Defending champions Leinster have four wins from five in their sights but Connacht, on current form in Galway, are a particularly dangerous prospect as the sides renew rivalries in the first interprovincial derby of the season.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, September 29
CONNACHT (4th, Con A) v LEINSTER (1st, Con B), the Sportsground, 5.15pm (live TG4/eir Sport 1/Premier Sports/Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Mayo man Dave Heffernan takes over the Connacht captaincy today from Jarrad Butler who is ruled out through injury. Heffernan’s inclusion at hooker sees him continue as part of a front row trio that also includes Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham.
Butler’s replacement at openside flanker, Colby Fainga’a, makes his first start for Connacht, while lock Ultan Dillane is the only other change to the team that beat Scarlets 33-20 last Saturday. Fainga’a joins Sean O’Brien and Robin Copeland, a debutant last time out, in the back row, with Dillane renewing his familiar second row partnership with Quinn Roux.
The in-form duo of Jack Carty and Kieran Marmion continue at half-back, as do Tom Farrell and Bundee Aki in midfield where the latter produced a man-of-the-match display against the Scarlets. Wingers Matt Healy and Cian Kelleher, who has scored six tries between pre-season and the GUINNESS PRO14’s opening rounds, are also retained along with Tiernan O’Halloran at full-back.
Speaking ahead of his first interpro derby, Connacht head coach Andy Friend said: “We were really happy with the win against the Scarlets last weekend and that needs to become our baseline and the standard that we have to meet consistently.
“Leinster are an outstanding side and deserving European and PRO14 champions so it’s a huge challenge. We will need to raise our standards another notch if we are to compete with them. So that’s the challenge and we are really looking forward to it.
“This is obviously a massive occasion for our supporters. They have been fantastic so far this season and the players have really responded to their support. The Sportsground will be packed and even with our additional terracing it will be a sell-out. That is hugely encouraging. The people of the province are behind us and we want to deliver a performance for them on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made six personnel changes and one positional switch for the derby showdown with Connacht. Sean O’Brien, who underwent shoulder surgery in April, is poised to return to action off the bench in Galway.
Rob Kearney slots back in at full-back, meaning a move to the right wing for Jordan Larmour, one of the province’s five try scorers across the back-line last Saturday. James Lowe, who went close to bagging a brace against the Scots, continues on the left.
Australian international Joe Tomane partners Garry Ringrose in the centre for the first time with captain Jonathan Sexton and Luke McGrath filling the half-back positions, as Leinster look to avenge last April’s disappointing 47-10 defeat to Connacht.
Cian Healy, the man-of-the-match in the Edinburgh game, is joined by former Connacht hooker Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong in a powerful front row, while Meath man Devin Toner will make his 221st appearance in the second row, matching Leo Cullen’s caps haul in joint-third on Leinster’s all-time list. Gordon D’Arcy remains out in front on 261.
Rhys Ruddock is the sixth and final team change at blindside flanker and his back row colleague O’Brien is set to make a welcome return as a replacement. It will be the Tullow native’s first outing for Leinster since he started at openside against Benetton Rugby five months ago.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Cian Kelleher, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan (capt), Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Sean O’Brien, Colby Fainga’a, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Tom McCartney, Peter McCabe, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Paul Boyle, Caolin Blade, Craig Ronaldson, Niyi Adeolokun.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Joe Tomane, James Lowe; Jonathan Sexton (capt), Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony, Sean O’Brien, Nick McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace, Kieran Barry (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 15/8; Draw: 17/1; Leinster to win: 4/9
Pre-Match Quotes: Denis Buckley (Connacht) – “It’s about starting the game well and building the points. Maybe Leinster will be out for revenge (after losing 47-10 to us in April), but we are not focused on what happened in 2017/18. We park that just as we did for the Scarlets game (last week). You just need to look ahead the whole time.
“We had a big week focusing on ourselves and we need to nail our systems and hopefully get a good result in front a big crowd. The crowd were really superb last Saturday and it was great that they got to enjoy a great match and a great result.
“This Saturday will be another big occasion, the first interpro of the season. And then we have Ulster before we head into the two European Challenge Cup games. But first up is Leinster. Thinking back to our win against them at the end of last year, there was a lot of the off-the-cuff stuff that went to hand. Everything worked for us.
“It was John Muldoon’s big send-off. It was just one of those days that you can’t always rely on. We have more clarity around our game-plan now. We know what we want to do. At the end of the day it’s about the players going out there and executing.
“I’m sure Leinster will be stacked full of their internationals. It’s a derby game that they are going to be massively up for. But they are coming to our home ground and we always want to win in front of our home crowd.”
John Fogarty (Leinster) – “To lose a game in the manner in which we lost the game (at Connacht last April) – we lost the physical battle, we lost the set piece, obviously the scoreboard was terrible – so I think it’s those parts that hurt more than anything.
“The lads will be disappointed in their own performance and a little bit embarrassed because they didn’t play collectively. We were mentally weak, if you ask me, leading into that game and that showed up on the day. It’s important for us to be clear in our heads what the threats are against Connacht and for us to arrive physically ready to play.
“Defensively we need to be really good. Connacht play a lot of side to side and when they stretch you, all the balls back inside, you saw Tom Farrell score last weekend with those balls back inside and people knocking off in defence.
“I think, first and foremost, we need to be on point defensively and our set piece has to function. Last year we came undone in our set piece so the fundamentals of the game they’re going to test us in but I think for us we’re going to work very hard on getting set early in defence off the set piece and in phase defence we’re up off the ground, making sure we’re plugging the whole time because they’ll massively test you.”
Top Scorers – 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 46; Tries: Niyi Adeolokun 3; Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 26; Tries: Jamison-Gibson Park 3
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 4, Won 2, Lost 2, 11 Points; L 27-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 32-13 v Zebre (home), L 17-10 v Edinburgh (away), W 33-20 v Scarlets (home); Leinster – Played 4, Won 3, Lost 1, 16 Points; W 33-32 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 23-21 v Scarlets (away), W 52-10 v Dragons (home), W 31-7 v Edinburgh (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, March 26, 2016 – Connacht 7 Leinster 6, the Sportsground
Saturday, May 28, 2016 – Final – Connacht 20 Leinster 10, BT Murrayfield
Saturday, October 29, 2016 – Leinster 24 Connacht 13, the RDS
Saturday, April 15, 2017 – Connacht 24 Leinster 37, the Sportsground
Monday, January 1, 2018 – Leinster 21 Connacht 18, the RDS
Saturday, April 28, 2018 – Connacht 47 Leinster 10, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s last three matches have all been won by the home side on the day
– Connacht have lost just one of their last four home games in Galway in the GUINNESS PRO14, and that was by a solitary point to Glasgow in the opening round this season
– Connacht beat all three of their fellow Irish provinces in Galway last season for the first time ever
– Leinster’s only defeat in the PRO14 since April was 23-21 at the Scarlets in round 2
– The Leinstermen have won just once away from home in the Championship in the calendar year of 2018, and that was by the narrowest of margins at Cardiff Blues on the opening evening of the new season
– Leinster played against their fellow Irish provinces on seven occasions last season with the only defeat being in Galway in April
– Connacht are attempting to achieve successive victories over Leinster for the first time since May 2016
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