Connacht have not tasted victory away from home since their famous win over Munster at Thomond Park in November. They will be hoping to put an end to that losing run against the third-from-bottom Dragons tonight.
GUINNESS PRO12: Thursday, February 11
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (10th) v CONNACHT (3rd), Rodney Parade, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Ahead of Thursday’s trip to Rodney Parade, Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made three personnel changes to the team that beat the Scarlets in the last round of GUINNESS PRO12 action.
AJ MacGinty will make his fifth start in a Connacht jersey this season, replacing the injured Jack Carty at out-half. Meanwhile, Bundee Aki shifts to outside centre to facilitate the introduction of Craig Ronaldson in the number 12 shirt and the only change to the pack sees Rodney Ah You come in to the front row.
Prop Finlay Bealham, lock Ultan Dillane and Ireland scrum half Kieran Marmion have all been released today by Joe Schmidt to join up with the Connacht squad for the round 14 clash in Newport.
Galway-born back rower Eoin McKeon has returned from injury to earn a place on the bench, while Academy centre Peter Robb is named among the reserve backs.
Meanwhile, the Newport Gwent Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones has made four changes to the team that narrowly lost out to Ulster in Belfast last weekend.
The back-three has one change to it as Nick Scott links up fellow winger Ashton Hewitt and full-back Carl Meyer. Adam Hughes, a try against the Ulstermen, retains his place alongside Adam Warren in midfield, while out-half Jason Tovey returns to full fitness and is named at half-back alongside the returning Sarel Pretorius.
The front row remains unchanged as props Phil Price and Brok Harris combine with hooker Elliot Dee, and there is a settled look to the second row pairing of Matthew Screech and captain Rynard Landman. Nick Croswell comes in at number 8 in the final personnel change.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Carl Meyer, Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Nick Scott; Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorius; Phil Price, Elliot Dee, Brok Harris, Matthew Screech, Rynard Landman (capt), Ben White, Nic Cudd, Nick Crosswell.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Boris Stankovich, Shaun Knight, Cory Hill, James Benjamin, Charlie Davies, Angus O’Brien, Geraint Rhys Jones.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; AJ MacGinty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Rodney Ah You, George Naoupu, Aly Muldowney, John Muldoon (capt), Jake Heenan, Eoghan Masterson.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ronan Loughney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, Kieran Marmion, Peter Robb, Rory Parata.
Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Dan Jones, Simon Rees (both Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Newport Gwent Dragons to win: 8/11; Draw: 14/1; Connacht to win: 6/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “With a short week for us in terms of preparation and travel, we began our planning for the Dragons before the break and the boys returned on Monday refreshed and eager to get back into their work.
“It’s great to have Kieran, Finlay and Ultan back from Irish camp for this game but given that they haven’t trained with us this week, they will add impact from the bench.
“The Dragons are in good form and are playing some great team rugby. It’s clear for us to see that they are a different side to the one we faced at the Sportsground in round 1. They have already beaten our fellow Irish provinces, Munster and Leinster, at Rodney Parade and were desperately unlucky to lose late on to Ulster in Belfast last week.
“So we are under no illusions as to how tough the challenge will be in Newport, and in tough conditions. Once again our focus will be on our team work and work ethic on and off the ball to enable us to put in a performance that will continue to keep us in the top four of the competition.”
Lyn Jones (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “I thought the effort (against Ulster) was unbelievable and shows the huge amount of character that exists in this Dragons team. That’s something you can’t buy.
“We have been working to get the right type of characters in the room and that 10 minutes was outstanding in not allowing them to get over our line but it did cost us. Next step is to be a little bit wiser in not giving crazy penalties away.
“Connacht play for each other and have a nice little game-plan. They have good players like Bundee Aki and Denis Buckley that do a lot of work for them and some of their play is as good as you get in the league.
“It’s been quite a while since we have beaten Connacht but we look forward with confidence to getting a victory against them.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Jason Tovey 84; Tries: Sarel Pretorius, Ashton Hewitt 3 each; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 71; Tries: Matt Healy 4
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Friday, September 4, 2015 – Connacht 29 Newport Gwent Dragons 23, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– The Newport Gwent Dragons have won just two of their last eight GUINNESS PRO12 encounters, at home to Munster and Leinster in rounds 9 and 13 respectively
– The Dragons’ only defeat at Rodney Parade since early November was by a single point to Cardiff Blues in the PRO12 on December 27
– Connacht have won their last two matches in all competitions, against Enisei-STM in the European Challenge Cup and over the Scarlets in the Guinness PRO12 – both games were played in Galway
– Connacht have lost their last five away games since beating Munster 18-12 in Limerick on November 28
– Connacht have won their last six matches against the Dragons, while the Welshmen’s only victory over the Irish province in their last nine fixtures was 14-3 at Rodney Parade in the PRO12 in November 2012
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