The leading two sides in Champions Cup Pool 2 are separated by just three points, so a win in Galway on Saturday could see Connacht leapfrog English heavyweights Wasps and reclaim top spot.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 2: Saturday, December 17
CONNACHT (2nd) v WASPS (1st), the Sportsground, 5.30pm (live Sky Sports 2 HD/beIN Sports/Galway Bay FM/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: The Connacht team to face Wasps at the Sportsground on Saturday evening features four personnel changes to the side that lined out in Coventry.
With Stacey Ili sidelined through injury, 22-year-old Rory Parata is named in the centre for his first Champions Cup start, while Ireland international Matt Healy comes on to the left wing for the injured Cian Kelleher.
Up front, Ireland prop Finlay Bealham packs down with Denis Buckley and hooker Tom McCartney. The back row is reshuffled with the introduction of Eoin McKeon at blindside flanker, while Nepia Fox-Matamua shifts to openside in the absence of injured Jake Heenan.
From the bench, Fijian international Naulia Dawai is in line to make his Connacht debut having arrived at the province last month. The 29-year-old is one of six forwards named among the replacements with Caolin Blade and Danie Poolman the only two remaining backs available for selection from the EPCR-registered squad.
Commenting on the team selection and the rematch with Wasps, head coach Pat Lam said: “With only nine fit backs available to us this week, it’s forced me to name a 6-2 split on the bench for the first time with Caolin Blade having to cover the out-half position.
“So, with those injuries as well as the short turnaround, it’s been a fairly light week in terms of physical preparation out on the pitch. We’ve put a big emphasis on our mental prep and ensuring that we are all crystal clear in terms of what we need to do tomorrow afternoon.
“Without a doubt, this game is massively important in the context of our European ambitions. Win and we’re back at the top of the pool and in a really good place after four rounds. That’s the outcome we all want, but it’s all about the performance first and foremost.”
Connacht’s injury list currently includes the aforementioned Ili, Kelleher and Heenan as well as Ronan Loughney, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Eoghan Masterson, John Cooney, Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O’Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Peter Robb, Eoin Griffin, Cormac Brennan, Josh Rowland and Darragh Leader.
As part of his contract and release deal from Wasps, second row James Cannon is not permitted to play in the Champions Cup fixtures against Wasps.
Meanwhile, the selected Wasps team features new half-back and midfield combinations, with scrum half Joe Simpson starting alongside number 10 Jimmy Gopperth and Dubliner Brendan Macken partnering Kurtley Beale in the centre, both of whom impressed in last Sunday’s home success against the reigning GUINNESS PRO12 champions. Kyle Eastmond and Danny Cipriani remain sidelined by chest and calf injuries respectively.
In the front row, Jake Cooper-Woolley starts at tighthead prop alongside Tommy Taylor and Matt Mullan, with Ireland international Martin Moore – the third former Leinster player in the squad – part of a strong bench primed to make an impact.
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: “As we said after last Sunday’s game, this is very much half-time in the fixture. We are well aware of the huge challenge ahead of us, against a quality side, at a very difficult place to play.
“Connacht Rugby have a really passionate set of supporters and we are expecting it to be a fantastic atmosphere, as it always is at the Sportsground.
“We also expect the weather conditions to be as testing as they normally are in December, so we will need to be efficient with possession and any opportunities that come our way.”
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Rory Parata, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoin McKeon, Nepia Fox-Matamua, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Conor Carey, Lewis Stevenson, Sean O’Brien, Caolin Blade, Danie Poolman, Naulia Dawai.
WASPS: Rob Miller; Christian Wade, Brendan Macken, Kurtley Beale, Josh Bassett; Jimmy Gopperth, Joe Simpson; Matt Mullan, Tommy Taylor, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Joe Launchbury (capt), Kearnan Myall, Ashley Johnson, Thomas Young, Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: Alex Rieder, Tom Bristow, Martin Moore, James Gaskell, Guy Thompson, Dan Robson, Alapati Leiua, Frank Halai.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal, Sebastian Cloute (both France)
Television Match Official: Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 15/8; Draw: 22/1; Wasps to win: 4/9
Pre-Match Quotes: Matt Healy (Connacht) – “There were about 15 handling errors (against Wasps Sunday) – that was pretty uncharacteristic from our side. We will be looking to improve on that and bring it into the weekend.
