Connacht will start their new season this Saturday at 5pm against Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground.
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CONNACHT |
BLUES | ||
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Starting XV: |
Replacements: |
Starting XV: |
Replacements: |
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15 Gavin Duffy (C) 14 Tiernan O'Halloran 13 Eoin Griffin 12 Mata Fifita 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo 10 Miah Nikora 09 Kieran Marmion 01 Denis Buckley 02 Ethienne Reynecke 03 Ronan Loughney 04 Michael Swift 05 Mike McCarthy 06 John Muldoon 07 Johnny O'Connor 08 George Naoupu |
16 Adrian Flavin 17 Rodney Ah You 18 Finlay Bealham 19 Dave Gannon 20 Willie Faloon 21 David Moore 22 Matthew Jarvis 23 Robbie Henshaw |
15 Dan Fish 14 Harry Robinson 13 Gavin Evans 12 Gareth Davies 11 Tom James 10 Ceri Sweeney 09 Lewis Jones 08 Andries Pretorius (c) 07 Josh Navidi 06 Rory Watts- Jones 05 James Down 04 Robin Copeland 03 Taufa’ao Filise 02 Andi Kyriacou 01 Thomas Davies |
16 Rhys Williams 24 Owen Williams |
A crowd of 3996 watched Connacht lose this corresponding match last season 20 – 26. Having leading at half time 17 – 6 (after tries from O’Halloran and Flavin) all this good work was undone with 2 tries inside 4 minutes, first from Cuthbert and then Laulala both converted by Dan Parks. This season though Dan Parks has abandoned the Blue for the Green!
Cardiff finished one place above Connacht last season in seventh but the gap was a massive 13 points. If Connacht are to continue to climb up the table this is a match they need to be targeting. The trouble with that kind battle cry is that we have only beaten them twice in 18 meetings (one draw).
The Blues have a formidable backline when at full strength, including seasoned internationals like Halfpenny, Cuthbert and the wreaking ball that is Jamie Roberts. However for this match the Blues are forced to play a team of relative unknowns, through injury and summer-time sales. The backline are still dangerous though, with Fish, Evans and Davies no strangers to the rigors of Pro12. Allied with Ceri Sweeney at out-half the backline is still threatening. Andi Kyriacou will start his first Blues match since moving away from Ulster.
Connacht have been hit by a fiew injuries themselves but their team is a lot more settled looking that this Blues side, and they should have a positive mindset approaching this match. Their confidence will need to be temepered though, as the Blues will not respect a team that have never finished above them in the Celtic League. Connacht will need to hit the ground running to get a result.
Our pack is a familiar sight, with the loosies and the 2nd row, as close to a starting pick as any other. In the front row Loughs is starting his first game after a break-through season and will be looking to start this season in the same vein. On the other side of the coal-face young Denis Buckley is starting, a forced change from the usual Brett Wilkinson (IRFU player management). Buckley impressed a lot of fans last year, when the 21 year old held his own at the highest level in European club rugby, and was only let down by running out of puff about the 60 minute mark.
The biggest surprise of the night comes in at number 9. Kieran Marmion has been an Irish under-age player for a couple of years now, and the scrum-half is handed his first Connacht cap ahead of Dave Moore. Those who watched him at the U-20 World Cup will have been impressed with his clever play, having made a couple of cutting breaks during the tournament.
Outside him Nikora starts with Parks not even on the bench (Jarvis offers cover), with a new inside center, Mata Fifita, outside him. From 13 to 15 we have all familiar faces, with Griffen, Vainikolo, O'Halloran and Duffy making up a backline that will do damage if given space. Let's hope for some space.
On the bench for Connacht Rodney Ah'You has been scoring tries for fun recently and hopefully will get off the bench and do the same tomorrow. Also on the bench is Robbie Henshaw a young center who scored against Quins in the pre-season friendly. We can probably expect to Faloon on the pitch at some stage as well.
