URC: Connacht v Cardiff, Dexcom Stadium, Saturday, 7.35 – Live TG4 & Premier Sports
Connacht must make home opportunity count to inject some much-needed impetus into their URC campaign on Saturday night.
Currently in 14th place, they host a Cardiff outfit in fifth, and a victory would go a long way to make up the 10-point differential in the URC table. It would also provide a timely boost before facing twin targets Benetton and Ospreys, who are currently a few points ahead.
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Thus head coach Pete Wilkins acknowledges “there is little room for error in the BKT URC now”.
“We need to string some wins together, and if we do that, starting tomorrow, we’re right back into contention for a playoff spot,” he says.
“It was a long block from November to January, so the lads had some good time off to refresh and reflect, and after the way they have been applying themselves since then, I’m confident we’ll get a big performance from all 23 players.”
The two clubs met recently in the European Challenge Cup fourth round, with Connacht advancing thanks to a 28-19 win in Wales. However, Blues coach Matt Sherratt, who will be in charge for this visit to Dexcom Stadium before linking up with the national side as interim manager, has named a significantly more experienced Cardiff outfit, and his departure to Wales will also add some impetus to the visitors’ challenge, ensuring Sherratt is “confident” his side will deliver a strong display.
“We’ve worked hard on our game over the last couple of weeks and have prepared well this week. We are looking forward to showing that progress in what will be a big challenge.
“It’s great to get a couple of the boys back, particularly when we are without our internationals. If we can put as much of our game out there as possible, there is no reason why we cannot take something away from Galway.”
The pressure is certainly on the home side and Wilkins will be looking for a performance which capitalises on opportunities rather than missing them.
“We cannot be coughing up easy scores in terms of conceding tries, and certainly we have to take more of our opportunities when they come. Two good wins over the next three weeks and pretty quickly the URC becomes hot on the agenda again.”
“If we are not already in knock-out rugby, we are not far away from it. So it sharpens the focus. It has come around a little too soon, but let’s see what we are made of and can deliver in those circumstances. If we get what we want out of the two games, we will have deserved it, because they are not easy to break down.”
Wilkins has named a home-grown centre pairing for this fixture in Hugh Gavin and Cathal Forde, while top try scorer Ben Murphy and Josh Ioane form the halfback positions. Cian Prendergast captains the side, joining Shamus Hurley-Langton and Paul Boyle in the backrow. And, with some seven players having been involved in the recent Ireland training squad, there should be increased confidence ahead of this vital fixture.
CONNACHT: P O’Conor; S Bolton, H Gavin, C Forde, C Mullins; J Ioane, B Murphy; P Dooley, D Heffernan, J Aungier; J Murphy, J Joyce; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, P Boyle.
Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, J Duggan, S Illo, O Dowling, S Jansen, M Devine, JJ Hanrahan, S Cordero.
CARDIFF: C Winnett; G Hamer-Webb, R Lee-Lo, R Jennings, H Millard; C Sheedy, J Mulder; R Barratt, L Belcher (capt), R Litterick; J McNally, S Davies; A Mann, D Thomas, A Lawrence.
Replacements: E Daniel, D Southworth, W Davies-King, R Thornton, B Donnell, T Young, C Braley, J Beetham.
Referee: H Davidson (Sco).
