The penultimate interprovincial derby of the regular season sees Connacht lock horns with Munster in Galway, as both teams look to gain crucial ground in the race for the GUINNESS PRO12 play-offs.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 16
CONNACHT (2nd) v MUNSTER (6th), the Sportsground, 7.15pm (live TG4/Sky Sports 5 HD)
Team News: Ahead of Saturday’s sold-out interprovincial derby with Munster at the Sportsground, Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made three personnel changes to the team that lined out against Grenoble.
With the injury to Danie Poolman, the back-line is reshuffled once again. Top try scorer Matt Healy returns to the left wing with Robbie Henshaw reverting to full-back.
Academy centre Peter Robb is handed his sixth start of the season, partnering Bundee Aki in midfield. The half-back pairing of Shane O’Leary and Kieran Marmion is retained.
Up front, Aly Muldowney is brought in to partner Ireland international Ultan Dillane in the second row, while Eoin McKeon has recovered from illness to start in the all-Galway-born back row with Sean O’Brien and the province’s Player of the Month, John Muldoon.
Jason Harris-Wright and Jack Carty are new additions to the matchday squad with Carty in line to make his first appearance since having his spleen removed ten weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Munster boss Anthony Foley has made three changes to the team to face Connacht in round 20 of the GUINNESS PRO12, with Simon Zebo set to make his 100th provincial appearance.
The first of two changes to the pack comes in the front row with hooker Mike Sherry returning to start alongside James Cronin and Stephen Archer, while Donnacha Ryan and Billy Holland continue their partnership in the second row.
With Jack O’Donoghue coming into the back row at number 8 for the interprovincial clash, captain CJ Stander makes the positional switch to blindside flanker with Tommy O’Donnell remaining at openside.
The final switch sees Darren Sweetnam start on the right wing, joining Keith Earls and Munster’s latest centurion Zebo in the back-three. Conor Murray and Johnny Holland continue at half-back as doRory Scannell and Francis Saili in midfield.
Dave O’Callaghan (knee bruising) failed to come through full training this week, ruling him out of contention. Dave Foley (ankle) and Academy second row Sean McCarthy (knee) were ruled out earlier this week.
CONNACHT: Robbie Henshaw; Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Peter Robb, Matt Healy; Shane O’Leary, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Aly Muldowney, Sean O’Brien, Eoin McKeon, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Ronan Loughney, JP Cooney, Andrew Browne, James Connolly, John Cooney, Jack Carty, Fionn Carr.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Johnny Holland, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland, CJ Stander (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Robin Copeland, Jordan Coghlan, Tomas O’Leary, Ian Keatley, Andrew Conway.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, Nigel Correll (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 4/5; Draw: 16/1; Munster to win: 11/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “Aly and Eoin come in for us on Saturday and will bring fresh legs and energy having not travelled to France last week. It’s another big challenge this weekend but we’re very excited by it.
“We have a lot of respect for Munster and what they have achieved. I have no doubt that as a province with huge history and pride, they will come here with intensity and focus. We will need to continue to channel our work ethic and physicality into our team structures to get the valuable points on offer.
“With the weather promising to hold up, it’s set up to be a cracker of a game – the sort of rugby you want to be playing in front of a big crowd at this time of the season. While we have a lot of young and less experienced players in our side, these are exactly the type of games that will accelerate their continued development and progression as Connacht and Irish rugby players.”
CJ Stander (Munster) – “When we played in Thomond Park earlier this season, Connacht had 61% of the possession and we struggled massively. It’s simple, without possession you are going nowhere and that’s something we’ll have to rectify going into this weekend – we need to look after the ball.
“It’s like a ‘cup final’, everyone knows that and the same goes for all the remaining games this season. We need to pitch up and win every game, otherwise that’s our season done.
“Connacht play a type of game that attracts people and the Sportsground will be packed – that will make it tougher for us.
“If we give them opportunities to get into the game it’s going to be a long day because the crowd will be on our backs. But from our point of view, we have a lot of motivation and a lot to play for so it will be an interesting game.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Craig Ronaldson 89; Tries: Matt Healy 9; Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 124; Tries: Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, CJ Stander 4 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, March 23, 2013 – Munster 22 Connacht 0, Musgrave Park
Friday, December 27, 2013 – Munster 22 Connacht 16, Thomond Park
Saturday, April 19, 2014 – Connacht 23 Munster 32, the Sportsground
Thursday, January 1, 2015 – Connacht 24 Munster 16, the Sportsground
Saturday, March 28, 2015 – Munster 42 Connacht 20, Thomond Park
Saturday, November 28, 2015 – Munster 12 Connacht 18, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s six-match winning run in the GUINNESS PRO12 ended at Ulster on April 1
– Connacht’s only PRO12 defeat at the Sportsground in their nine encounters this season was 10-3 to Ulster on December 26
– Munster’s last four matches have all been won by the home side on the day, while the Munstermen’s only victories outside of Ireland since November have all been on trips to Italy
– Connacht have won two of their last three fixtures with Munster but have never achieved a season’s double over their southern neighbours
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