Galway has been a happy hunting ground for the Ospreys with six wins in their last seven visits, however Connacht are currently riding high at the top of the GUINNESS PRO12 and fiercely determined to stay there.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, February 27
CONNACHT (1st) v OSPREYS (7th), the Sportsground, 7.35pm (live TG4.ie/Saorview Red Button/Ch 602 Virgin Media/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: As Connacht return to the Sportsground for round 16 of the GUINNESS PRO12, head coach Pat Lam has made four personnel changes to the team that lined out in the bonus point win over Zebre last week.
Caolin Blade and Rodney Ah You are both named to start at scrum half and tighthead prop respectively, while Ireland squad members, Kieran Marmion and Finlay Bealham, were released to join up with Connacht on Thursday and so take their places on the bench.
George Naoupu is another change to the pack, starting with Aly Muldowney in the second row, and Academy player Sean O’Brien comes in to start at openside flanker, shifting his fellow Galway-born team mate and captain John Muldoon to number 8 in the absence of injured duo Eoghan Masterson and Eoin McKeon. James Connolly is named among the replacements as back row cover.
While the Clan, Main and Enclosed stands are all sold out, there are tickets still available behind the posts and available online through tickets.ie.
Meanwhile, Ospreys boss Steve Tandy has made six changes to the team that saw off Edinburgh’s challenge on a 27-13 scoreline at home last time out.
Owen Watkin and Brendon Leonard drop to the bench as Josh Matavesi and Rhys Webb are selected at inside centre and scrum half respectively. It will be the fit-again Webb’s first start of the season, while full-back Dan Evans will win his 50th Ospreys cap.
Paul James, who will captain the Welsh region in Galway, and Dmitri Arhip join Sam Parry in the front row, and Joe Bearman and Olly Cracknell come in for the Wales-tied Dan Lydiate and the injured Sam Underhill (neck) in the back row.
For the trip to the west of Ireland, the Ospreys are missing five players to the Wales squad, including Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Biggar and Justin Tipuric, and a further nine due to injury or illness.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; AJ MacGinty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, George Naoupu, Aly Muldowney, Sean O’Brien, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ronan Loughney, Finlay Bealham, Ben Marshall, James Connolly, Kieran Marmion, Peter Robb, Danie Poolman.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, JJ Engelbrecht, Josh Matavesi, Ben John; Sam Davies, Rhys Webb; Paul James (capt), Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, James King, Rory Thornton, Joe Bearman, Olly Cracknell, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Gareth Thomas, Aaron Jarvis, Rynier Bernardo, Jordan Collier, Brendon Leonard, Owen Watkin, Eli Walker.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Andy Brace, John Carvill (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 4/6; Draw: 17/1; Ospreys to win: 13/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “Although we’re playing at home, we are under no illusions as to the quality of the team we’re playing and the challenge we face.
“We respect what the Ospreys have done as a team. They have won this competition on two occasions already and have consistently been in the top four over the years with quality squad depth.
“They’re certainly in form, having lost just one game in their last nine and we know they will be hungry to continue their climb up the table.
“For us, there was a big focus in training on tidying up the areas that let us down against Zebre last week and this should go a long way in ensuring an improvement in our overall performance to get the points on offer in front of our supporters at home.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Last week’s win over Edinburgh means that we are still well in contention for a Champions Cup spot, but we realise that it was just one battle won and there are seven more to go. With the next three games all against teams above us in the league, we know that it’s a great opportunity for us to keep climbing the table if we can hit the required performance levels consistently.
“There aren’t many tougher places to go in European rugby this season than Connacht, they are at the top of the PRO12 for a reason and, rightly so, their confidence will be sky high at the moment.
“It’s a different kind of challenge to the one we faced last week when we played an Edinburgh team whose success has been built on having one of the tightest defences in the league. Connacht play an attacking brand of rugby and that’s reflected in them being the top try scorers and points scorers in the PRO12.
“The increased investment they’ve had from their union and strong overseas recruitment has allowed them to build a squad that can compete all year round, particularly during international windows, and they’ve thrived this season. It’s going to be a tough evening but we know what we’ve got to do and what we want from the game.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 71; Tries: Matt Healy 8; Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 123; Tries: Eli Walker 5
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, February 15, 2013 – Connacht 22 Ospreys 10, the Sportsground
Saturday, September 28, 2013 – Connacht 26 Ospreys 43, the Sportsground
Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Ospreys 45 Connacht 20, Liberty Stadium
Friday, October 31, 2014 – Ospreys 26 Connacht 11, Liberty Stadium
Saturday, May 16, 2015 – Connacht 20 Ospreys 24, the Sportsground
Saturday, October 24, 2015 – Ospreys 16 Connacht 24, Liberty Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht have won their last four fixtures with their 51-34 victory at Zebre last Saturday returning them to the top of the GUINNESS PRO12 table for the first time since November
– Connacht’s only defeat in their last ten contests at the Sportsground in all competitions came when Ulster were the visitors in the PRO12 on December 26
– The Ospreys have lost only one of their last nine PRO12 encounters: 22-9 at home to Leinster in round 12
– The Welsh region have won their last three away games in the PRO12 and have never won four in-a-row on their travels in the history of the competition
– Connacht beat the Ospreys 21-16 at Liberty Stadium in round 5 and have only once before achieved a season’s double over the Welshmen, in the region’s inaugural season in 2003/04
– The Ospreys have won on six of their last seven visits to Galway
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