Connacht clash with the Scarlets for the second time in the space of three weeks, as Pat Lam’s men look to avenge their agonising late loss to the GUINNESS PRO12 leaders in Llanelli.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, January 30
CONNACHT (4th) v SCARLETS (1st), the Sportsground, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD/Galway Bay FM/highlights TG4)?
Team News: Ireland International Robbie Henshaw will line out at the Sportsground for the second week in a row after he was released from international camp to play for his province against the Scarlets.
Forwards Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane, who were two of five uncapped players drafted into Joe Schmidt’s RBS 6 Nations squad, have also been released for Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 showdown.
Bealham, who will start at tighthead prop, is one of six frontline changes made by Connacht boss Pat Lam from last week, while lock Dillane takes a place on the bench.
Against league leaders the Scarlets, there will be a new half-back pairing with Connacht-born duo Jack Carty and Caolin Blade both named to start in a back-line averaging just 23 years of age.
Hooker Tom McCartney is promoted from the bench to join Denis Buckley and Bealham in the front row.George Naoupu and Jake Heenan are both named to start in the pack, while Ronan Loughney, Ian Porter and Craig Ronaldson have been included among the replacements.
Meanwhile, as the PRO12 kicks back into action this weekend, the Scarlets welcome the return of Wales full-back Liam Williams as he makes his first regional appearance since last May.
Williams was released from the Wales camp to join up with the Scarlets this weekend ahead of Wales’ RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland next week.
Gareth Owen returns to the side after being sidelined with a shoulder injury. He will line up in the centre alongside Kiwi Hadleigh Parkes, who will captain the Llanelli outfit in this all-important league tussle.
International scrum half Rhodri Williams lines up alongside Aled Thomas in his 13th appearance of the season, with Aled Davies and Gareth Davies on Six Nations duty. Tom Williams and Canadian winger DTH van der Merwe feature on the wings in the only unchanged combination from last weekend’s European defeat to Northampton Saints.
In the pack, the 21-year-old hooker Ryan Elias gets his first start of the season, having come off the replacements bench against Leinster in round 7 in his only competitive appearance of the season so far.
He is joined in the front row by experienced loosehead prop Phil John and international tighthead Rhodri Jones, also making his first start of the season after nine appearances from the bench. Tom Price and Lewis Rawlins link up in the second row, while head coach Wayne Pivac has named an unchanged back row in Aaron Shingler, Will Boyde and Morgan Allen.
Tighthead prop Peter Edwards is included on the replacements bench having recovered from an elbow injury suffered in the second round of the Champions Cup against Racing 92.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, George Naoupu, Aly Muldowney, John Muldoon (capt), Jake Heenan, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ronan Loughney, Rodney Ah You, Ultan Dillane, James Connolly, Ian Porter, Craig Ronaldson, Rory Parata.
SCARLETS: Liam Williams; Tom Williams, Gareth Owen, Hadleigh Parkes (capt), DTH van der Merwe; Aled Thomas, Rhodri Williams; Phil John, Ryan Elias, Rhodri Jones, Tom Price, Lewis Rawlins, Aaron Shingler, Will Boyde, Morgan Allen.
Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Dylan Evans, Peter Edwards, Jack Jones, Tom Phillips, Connor Lloyd, Steven Shingler, Michael Collins.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, Eddie Hogan O’Connell (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 4/7; Draw: 14/1; Scarlets to win: 8/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “While we were pleased with last week’s performance (against Enisei-STM), we know that the Scarlets present a completely different challenge. They are top of the league and will travel with confidence especially with their PRO12 form away from home.
“We know from our recent meeting with them that it will probably be a closely-fought contest once again and we will have to bring that clinical edge that was on show last week if we are to come out on top.
“We are back at home on a Saturday afternoon for the second week in a row and we’re really looking forward to playing in front of a packed-out Sportsground before we take a short break. A win would keep us in the top four where we have been all season and would sign off this block of 16 consecutive games very nicely for us and our supporters.”
Wayne Pivac (Scarlets) – “Connacht play an expansive game of rugby, more so than other sides. We know it’s going to be a big day at the office, defensively as well as looking after the ball when we do have it.
“We clearly want to remain as high up the table as we can. There are eight or nine sides going for six slots, that doesn’t work.
“It’s all in front of us over the next four or five games to stay in the top four if we can, that’s certainly the aim. It’s going to be a close run race.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 61; Tries: Matt Healy 4; Scarlets – Points: Aled Thomas 55; Tries: DTH van der Merwe 5
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, February 8, 2013 – Scarlets 25 Connacht 15, Parc y Scarlets
Saturday, November 23, 2013 – Connacht 21 Scarlets 24, the Sportsground
Sunday, March 30, 2014 – Scarlets 32 Connacht 30, Parc y Scarlets
Saturday, November 29, 2014 – Connacht 14 Scarlets 8, the Sportsground
Sunday, February 15, 2015 – Scarlets 32 Connacht 14, Parc y Scarlets
Sunday, January 10, 2016 – Scarlets 21 Connacht 19, Parc y Scarlets
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s five-match losing run in all competitions ended with their 47-5 victory over Russian outfit Enisei-STM last Saturday
– The westerners’ only defeat in their last nine matches at the Sportsground in all tournaments was 10-3 to Ulster in the GUINNESS PRO12 on December 26
– The Scarlets remain at the top of the PRO12 table despite winning only three of their last six matches and gaining 15 points out of a possible 30
– The Welshmen are the best away side in the PRO12 (along with Leinster) having obtained 14 league points from their five trips so far
– Connacht’s only victory in their last eight encounters with the Scarlets was 14-8 in this equivalent fixture last season, played in November 2014
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