After a frustrating 21-8 defeat away to the Dragons, Connacht will aim to bounce back when they entertain Cardiff Blues in a crunch Conference A duel at the Sportsground.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, September 23
CONNACHT (4th, Con A) v CARDIFF BLUES (6th, Con A), the Sportsground, 3.15pm (live Sky Sports Action/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Out-half Andrew Deegan is set to make his debut for Connacht against conference rivals Cardiff Blues in the GUINNESS PRO14 at the Sportsground on Saturday afternoon.
Deegan signed for Connacht from the NSW Warathas ahead of the new season and joined up with the squad two weeks ago. The former Australia Under-20 international is among a host of changes to the side that started the 21-8 defeat away to the Dragons last week.
Deegan (22) forms a new half-back pairing with Ireland international Kieran Marmion who returns to the starting XV after coming off the bench against the Dragons. The team includes two other players making their first starts of the season – Dave Heffernan comes in at hooker and Craig Ronaldson is reunited with Bundee Aki in midfield.
Back in the front five are Ireland internationals Ultan Dillane and Quinn Roux, while Jarrad Butler is included in the back row for his third start of the 2017/18 campaign. Ahead of the round 4 clash with Cardiff, Butler spoke of the style of play that new head coach Kieran Keane is trying to instill in the squad.
“There is a big emphasis on players taking ownership for what they do in the game and taking responsibility for what we do on the field. Obviously, ‘KK’ wants to play an attacking exciting brand of rugby and that is a great environment for us to play in,” he said.
Looking forward to Saturday’s game in Galway, Connacht forwards coach Jimmy Duffy added: “Cardiff had a good performance last weekend and they came very close to Glasgow. We are fully aware of the quality in their side and we give them the upmost respect.
“Every game we have played against Cardiff over the last few years has been in the balance. We are generally close to each other in the table and this year will be no different now that we are in the same conference.”
Meanwhile, Cardiff Blues boss Danny Wilson has made three changes to the starting line-up, keeping faith with the majority of that side that lost 20-19 at home to Glasgow Warriors.
The three changes all come in the front row with Brad Thyer stepping up from the bench for his first start since November, while Taufa’ao Filise and Kristian Dacey return from injury. Wales international Dacey was voted the Cardiff Players’ Player of the Season and Fans’ Player of the Season during 2016/17, having crossed for six tries over the course of the campaign.
Lloyd Williams captains the Blues and is part of an unchanged back-line. The bench has three further changes, Ethan Lewis featuring in a matchday squad for the first time this season, while short-term loanee Olly Robinson looks set to make his Cardiff debut. Centre Rey Lee-Lo is also poised to win his 50th cap for the region.
CONNACHT: Darragh Leader; Cian Kelleher, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Rory Scholes; Andrew Deegan, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Denis Coulson, Conor Carey, Gavin Thornbury, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Tom Farrell, Stacey Ili.
CARDIFF BLUES: Rhun Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Tom James; Steve Shingler, Lloyd Williams; Brad Thyer, Kristian Dacey, Taufa’ao Filise, Seb Davies, Damian Welch, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Nick Williams.
Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Corey Domachowski, Keiron Assiratti, George Earle, Olly Robinson, Tomos Williams, Jarrod Evans, Matthew Morgan.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy), Nigel Correll (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 8/15; Draw: 17/1; Cardiff Blues to win: 13/8
Pre-Match Quotes: Jimmy Duffy (Connacht) – “We are in a better space now we have done the review (of the Dragons match) and looked at the opportunities we created. We’ve spent quite a lot of time looking at areas we need to improve.
“We were all disappointed with how we started. We identified a couple of areas we needed to add energy, and definitely the guys who came off the bench added that bit of spark which is the reaction we looked for. It was disappointing, but the positive is we addressed it, spoke about it, and implemented it after half-time.
“Try-scoring would be a problem for us if we were not in a position to create opportunities. We had multiple chances against the Dragons which we could have taken advantage. So what we have been doing this week is addressing how to capitalise when we create them.
“Everything takes time. It’s not Kieran’s game plan. It’s a collaborative effort, with players as well. There is a lot of experience in the coaching group and we are still finding stuff out about each other. We are pretty happy as a group, enjoying what we are doing, and hopefully we’ll see that in the next couple of weeks.”
Danny Wilson (Cardiff Blues) – “We had a good look at Connacht over their first three games and they’re their usual selves. A gritty side at home who play a fair amount of rugby, which Pat (Lam) has left that imprint in them and they’re playing from quite deep.
“I believe they left two or three players who had played the first few games out of the trip to face the Dragons, but we’re predicting some of those guys might come back in. It was a good win for Dragons to beat Connacht at home and hopefully we can follow suit and beat them away.
“At the moment, the weather prediction is pretty savage so we’ve been working on a game-plan to deal as much with Connacht as with the weather. But you know that when you go out there (to Galway), that’s probably a given.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 27; Tries: Tom Farrell, Eoghan Masterson, Ultan Dillane, Darragh Leader, Quinn Roux 1 each; Cardiff Blues – Points: Steve Shingler 23; Tries: Tom James, Josh Navidi 1 each
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2, 6 Points; L 18-12 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 32-10 v Southern Kings (home), L 21-8 v Dragons (away); Cardiff Blues – Played 3, Lost 3, 1 Point; L 20-10 v Edinburgh (home), L 37-9 v Leinster (away), L 20-19 v Glasgow Warriors (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, October 3, 2014 – Connacht 24 Cardiff Blues 24, the Sportsground
Friday, March 6, 2015 – Cardiff Blues 18 Connacht 17, Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, October 3, 2015 – Connacht 36 Cardiff Blues 31, the Sportsground
Friday, December 4, 2016 – Cardiff Blues 20 Connacht 16, Cardiff Arms Park
Friday, November 25, 2016 – Connacht 18 Cardiff Blues 7, the Sportsground
Sunday, February 12, 2017 – Cardiff Blues 13 Connacht 19, Cardiff Arms Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s only victory in the last six rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 was 32-10 at home to the Southern Kings on September 9
– Cardiff Blues are one of only three sides in the PRO14 to have lost their first three matches
– The Blues have not won outside of Wales in the PRO14 since a one-point win over Edinburgh at Myreside in February
– Connacht achieved a season’s double over the Blues for the first time last year, and have now won three of their last four clashes with the Welsh region
– Cardiff Blues have not been victorious at the Sportsground since May 2014
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