Connacht v Cardiff Blues: Connacht have won their opening match in the four previous Celtic League campaigns while Cardiff have won the four previous encounters between the sides. This match promises to be a tie-breaker.
Connacht coach Michael Bradley will have been pleased with a pre-season that included a victory over Leicester, and the only downside to the preparations for this match are injuries to centre James Downey and fullback Mark McHugh. Dave Slemen replaces the latter with former Ireland under-21 international Keith Matthews partnering Darren Yapp in the centre. Colm Rigney returns following his sojourn with Leeds and starts at number eight.
To beat Cardiff the Irish province will have to be competitive up front. Cardiff lacked scoring power behind the scrum last season but have addressed this deficiency and also added to their backroom staff where former Lions and Wales scrumhalf Rob Howley joins Dai Young in the coaching team. The acquisition of the tall scrumhalf Mike Phillips brings pace and a combative edge.
The home side will look to establish the platform up front and then try to create a little room for Matthews and Conor McPhillips to demonstrate their game-breaking skills. If Connacht want to entertain dreams of qualifying for the Heineken European Cup then these are the matches they simply must win.
CONNACHT: D Slemen; C McPhillips, D Yapp, K Matthews, M Mostyn; P Warwick, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, S Knoop; C Short, A Farley (capt); J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: C Venter, D McFarland, R Loughney, M Swift, B O'Connor, C O'Loughlin, D Riordan.
CARDIFF BLUES: N Macleod; C Czekaj, R Williams (capt), T Davies, C Morgan; N Robinson, M Phillips; J Yapp, G Williams, M Jones; D Jones, R Sidoli; M Molitika, R Sowden-Taylor, A Powell. Replacements: M Powell, L Thomas, M Nuthall, B Evans, R Thomas, C Quinell, M Lewis.
Referee: Andy Ireland (Scotland)
Head to Head: September 2003 (CL) at Arms Park: Cardiff Blues 33 Connacht 17; February 2004 (CL) at Dubarry Park: Connacht 18 Cardiff Blues 21; September 2004 (CL) at Arms Park: Cardiff Blues 31 Connacht 6; January 2005 (CL) at Sportsground: Connacht 8 Cardiff Blues.
Forecast: Connacht to win.
Connacht v Cardiff Blues, Sportsground, Saturday, 2.30
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