Connacht’s Challenge Cup mission takes them to Sixways Stadium today as they look to do the double over Worcester Warriors and take a significant step closer to a home quarter-final.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – POOL 5: Saturday, January 13
WORCESTER WARRIORS (2nd) v CONNACHT (1st), Sixways Stadium, 3pm (live Galway Bay FM/highlights TG4)
Team News: Ireland internationals Ultan Dillane, Bundee Aki and Kieran Marmion return to the Connacht team for this afternoon’s Challenge Cup round 5 date with Worcester Warriors at Sixways Stadium.
A win for Connacht would secure top spot in Pool 5 of European rugby’s second tier competition and a place in the quarter-finals with a game to spare. Kieran Keane’s men host Oyonnax in the final round next week.
With James Cannon ruled out through injury, Dillane’s return will be a boost to the province’s pack which includes loosehead Peter McCabe, who made his first start against Munster, and Conor Carey at tighthead.
In the back row, Eoghan Masterson returns at blindside flanker having been rested last week. Captain John Muldoon, who started in Connacht’s last victory in Sixways back in 2009, starts at number 8.
Scrum half Marmion comes back in to form a refreshed half-back pairing with Craig Ronaldson, as Jack Carty is rested from the matchday 23 after a hectic Christmas schedule. The back-line is also boosted by Aki’s return in midfield where he will play alongside Tom Farrell.
The back-three includes Tiernan O’Halloran at full-back and Darragh Leader and Niyi Adeolokun on the wings. Cian Kelleher is listed among the replacements having returned from injury this week.
Meanwhile, the Worcester Warriors management have made six personnel changes for this top of the table clash with the westerners. Connacht have a seven-point buffer over the Aviva Premiership side who lost 15-8 at the Sportsground in October.
Perry Humphreys, Dean Hammond, Jamie Shillcock, Simon Kerrod, Darren Barry and Pierce Phillips are all called up for the rematch, with wing duo Humphreys and Hammond lining out in the back-three with in-form Welsh flyer Josh Adams, the current Premiership Player of the Month, who moves to full-back.
As Worcester, who are second-from-bottom in the league, look to bounce back from defeats to Saracens (46-31) and Bath (46-25), Chris Pennell makes the switch to midfield to join Ryan Mills while Francois Hougaard lines up with Shillcock at half-back.
In a pack which is minus regular captain Donnacha O’Callaghan, Kerrod joins Ethan Waller and Jack Singleton in the front row with Barry and Phillips in the second row. South African GJ van Velze leads the side from the back row, flanked by David Denton and Sam Lewis. Van Velze and Denton are two of only five players retained in the starting XV from Galway.
In the replacements, Matt Cox is in line for his first Warriors appearance since September following a bicep injury, while Matti Williams, Biyi Alo, Huw Taylor and Ben Howard are called up for bench duty against the Pool 5 leaders.
WORCESTER WARRIORS: Josh Adams; Perry Humphreys, Chris Pennell, Ryan Mills, Dean Hammond; Jamie Shillcock, Francois Hougaard; Ethan Waller, Jack Singleton, Simon Kerrod, Darren Barry, Pierce Phillips, David Denton, Sam Lewis, GJ van Velze (capt).
Replacements: Matti Williams, Ryan Bower, Bi Alo, Huw Taylor, Matt Cox, Michael Dowsett, Sam Olver, Ben Howard.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Darragh Leader, Bundee Aki, Tom Farrell, Niyi Adeolokun; Craig Ronaldson, Kieran Marmion; Peter McCabe, Dave Heffernan, Conor Carey, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Denis Coulson, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Gavin Thornbury, Naulia Dawai, Caolin Blade, Eoin Griffin, Cian Kelleher.
Referee: Alexandre Ruiz (France)
Assistant Referees: Sebastien Minery, Cedric Clave (both France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Worcester Warriors to win: Evens; Draw: 17/1; Connacht to win: 5/6
Pre-Match Quotes: Conor Carey (Connacht) – “We have set ourselves up in a really good place over the first four games (in the Challenge Cup). We have to go all guns blazing in these two games and a home quarter-final in Galway would be incredible getting the huge crowd.
“The atmosphere for the interpros and the European game last year I can’t describe how good it is. I have never experienced a better atmosphere. If we had one of those in Galway in March time, it would just mean a lot to the players. I am sure it would mean a hell of a lot to the fans too. Once you get to a quarter-final you never know what might happen.
