A victory over Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield would make it three successive away wins for Connacht in the GUINNESS PRO12 – their best run of league results on the road since the 2002/03 season.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, March 4
EDINBURGH (5th) v CONNACHT (1st), BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC ALBA/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: The Connacht team to face Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield on Friday features four changes to the side that was named to play the Ospreys last week.
Ireland international Nathan White, who played in all three RBS 6 Nations games last month, has been released to play in Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 clash. The tighthead prop joins Denis Buckley and Tom McCartney in the front row.
The return of Quinn Roux provides a timely boost as the lock is named to play his first game of 2016, having recovered from the ankle injury sustained in early December.
John Muldoon, who missed his only PRO12 match of the season last weekend due to a tight hamstring, has returned to captain the side from number 8.
Scrum half Kieran Marmion is named to start in a back-line that also sees the reintroduction of Danie Poolman to the right wing.
Second row Daniel Qualter is included among the replacements again having impressed in just his second PRO12 appearance at the Sportsground last time out. Eoin McKeon and Fionn Carr are also named in the matchday squad.
Meanwhile, Matt Scott, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Rory Sutherland return from international duty to be named in the Edinburgh starting line-up, while centre Chris Dean gains promotion from the bench to start in the centre.
Scott and Dean form the midfield partnership, with the back-three combination of Tom Brown, Damien Hoyland and Blair Kinghorn retaining their respective spots in the team.
Phil Burleigh, who scored the opening try in last week’s 24-23 defeat of the Scarlets, continues at number 10 and partners the returning Hidalgo-Clyne at half-back.
In the pack, Sutherland replaces the recently re-signed Allan Dell in the front row alongside hooker Neil Cochrane and tighthead prop John Andress, while Anton Bresler and try scorer against Scarlets, Ben Toolis, continue at lock.
Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Watson start at blindside and openside flanker respectively, with Cornell du Preez wearing the number 8 shirt.
EDINBURGH: Blair Kinghorn; Damien Hoyland, Chris Dean, Matt Scott, Tom Brown; Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Rory Sutherland, Neil Cochrane, John Andress, Anton Bresler, Ben Toolis, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Cornell du Preez.
Replacements: George Turner, Allan Dell, Simon Berghan, Alex Toolis, Magnus Bradbury, Sean Kennedy, Sam Beard, Dougie Fife.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; AJ MacGinty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Nathan White, Quinn Roux, Aly Muldowney, Sean O’Brien, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Rodney Ah You, Daniel Qualter, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Peter Robb, Fionn Carr.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Linton, Cammy Rudkin (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Edinburgh to win: 4/7; Draw: 14/1; Connacht to win: 8/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “It’s good to have some of our international boys back again this week, including ‘Whitey’ who has performed really well for Ireland.
“That extra experience will be important against a side like Edinburgh who we’ve always had close encounters with. There is consistency in the way Edinburgh play – they are very physical, very direct, and they are a settled team with a lot of experienced players.
“Murrayfield is always tough but they’ve really made it into a fortress now having only lost there once this season.
“We’re traveling with confidence, though, knowing that if we continue to focus on what we’ve been doing and the game-plan we have in place, we can take another step closer to Champions Cup qualification.”
Alan Solomons (Edinburgh) – “Connacht are at the top of the GUINNESS PRO12 table and we are looking forward to the challenge that taking on the league leaders presents.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Edinburgh – Points: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne 60; Tries: Damien Hoyland 5; Connacht – Points: Craig Ronaldson 83; Tries: Matt Healy 9
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, April 12, 2013 – Edinburgh 24 Connacht 32, Murrayfield
Friday, November 29, 2013 – Edinburgh 43 Connacht 10, Murrayfield
Saturday, February 15, 2014 – Connacht 11 Edinburgh 7, the Sportsground
Friday, September 12, 2014 – Edinburgh 13 Connacht 14, BT Murrayfield
Friday, January 9, 2015 – Connacht 13 Edinburgh 16, the Sportsground
Saturday, October 31, 2015 – Connacht 14 Edinburgh 9, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– Edinburgh’s four-match losing run in all tournaments ended with a single point victory over the Scarlets at BT Murrayfield last Sunday
– Edinburgh’s only home defeat in any competition this season was 16-14 to Munster in the GUINNESS PRO12 on November 7
– Connacht have won their last five matches in all tournaments since their 21-18 defeat in Brive on January 16
– The westerners have won their last two away games in the PRO12 and have not won three on the road in the league since 2002/03 season
– Edinburgh’s only victory in their last four fixtures with Connacht was 16-13 in Galway in January 2015, while Connacht have been victorious on two of their last three visits to BT Murrayfield.
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