“I think all games in the Champions Cup are ‘must win’. It was a challenge, these two back-to-back games against Wasps at the start of the season. But it’s something that we are really looking forward to. And our future in the competition heavily relies on this weekend. It’s huge, we are back in the Sportsground, back in front of hopefully a sell-out crowd, so it should be a good weekend.
“It’s been a funny few months (personally). I broke my hand a couple of weeks into the start of the season which wasn’t ideal and that put me out for three months.
“I thought I had my first game last week against Treviso but I had to pull out at last minute. It was difficult, but last Sunday it was great to be back out, just back out with the lads. I am looking forward to getting out again hopefully this weekend.”
Thomas Young (Wasps) – “It was important for us to get the win last Sunday. The pool has been pretty close for the first few rounds so to get the win and go top, especially getting five points at home, the squad’s really happy but we have to back it up this weekend.
“It was difficult for us at times, Connacht play a lot with ball in hand so we had to spend large periods defending. We have to be clinical when we do get the ball because we know they won’t kick as much as we’re maybe used to with other sides. It’s up to us to get the ball, keep hold of it and force them into mistakes.
“Connacht won the PRO12 last year and they’ve got a good home record but it’s a massive opportunity for us. It’s going to be a big challenge but if we want to push on in the competition we have to go there and get a result. It’s places like the Sportsground that you have to get results if you want to be challenging in this competition so we’re all looking forward to it.
“The first 20 minutes is going to be important. If we can get on top and silence the crowd a bit it will really put us on the front foot. If we don’t and the crowd start to get behind them, it’s going to make the evening even harder for us but we’ve been to tough places before and we know what that involves.”
Current Form – Connacht – (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 41-5 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Lost 32-11 v Ospreys (home), Lost 17-8 v Scarlets (away), Won 28-15 v Edinburgh (home), Won 30-25 v Ulster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 23-21 v Toulouse (home), Won 52-7 v Zebre (away); (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 24-13 v Leinster (away), Lost 21-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), Won 18-7 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 47-8 v Benetton Treviso (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 32-17 v Wasps (away)
Wasps – (Aviva Premiership): Won 25-20 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Won 34-22 v Leicester Tigers (away), Won 70-22 v Bristol (home), Won 20-15 v Northampton Saints (away), Won 47-18 v Harlequins (home), Lost 30-14 v Saracens (away); (Champions Cup): Won 82-14 v Zebre (home), Drew 20-20 v Toulouse (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 31-6 v Newcastle Falcons (home); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 17-13 v Sale Sharks (away), Won 62-10 v Worcester Warriors (home); (Aviva Premiership): Lost 36-18 v Gloucester (away), Won 34-24 v Sale Sharks (home), Won 26-12 v Worcester Warriors (away); (Champions Cup): Won 32-17 v Connacht (home)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 18; Tries: Stacey Ili 3; Wasps – Points: Jimmy Gopperth 32; Tries: Josh Bassett 3
Previous European Meetings: 1
Sunday, December 11 – Pool 2 – Wasps 32 Connacht 17, Ricoh Arena
Match Facts –
– Round 3 was the first meeting between the teams in Europe with Wasps running out 32-17 victors at the Ricoh Arena
– Connacht have won seven of their last eight home games in European competitions, including each of their last four, and will be searching for a third consecutive home win in the Champions Cup for the first time
– Wasps won on their last trip to Ireland (against Leinster in round 1 last season), but have only won consecutive games on Irish soil once before, against Ulster in 1997 and 1999
– Not only have Wasps averaged the most conversions per game (5.3), but they are also the most accurate goal-kicking team with a 91% success rate
– Connacht’s Cian Kelleher (288) and Tiernan O’Halloran (242) have made the most and third most metres respectively so far in this season’s Champions Cup
European Cup Records:
Connacht –
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
Wasps –
2015/16: Reached the semi-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2006/07: Champions
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2003/04: Champions
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
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