“We want to finish as high in the pool as possible and go hard in these next two games. We have some time off after that and it’s just about building over the next two weeks. When it’s coming into Europe, the squad always gets that bit more competitive. Everyone wants to play, everyone wants to start the games.
“Even the lads that don’t get a chance, they might be in the Eagles games in the B&I Cup and if they impress there, they are brought in the next week. There is a bit more bite which helps push up the standards.”
Jimmy Duffy (Connacht) – “There is a lot of energy after last weekend, but one thing we are really pleased with is that guys who were given opportunities during the interpros really took them.
“So, it casts a different light over selection, and it means we are having longer selection meetings and that is the space we are in. We have performed really well in Europe this season and we’ve given ourselves a great chance of advancing in the competition, but the job is not done yet.
“We’re well aware of the threat posed by Worcester and where their strengths lie. We’re targeting a home quarter-final, which would be a massive occasion in the Sportsground. We have two games left in the pool stages and we need to win both to be guaranteed that home quarter-final.”
Current Form – Worcester Warriors – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 35-8 v Newcastle Falcons (away), Lost 24-10 v Wasps (home), Lost 41-10 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Lost 24-19 v Gloucester (away), Lost 25-3 v Saracens (home), Lost 29-13 v Bath (away); (Challenge Cup): Won 30-20 v Brive (home), Lost 15-8 v Connacht (away); (Aviva Premiership): Lost 41-35 v Harlequins (away); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 24-21 v Sale Sharks (home), Lost 45-37 v Harlequins (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 30-15 v Northampton Saints (home), Won 31-27 v Leicester Tigers (away), Lost 18-14 v Sale Sharks (home); (Challenge Cup): Won 35-14 v Oyonnax (home), Lost 27-20 v Oyonnax (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 23-8 v London Irish (home), Lost 46-31 v Saracens (away), Lost 46-25 v Bath (home)
Connacht – (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 18-12 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Won 32-10 v Southern Kings (home), Lost 21-8 v Dragons (away), Lost 17-15 v Cardiff Blues (home), Lost 36-27 v Scarlets (away), Lost 16-8 v Ulster (away); (Challenge Cup): Won 43-15 v Oyonnax (away), Won 15-8 v Worcester Warriors (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 20-16 v Munster (home), Won 23-15 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), Lost 36-30 v Cardiff Blues (away), Lost 24-10 v Zebre (away); (Challenge Cup): Won 38-31 v Brive (away), Won 55-10 v Brive (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 44-16 v Ulster (home), Lost 21-18 v Leinster (away), Lost 39-13 v Munster (away)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Challenge Cup: Worcester Warriors – Points: Sam Olver 30; Tries: Joe Taufete’e 3; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 53; Tries: Matt Healy 7
Previous European Meetings: 5
Saturday, October 21, 2017 – Pool 5 – Connacht 15 Worcester Warriors 8, the Sportsground
Friday, December 18, 2009 – Pool 2 – Connacht 19 Worcester Warriors 7, the Sportsground
Saturday, December 12, 2009 – Pool 2 – Worcester Warriors 21 Connacht 26, Sixways Stadium
Saturday, December 17, 2005 – Pool 5 – Connacht 22 Worcester Warriors 21, the Sportsground
Saturday, December 10, 2005 – Pool 5 – Worcester Warriors 30 Connacht 20, Sixways Stadium
Match Facts –
– The teams have met five times previously with Worcester winning the first meeting back in 2005/06, however Connacht have won all four games since then
– Worcester have won their last four home games, with each of those victories coming by 10-plus points
– Connacht have won all four of their European ties this season, their best run in the Challenge Cup since winning seven in-a-row on their way to the semi-final stage in 2009/10
– Jack Carty is the only player to total 50-plus points so far in this season’s Challenge Cup (53), scoring two tries, kicking 11 of 13 conversion attempts and seven penalties
– Worcester top the charts for turnovers won in this season’s competition, averaging eight per game
Challenge Cup Records:
Worcester Warriors –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2008/09: Reached the semi-finals
2007/08: Runners-up
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Failed to qualify from round 1
Connacht –
2015/16: Reached the quarter-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Reached the quarter-finals
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2005/06: Reached the quarter-finals
2004/05: Reached the semi-finals
2003/04: Reached the semi-finals
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
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