Connacht v Bourgoin:IT'S BEEN a remarkable campaign to date that has propelled Connacht into the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final, qualifying as number one seeds. That achievement meant they avoided the three teams dropping down from the Heineken Cup but today will face a Bourgoin side that were beaten 15-3 in the final of this tournament last season.
The French visitors are struggling somewhat in the Top 14 but they possess several excellent players including wing Jean Francois Coux, outhalf Benjamin Boyet, scrumhalf John Senio and French international prop Olivier Milloud, and captain Julien Frier.
Bourgoin also boast New Zealand-born former Leinster secondrow Bryce Williams. Bourgoin are a more resilient bunch than the one that shipped 92 points against Leinster several years ago. The beat London Irish away last season en route to the final.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley has been able to select a number of players following injury including the centre combination of Niva Ta’auso and Keith Mathews, captain John Muldoon and number eight, George Naoupu. Jamie Hagan is rewarded for recent form and holds onto the tighthead role. It’ll be interesting to note how he fares against noted scrummager Milloud.
The Irish province has been playing an attractive brand of winning rugby and hopefully will retain that courage in what is their biggest game of the season to date. A massive effort from their pack is required. Fionn Carr is an obvious outlet for hard-won possession, so too is the in-form Gavin Duffy.
Ian Keatley will have to kick everything in sight and control the game in harness with the excellent Frank Murphy. A win today would match anything the province has achieved this season. Given their recent form, they might just do it.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; T Nathan, N Taauso, K Mathews, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon (capt), J O'Connor, G Naoupu. Replacements:A Flavin, R Loughney, B Upton, M McComish, C O'Loughlin, M Nikora, A Wynne, R Morris.
BOURGOIN:M Moinot; R Coetzee, W van Zyl, A Dumoulin, J F Coux; B Boyet, J Senio; O Milloud, T Alefa Kopelani, A Tchougong; B Williams, C Basson; J Frier (capt), T Cowley, C Levast. Replacements:JP Genevois, V Pelo, S Charlet, J Guillot, B Leonte, S Laloo, M Viazzo, Y Labrit.
Referee:Andrew Small (England)
