Connacht v Munster
Venue: Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Mayo.
Kick-off: 2.30pm (Saturday).
On TV: Live on TG4 and Premier Sports.
This truly is a one-off. At face value, it seems to have a bit of everything. A novel fixture with novelty value, a historic occasion and crowd in Connacht’s 140-odd history, a first venture into the GAA heartland of Mayo, an interpro derby between fierce rivals and neighbours and, oh yes, a critical game in both sides’ URC play-off ambitions.
Amid the crush of 11 teams within seven points of each other from fifth to 15th, Connacht sit six places but just three points adrift of Munster in sixth. Basically, whoever wins this hugely significant clash will probably end the weekend in the top eight while the losers will be outside.
It’s a game that every supporter of both provinces wants to see. Hence, it’s also a game every player in both camps wants to play in and, accordingly, the game is sprinkled with returning stardust.
Connacht welcome back Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham, Mack Hansen and Cian Prendergast, while Munster’s Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Jack Crowley and Conor Murray all also return from Six Nations duty with Ireland.
Interim Connacht head coach Colm Tucker also recalls loosehead Jordan Duggan, number eight Sean Jansen and winger Chay Mullins compared to the starting XV for last week’s wild 43-40 defeat away against the Ospreys, with Hansen making his return at fullback.
Connacht have opted for a strikingly strong 5-3 configuration on their bench, featuring a smattering of experienced big-game players in the likes of Denis Buckley, Josh Murphy, Paul Boyle, the Munster-bound JJ Hanrahan and Pumas’ fullback Santiago Cordero, as well as the youthful energy of scrumhalf Matt Devine.
In addition to the returning Beirne, Crowley and Nash, Munster recall the fit-again duo of Oli Jager and Craig Casey, making his first appearance since December, as Ian Costello makes five changes from the starting XV in last week’s loss in Glasgow.
Murray is set for his 200th Munster appearance and will thus become just the 15th player to reach that landmark. He has also played 125 times for Ireland and earned eight Test caps for the British and Irish Lions.
Niall Scannell and Jean Kleyn also make welcome returns from injury among the Munster replacements, in what will be Kleyn’s first game since October.
There’s no disguising the magnitude of this game or the occasion, and the sources of ticket sales confirm that Connacht have reached into all five counties in the province for a game more than ever before. Quite simply, they can either be inspired or cowed as a consequence.
As their captain Prendergast put it this week: “I think any time you’re involved in an occasion like this and a game like this at this stage of the season, there’s always going to be pressure, but we’ve got to use that pressure almost as a privilege because we’re in a position where we can actually achieve something quite special. That’s how we have to direct how we think and how we control our week.”
To help ease congestion and in the hope that the 26,000-plus don’t arrive simultaneously within half an hour of the kick-off, MacHale Park (which becomes the 56th different venue to host a URC game) will open its gates at 12.30pm, complete with prematch entertainment, while the food and bar outlets will also be open.
Connacht’s season seemed to have run aground when the festive defeats away to Leinster and at home to Ulster extended their losing run to four games, but bonus-point wins over Cardiff and Benetton, and even the two bonus points accrued in last week’s rollercoaster in Swansea, have revived their playoff hopes.
There have been wild bouts of both scoring and conceding tries in clusters. Munster, meanwhile, suffered a curiously limp home defeat to Edinburgh in February and mixed good with bad in their loss to Glasgow.
On reflection, that opening day clash between these two last September was an accurate portent of things to come, when the sides scored five tries apiece and the lead changed hands before Munster emerged 35-33 winners.
Going into this weekend’s round of matches, Munster actually have the third best attack in this season’s URC behind Glasgow and Leinster, with 49 tries and eight attacking bonus points in their 13 games. Connacht are the fourth most prolific, with 48 tries and seven attacking bonus points.
Yet it comes as no surprise that Connacht have the ninth most proficient defence, and Munster the 10th, with each of them behind Zebre.
This contest mightn’t necessarily follow that script, not least as rain is forecast and, as Tucker has suggested in the light of last weekend’s free-scoring round, coaches are liable to have placed a renewed focus on defence this past week.
On this historic day, both ancient and modern history favours Munster, who have won 88 and lost 13 of the last 104 meetings, with three draws. They’ve also a four-to-one record in 46 URC matches, with 36 wins to Connacht’s nine, and one drawn.
Furthermore, Connacht have lost their last seven fixtures against fellow Irish provinces since beating Munster in Galway on New Year’s Day 2023. Then again, Munster’s away form is not too hot and the last seven meetings between the two provinces have been won by the home team on the day, with Connacht winning their last two home games against their southern rivals.
A one-off game perhaps increases the chances of the contest being settled by an X factor. In some senses, Connacht have sacrificed home advantage in moving this match away from the more familiar surrounds of Dexcom Stadium, but of course in other respects – not least the sheer scale of support that those in green will enjoy – they will gain unprecedented advantages. They might also enjoy playing a home game on grass again.
You cast a glance through the two teams, behold names such as Hansen, Aki, Ioane, Cordero et al, and you’d have to say that Connacht are every bit as experienced and have as many big-game hunters as Munster.
If anything, then, this occasion is likely to inspire them.
Connacht: Mack Hansen, Chay Mullins, Hugh Gavin, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy, Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade, Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast (capt), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen. Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Jack Aungier, Josh Murphy, Paul Boyle, Matthew Devine, JJ Hanrahan, Santiago Cordero.
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
Forecast: Connacht to win.
