Connacht and Worcester Warriors clash for the first time in eight years in the Challenge Cup, with both teams looking to build on bonus point-winning performances from the opening round.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – POOL 5: Saturday, October 21
CONNACHT (1st) v WORCESTER WARRIORS (2nd), the Sportsground, 3pm (live Galway Bay FM/highlights TG4)
Team News: Eoghan Masterson will captain Connacht in Saturday’s Challenge Cup round 2 game against Worcester Warriors at the Sportsground. The 24-year-old takes his place at number 8 in a back row that includes Eoin McKeon at blindside and James Connolly at openside.
There is also a new-look front row compared to the team that started the bonus point win away to Oyonnax last Saturday night. Denis Buckley comes in at loosehead prop and Dave Heffernan, who impressed for Connacht Eagles last weekend, and Dominic Robertson-McCoy are included at hooker and tighthead respectively.
In the backs, Bundee Aki returns to the province’s midfield alongside inside centre Eoin Griffin. Tiernan O’Halloran is also back in the side at full-back after a brief hip injury.
Matt Healy scored two tries in the opening round and is Connacht’s record try scorer in European competition. The left winger is looking forward to building on an encouraging performance in Oyonnax, saying: “We had a great travelling support last week in Geneva and we were delighted with the bonus point win. So, we had a review of the Oyonnax game and very quickly moved on and started focusing on Worcester.
“We’re delighted to be back in the Sportsground in front of our home support. Worcester will bring a big challenge, they had a good win (against Brive) last week and, like ourselves, will be looking to gain a bit of momentum this weekend.”
Meanwhile, Worcester Warriors’ club captain Donncha O’Callaghan will start on the bench for their visit to Galway, with head coach Carl Hogg making seven changes to the team that claimed a 30-20 bonus point victory over Brive.
O’Callaghan’s fellow former Munster great, evergreen scrum half Peter Stringer, is on loan with Worcester for the early months of the season but is not registered for the Challenge Cup. Jonny Arr will be partnered at half-back by Australian number 10 Jono Lance, who will make his first start for the Aviva Premiership club.
Jackson Willison comes in at centre to team up with 34-year-old former Springbok Wynand Olivier, while ex-Wales Under-20 international Josh Adams is handed a start on the left wing.
21-year-old Warriors Academy graduate Jack Singleton returns at hooker, while Will Spencer, who is in his second season at Sixways after spells with Bath and London Welsh, comes into the second row.
Scotland’s David Denton and Samoan international Alafoti Faosiliva start in the back row as Worcester look to make it back-to-back pool wins. Summer signing Simon Kerrod could be in line for his Warriors debut as he is handed a place on the bench, while former Northampton Saint Sam Olver is also named among the replacements.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran, Darragh Leader, Bundee Aki, Eoin Griffin, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Eoin McKeon, James Connolly, Eoghan Masterson (capt).
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, Cillian Gallagher, Jarrad Butler, Kieran Marmion, Craig Ronaldson, Cian Kelleher.
WORCESTER WARRIORS: Chris Pennell; Tom Howe, Wynand Olivier, Jackson Willison, Josh Adams; Jono Lance, Jonny Arr; Ethan Waller, Jack Singleton, Gareth Milasinovich, Pierce Phillips, Will Spencer, David Denton, Alafoti Faosiliva, GJ van Velze (capt).
Replacements: Matti Williams, Ryan Bower, Simon Kerrod, Donncha O’Callaghan, Huw Taylor, Michael Dowsett, Sam Olver, Perry Humphreys.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Robert Price, Andy Davies (both Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/8; Draw: 25/1; Worcester Warriors to win: 11/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Denis Buckley (Connacht) – “Our defence coach Pete Wilkins has come in and everyone has been impressed by him and the work he is doing at the Sportsground. It’s good to see that it’s actually possible to go a full half of rugby without conceding now and we will look to replicate that (effort against Oyonnax) going forward.
“We still haven’t put in a good defensive performance for 80 minutes but that will come. We were close against Ulster too. It was just the one mistake on a kick chase that led to Jacob Stockdale’s try at Kingspan Stadium and that was the difference between winning and losing.
“It’s great to keep on improving and hopefully we can carry that on into this weekend against a really good Aviva Premiership outfit too. Worcester have a lot of internationals and a pretty impressive team on paper anyway.
“Like all of the Premiership teams these days they invest heavily in their squad and the big-name players are dotted throughout their side. It’s going to be a tough game but we are back in the Sportsground, and in front of our vocal home support.
“We expect a big crowd to turn out in Galway tomorrow and with the confidence and momentum flowing who knows what we are capable of. Hopefully it can stick for us and we can put in a good defensive performance to solidify our good attacking game. The lads will be confident after what they produced in Switzerland.
“We’re taking Europe very seriously again this year and if we can win against Worcester in the Sportsground tomorrow, it would put us in a great spot going forward for the usually pivotal back-to-back games against Brive in December.”
Donncha O’Callaghan (Worcester Warriors) – “It was really weird for me but Europe was seen in a different light over here last year. Thankfully Gary Gold (our director of rugby) doesn’t see it that way. He sees it as a competition to go out and do our best in.
“Last year was a rotation and I found that so alien that Europe wasn’t the pinnacle. Thankfully it’s back to being up there. Gary is giving the younger guys a go and it’s about trying to make sure they know that you don’t get a whole lot of opportunities like that.
“There aren’t a whole lot of teams in the Premiership that will take guys as young as we are going to go this season, and throw them in. They are going to make mistakes, but that’s what we all did. It’s funny, I remember chatting with ROG (Ronan O’Gara) about the approach, I know myself we were allowed to make mistakes but now there are so many guys and so many options. There was no one else when we were younger.
“ROG was saying about that kick he missed against Northampton (in 2000), if that happens a modern young fella now you look somewhere else because there are so many of them. Munster could look nowhere else. That’s the same with us, there are younger guys, you have got to help them fulfil their potential but know they don’t get a whole lot of shots at it.”
Current Form – 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)
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)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Challenge Cup: Connacht – Points: Andrew Deegan 18; Tries: Matt Healy 2; Worcester Warriors – Points: Joe Taufete’e 15; Tries: Joe Taufete’e 3
Previous European Meetings: 4
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 –
– This will be the fifth match between the teams in the Challenge Cup. Worcester won their first meeting in December 2005, however, the province have won all three clashes since then
– Connacht have won six of their last seven Challenge Cup games at the Sportsground (L1), although their one defeat in that run came against Premiership opposition (v Exeter Chiefs)
– Perry Humphreys made three clean breaks in round 1, the equal most of any player, also gaining 103 metres from his nine total carries
Challenge Cup Records:
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
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
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