United Rugby Championship: Glasgow Warriors v Connacht, Scotstoun, Sunday, 3.30pm
Connacht will be looking to take their European form into the URC tomorrow when they face high-flying Glasgow in Scotstoun (Sunday 3.30pm).
In this rearranged fixture due to Storm Eowyn, Glasgow will be hot favourites in their bid to try to close the gap on leaders Leinster, who remain 10 points ahead. However, Pete Wilkins’ Connacht will feel this is an ideal opportunity to improve their away form with the Warriors missing some 12 players on international duty, and there is some confidence in having edged their pre-season friendly at the same venue by 28-21.
Since then Glasgow’s head coach Franco Smith has put his side back on a winning path in a bid to achieve a second successive title having beaten the Bulls in Pretoria last season. “We have a great squad at Scotstoun, and Sunday presents an opportunity for some players who have earned their chance to perform at home,” he says.
Connacht have also made numerous changes – seven in all – with outhalf JJ Hanrahan returning to duty for the first time since an ACL injury last April. He partners scrumhalf Caolin Blade, while Jack Aungier, David O’Connor, Shamus Hurley-Langton and Sean Jansen are named in the pack.
In the backs Piers O’Conor forms a midfield partnership with David Hawkshaw, while the back three remains unchanged with Byron Ralston and Chay Mullins on the wings, and Santiago Cordero again at full back.
Wilkins will be looking for Connacht’s increasing confidence after strong European form to deliver in the URC, where they have won only three games. “It is really important for us to make up some ground we lost in the two interprovincial games either side of Christmas. We’ve really got to get a result.”
And with the Scottish outfit missing several key players this is an opportunity Connacht must grab to propel themselves from the bottom half of the table.
Glasgow Warriors: J McKay, S Cancelliere, O Smith, D Munn, F Cordero, D Weir (C), B Afshar, P Schickerling, J Matthews, F Richardson, E Ferrie, A Samuel, A Miller, H Venter, Jack Mann. Replacements: G Stewart, N McBeth, S Talakai, M Duncan, J Roberts, A Fraser, S Kennedy, K Johnston.
Connacht: S Cordero, C Mullins, P O’Conor, D Hawkshaw, B Ralston, JJ Hanrahan, C Blade, P Dooley, D Heffernan, J Aungier, D O’Connor, J Joyce (C), J Murphy, S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen. Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, J Duggan, S Illo, O Dowling, P Boyle, M Devine, J Carty, F Treacy.
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU).
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