Connacht will run out at the Sportsground tonight for the first time in five weeks, looking to lower the colours of an in-form Edinburgh side and boost their hopes of a strong finish to their GUINNESS PRO14 campaign.
GUINNESS PRO14: Friday, March 23
CONNACHT (5th, Con A) v EDINBURGH (3rd, Con B), the Sportsground, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC ALBA)
Team News: Connacht are boosted by the return of Ireland international Quinn Roux for their GUINNESS PRO14 clash with Edinburgh at the Sportsground tonight.
Bundee Aki, Kieran Marmion and Ultan Dillane are all rested after their involvement with Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning Six Nations squad over the last few weeks. Aki and Marmion both played in last Saturday’s final round win over England.
Flanker Eoin McKeon has also returned to the Connacht starting XV having been unavailable through injury since November. McKeon joins a back row that includes openside Jarrad Butler and Sean O’Brien at number 8.
Jack Carty and Caolin Blade continue their half-back partnership which has been a regular feature over the past few weeks in Marmion’s absence. Niyi Adeolokun joins a back-three that includes full-back Tiernan O’Halloran and Matt Healy. Healy became Connacht’s record try scorer after scoring twice against the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein to take his career tally to 44.
At the pre-match press conference, Connacht backs coach Nigel Carolan told reporters that Edinburgh will bring a big challenge tonight. “They made life really difficult for Munster last Friday night. They turned them over several times at the breakdown and that’s uncharacteristic for Munster,” he said.
“You can see that there’s a real bite to them, there’s a real high level of fitness and physicality. They’re a tough team to play against. They’re very direct and confrontational and they’re a tough team to break down. That’s where our biggest focus has been this week, particularly around the breakdown.”
Meanwhile, Scotland international Darryl Marfo will make his long-awaited return from injury as Edinburgh travel to Galway to face Connacht in a crucial round 18 encounter. The inclusion of the loosehead is one of five changes made to the side that defeated Munster 12-6 at BT Murrayfield.
Blair Kinghorn, who made his first Test start against Ireland two weeks ago, returns to the starting XV. The young full-back is joined in the back-three by Dougie Fife and Duhan van der Merwe, with the latter grabbing a brace of tries in last weekend’s home win.
An unchanged midfield sees Chris Dean and Mark Bennett continue their burgeoning partnership, while at half-back, South African stand-off Jaco van der Walt is joined by Nathan Fowles.
Hooker Neil Cochrane packs down in a revamped front row alongside Scotland internationals Marfo and Simon Berghan, while Ben Toolis is joined by Grant Gilchrist in the engine room, and the industrious trio of Magnus Bradbury, John Hardie and Bill Mata continue together in an unchanged back row.
Elsewhere, Scotland international Cornell du Preez is named among the replacements. If involved, the six times Scotland-capped number 8 will make his 100th appearance in Edinburgh colours.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney (capt), Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Eoin McKeon, Jarrad Butler, Sean O’Brien.
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Denis Coulson, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Eoghan Masterson, James Mitchell, Craig Ronaldson, Darragh Leader.
EDINBURGH: Blair Kinghorn; Dougie Fife, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Duhan van der Merwe; Jaco van der Walt, Nathan Fowles; Darryl Marfo, Neil Cochrane, Simon Berghan, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist (capt), Magnus Bradbury, John Hardie, Bill Mata.
Replacements: Cameron Fenton, Jordan Lay, WP Nel, Lewis Carmichael, Cornell du Preez, Sean Kennedy, Duncan Weir, Phil Burleigh.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Shane Kierans (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 8/13; Draw: 14/1; Edinburgh to win: 13/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) – “We put a massive focus on the Cheetahs (game), a win would be a huge turnaround for us. The performance showed what we can do. We put everything into the game. And to lose it due to a penalty in the last minute was a tough one.
“In general, the whole experience and tour (to South Africa), we were away for nearly 12 days with Italy as well, helps guys build relationships that bit more. It was all positive and we all really enjoyed it – except for the result.
“A good few of us were at home last weekend and got to watch the Edinburgh game (against Munster). They are going from strength to strength. Even with their internationals away they are still churning out results. They are third in their conference and have a Challenge Cup quarter-final coming up as well.
“It’s a game they will be targeting. But every game we play at home we take very seriously. We really want to get a result to build into the Gloucester (Challenge Cup quarter-final) week.”
Richard Cockerill (Edinburgh) – “We’re taking steps in the right direction. We’re working as hard as we can. Last week against Munster, I just wanted the boys to go out there and play as well as they could. The effort was just unbelievable, it’s where we want to be.
“We know how tough an opponent Connacht are – especially at home, where conditions aren’t always brilliant. But we’re going there full of confidence that we can get a positive result.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 108; Tries: Tiernan O’Halloran, Tom Farrell 4 each; Edinburgh – Points: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne 61; Tries: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne 6
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 17, Won 6, Lost 11, 33 Points; L 18-12 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 32-10 v Southern Kings (home), L 21-8 v Dragons (away), L 17-15 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 36-27 v Scarlets (away), L 16-8 v Ulster (away), W 20-16 v Munster (home), W 23-15 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), L 36-30 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 24-10 v Zebre (away), W 44-16 v Ulster (home), L 21-18 v Leinster (away), L 39-13 v Munster (away), W 26-15 v Ospreys (home), L 19-11 v Zebre (home), W 22-19 v Benetton Rugby (away), L 26-25 v Toyota Cheetahs (away); Edinburgh – Played 17, Won 12, Lost 5, 55 Points; W 20-10 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 35-18 v Dragons (home), L 20-17 v Benetton Rugby (home), L 28-8 v Scarlets (away), L 21-13 v Leinster (away), W 16-15 v Zebre (home), W 24-13 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 37-10 v Ospreys (home), L 33-13 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 48-21 v Southern Kings (away), W 18-17 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 17-0 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 37-7 v Southern Kings (home), W 29-24 v Leinster (home), W 17-16 v Ulster (away), W 25-12 v Dragons (away), W 12-6 v Munster (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
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
Friday, March 4, 2016 – Edinburgh 23 Connacht 28, BT Murrayfield
Friday, September 30, 2016 – Connacht 28 Edinburgh 15, the Sportsground
Friday, April 7, 2017 – Edinburgh 19 Connacht 22, Myreside
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s only two victories in the last six rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 were at home to the Ospreys in round 14 and away in Treviso in round 16
– Connacht’s 19-11 reversal to Zebre in their most recent home game ended a run of seven successive wins at the Sportsground
– Edinburgh have won all five matches in the PRO14 they have played in 2018, their most recent defeat being at Glasgow Warriors on December 30
– The Scottish side’s only defeat to an Irish province this season was on their trip to Leinster in round 5
– Connacht have lost just one of their last seven fixtures with Edinburgh: 16-13 at Galway in January 2015
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