Pat Lam is expecting ‘a tight and physical battle’ when his Connacht charges entertain the Newport Gwent Dragons in the opening round of the GUINNESS PRO12 in Galway.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, September 4
CONNACHT v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS, the Sportsground, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has named his side for Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 first round clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground.
Academy centre Rory Parata will make his PRO12 debut after starting in two pre-season games against Castres Olympique and Munster. Bundee Aki will partner the 21-year-old in midfield.
Up front, new flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua earns his first cap in a Connacht jersey, starting in a back row with captain John Muldoon and number 8 Eoghan Masterson.
Former Leinster lock Ben Marshall is likely to be sprung from the replacements bench for his first official Connacht appearance.
Commenting on the team selection and the visit of the Dragons, Lam said: “After a rigorous but successful pre-season, the players really made selection difficult for us ahead of tomorrow’s game and that was pleasing.
“I’m delighted for young Rory Parata who has had a good off-season and impressed in the warm-up games. It just highlights that if you put the work in your chance will come.
“It’s always a tight and physical battle with the Dragons and we’re expecting nothing different tomorrow night with both sides looking to get off to a flying start.”
Connacht’s list of unavailable/injured players includes Ronan Loughney, Jake Heenan, Dave McSharry, Api Pewhairangi, Niyi Adeolokun, Darragh Leader and Ireland duo Nathan White and Robbie Henshaw.
Meanwhile, Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones has given five players their first starts, including South African scrum half Sarel Pretorius, as the season kicks off in Galway.
Full-back Carl Meyer is one of the players who signed a full-time contract with the Dragons during the summer and he is looking forward to beginning his campaign as a fully-fledged member of the squad. He commented: “I am really looking forward to being a full member of the squad now and I hope to contribute as much as I can.
“The main objective of coming over to Wales was to get a full-time contract and it’s worked out pretty well. I am really grateful for the opportunity and am looking to do the best I can.”
The 24-year-old is joined in the back-three by Tom Prydie and newcomer Nick Scott. The centre pairing sees the return of Ross Wardle from injury and ex-Scarlet Adam Warren. Out-half and Dragons regular Jason Tovey pulls on the number 10 jersey and is joined at half-back by Pretorius.
The front row sees Boris Stankovich and newly-signed prop Shaun Knight pack down alongside hooker and 2015/16 skipper Rhys Thomas. Rynard Landman and Cory Hill team up in the second row, with flankers Nick Crosswell and Nic Cudd joining recently-signed number 8 Ed Jackson in the back row.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Rory Parata, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, Quinn Roux, Andrew Browne, John Muldoon (capt), Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Finlay Bealham, Ben Marshall, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson, Fionn Carr.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Tom Prydie, Ross Wardle, Adam Warren, Nick Scott; Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorius; Boris Stankovich, Rhys Thomas (capt), Shaun Knight, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Ed Jackson.
Replacements: Hugh Gustafson, Phil Price, Brok Harris, James Thomas, James Benjamin, Charlie Davies, Dorian Jones, Tyler Morgan.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Mark Connolly (both Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 4/9; Draw: 18/1; Newport Gwent Dragons to win: 9/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “I would say selection for this team has probably been one of the toughest in all my time here. We’ve come off the back of a really tough pre-season schedule and we worked the boys extremely hard.
“We know we will have a tough match schedule with 16 consecutive weekends to come this season so from the start, we put a huge emphasis on ensuring we close the gap between the perceived ‘first teamers’ and ‘second string’ players. All the boys, including the Academy players training with us, have really taken ownership and pushed themselves.
“Everyone is really pushing each other hard and that has made selection really hard for us…which is what you want as a coaching team.
“We know a good start is very important for our season. When you look back to last year and how we missed out (on Champions Cup qualification) by such fine margins, it just highlights the importance of every single game and every single point. We are at home for five of our first seven games so getting off to a good start is crucial.”
Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “The last few years Connacht have got better and better to become a really strong outfit. It’s a tough place to go but hopefully in September the weather will be a bit nicer than it is at Christmas time and there will be rugby played rather than just a dogfight.
“Connacht have got a very strong forward pack with a good driving lineout and scrum. We know that we have to match them up front.
“But they have also expanded their game a lot over the last few years. They play with a bit of width and it’s not just dealing with the Connacht forwards.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 83; Tries: Matt Healy, Aly Muldowney 5 each; Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Tom Prydie 92; Tries: Hallam Amos 6
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, November 23, 2012 – Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Connacht 3, Rodney Parade
Saturday, January 5, 2013 – Connacht 30 Newport Gwent Dragons 11, the Sportsground
Saturday, December 21, 2013 – Connacht 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 11, the Sportsground
Sunday, March 23, 2014 – Newport Gwent Dragons 8 Connacht 24, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Connacht 16 Newport Gwent Dragons 11, the Sportsground
Sunday, February 22, 2015 – Newport Gwent Dragons 25 Connacht 30, Rodney Parade
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht have begun with victory in round 1 in four of the last five years, but only won one of their last six GUINNESS PRO12 encounters last season: 40-10 at Zebre on May 9
– The Newport Gwent Dragons concluded their 2014/15 PRO12 campaign with four victories in the last six rounds, but on the road have won just once in any competition since March: 32-17 in Treviso in round 18 of the PRO12
– Connacht have won their last five matches against the Dragons since the Welshmen were 14-3 victors at Rodney Parade in November 2012, while the Dragons’ only previous triumph at the Sportsground came on May 1, 2004
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