, 6 Andrew Browne, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 John Muldoon
Replacements: 16 James Rael, 17 Rodney Ah You, 18 Ronan Loughney, 19 Aly Muldowney 20 George Naoupu, 21 Paul O’Donohoe, 22 Dan Parks, 23 Fionn Carr
Unavailable/Injured: Denis Buckley, Willie Faloon, Conor Finn, Jason Harris-Wright, Eoin McKeon, Shane Layden, Tadhg Leader, Dave McSharry, Miah Nikora, Kyle Tonetti, and Marcus Walsh
Ospreys
Starting XV: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 Ben John, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tito Tebaldi
1 Duncan Jones, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Adam Jones, 4 Alun Wyn Jones (C), 5 Ian Evans, 6 James King, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Morgan Allen
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Tyler Ardron, 20 Joe Bearman, 21 Tom Habberfield, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Jonathan Spratt
Unavailable/Injured: Dmitri Arhip, Hanno Dirksen, Conor Finn, Dafydd Howells, Tom Smith, and Rhys Webb
Starting XV: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 Ben John, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tito Tebaldi
1 Duncan Jones, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Adam Jones, 4 Alun Wyn Jones (C), 5 Ian Evans, 6 James King, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Morgan Allen
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Tyler Ardron, 20 Joe Bearman, 21 Tom Habberfield, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Jonathan Spratt
Unavailable/Injured: Dmitri Arhip, Hanno Dirksen, Conor Finn, Dafydd Howells, Tom Smith, and Rhys Webb
Venue: The Sportsground, Galway
Date: Saturday, 28th September 2013
Kick-off: 17:00
TV Broadcasts: TG4 / BBC Wales, Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (SFU, 23rd competition game)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
Date: Saturday, 28th September 2013
Kick-off: 17:00
TV Broadcasts: TG4 / BBC Wales, Rabo Matchday Live
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (SFU, 23rd competition game)
MATCH DISCUSSION THREAD ON THE FORUM
After last week's loss to Ulster fans were shell shocked about the way the 2nd half of that match had gotten away from Connacht so quickly. On the Connacht Clan forum many people were calling for some major changes. Some of those changes have been introduced, whether by design or through injury.
Duffy was criticised by some for a lack of pace coming into the line from full-back, but he holds onto that position where his incredible steadfastness under the high ball gives Connacht some assured posession. Room has been made in the starting XV for Danie Poolman who, after a stormer of a first season, had not settled into this season starting lineup. The biggest change to the starting team though is that Dan Parks drops to the bench, giving AIL promotee Craig Ronaldson a chance to show his quality. He plays outside regular first team starter Marmion, and inside the still-forming centre partnership of Griffin and Henshaw. Matt Healy continues his powerful start to the season with yet another starting berth.
The changes in the pack reflect the bruising nature of last week's match as Connacht add two more players to their growing injury list. Willie Faloon, last years Player of the Season and a player who hit the ground running this season, is out and his place is taken by Baby Black ex-captain Jake Heenan, who switches into his natural openside position after starting last week at blindside. Andrew Browne fills the blindside slot, while John Muldoon is again not in his best position at number 8.
The other change to last weeks starting pack comes in the front row. There Jason Harris-Wright's unfortunate torn bicep means that Séan Henry is Connacht's starting hooker, slotting in between Wilko and White. The engine room is unchanged with Michael Swift and Craig Clarke, both of whom must be hurting from the way the Ulster pack dominated the second half last week.
The Osprey's will obviously fancy their pack to out-play ours. They have four British and Irish Lions starting (Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, and Justin Tipuric) and another one (Richard Hibbard) on the bench. Tipuric is starting his first match of the season this week, and so will be eager to get stuck in, but hopefully not as eager as last week when he was carded for a tip tackle (and luckily was not cited). They are ably supported by the likes of Morgan, King (3 tries a piece last season) and Scott Baldwin.
The back line may not be as star-studded as the Ospreys sides of old, but they have some real quality players. In the half-backs the addition of Tito Tebaldi from Zebre was a deft bit of business for them adding some considerable bite at scrum-half, and it looks like he could partner well with Biggar to give him an extra second on the ball. Ashley Beck and Ben John are a young centre pairing to face Connacht's young pair, with ages and caps quite similar, and it will be interesting to see how that battle goes (if the packs let go of the ball that is).
Connacht may feel that one area where they might have the upper hand is in their outside backs. Fussell is a quality operator but has not been putting points on the board very often of late. Walker is a big strong lad, and he managed to bag two tries last week, but Poolman has a great tackle and his defense last season was superb. Finally Healy's form has been superb and he should fancy his chances against Ospreys' Canadian signing Jeff Hassler (from Prairie Wolf Pack).
So it looks like the backlines are fairly matched, but will they see much ball? Ospreys no doubt will trust in their Lion stacked pack to pound at Connacht, and to keep that ball well away from Griffin and Co. Of course we all rate the Connacht forwards and with Heenan at blindside we may well be quite disruptive at the break-down, but can whether we can generate enough clean ball to make headway is another thing. Heart says Connacht, but head says Ospreys.
