Connacht v Leinster, Sportsground, Friday, 7.35 – Live on RTÉ and Premier Sports
Continuing their dive in at the deep end after playing three of last season’s URC semi-finalists away from home in the first three rounds before hosting Munster last week, Connacht entertain the other side to reach the last four in the deposed five-in-a-row champions Leinster on Friday night.
It’s another oddity of their fixture list that Connacht thus begin life on their new 4G pitch with their two marquee home fixtures of the season. Accordingly, the additional terracing at the Bohermore and College Road ends of the ground remain in place for the expanded capacity of 8,129 (a limited number of tickets remain).
Last week’s deserved first win of the campaign was particularly well timed therefore, for the alternative of going into this imposing fixture on the back of four defeats might have led to a certain defeatism among their supporters.
Connacht should benefit from the self-belief last week’s victory will have generated with a full seven-day turnaround. They’ll also be more familiar with their new surface, while talisman and captain Jack Carty ought to be more match sharp given last week was his first game since May.
Two of their recently signed ex-Leinster contingent, Peter Dooley and Josh Murphy, are among the five changes Andy Friend has made. Niall Murray comes into the secondrow and Paul Boyle at number eight, while the 22-year-old Irish qualified Kiwi Shamus Hurley-Langton moves to openside. There’s also a first start of the season for scrumhalf Colm Reilly.
Connacht have retained a 6-2 split on a bench featuring the fit-again Caolin Blade and the 22-year-old ex-Sale product Ciarán Booth, who is line for his second appearance.
The home supporters possibly have mixed feelings about Johnny Sexton being rested for Leinster’s meeting with Munster at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday, in what might have been his last appearance at the Sportsground, but needless to say Leo Cullen is still sending a strong matchday 23.
Leinster have made 10 changes to the starting XV from last week’s 54-34 win over the Sharks, with Tadhg Furlong making his first appearance of season and James Ryan his first start.
Garry Ringrose, sparkling off the bench on the wing last week, returns to his customary outside centre position and is captain. Liam Turner makes his first appearance of the campaign on the right wing, while Cormac Foley makes his first start of the season at scrumhalf and Ross Byrne returning at outhalf.
Ed Byrne is recalled at loosehead while the first-choice Irish backrow of Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan all start as well.
Andrew Porter and Michael Ala’alatoa will provide considerable oomph off the bench, which also features Joe McCarthy after his involvement in the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa, the fit-again Ciarán Frawley and Robbie Henshaw.
Marginal underdogs last week, Connacht return to more familiar terrain against Leinster, who are 1-6 to win and 12-point favourites on the handicap. Leinster won all four meetings last season, three of them by an average winning margin of 33 points.
That might also have left Connacht with some mental scars, although both Friend and Cullen have cited the most competitive of last season’s four meeting, the first of the two-legged Champions Cup Round of 16 tie here which Leinster won 26-21, as the most relevant.
“We had a cracking game against them here last year in the Champions Cup,” said Friend after last week’s win. “We didn’t back it up but we believe we have a game-style that can hurt them if we get it right. We need to get it right next Friday.”
Cullen also stressed that their 45-8 win in the corresponding fixture last March was distorted by Tom Daly’s third-minute red card, the toll eventually seeing Leinster score 38 unanswered points in the second half.
Atop the table as usual, Leinster have been the most potent side to date with 21 tries. Such is the strength of their pack, all the more so with Furlong – rusty but world-class – back in harness, they’ll hardly be as bullied as Munster were in the first couple of scrums a week ago. Their strikes from distance, ability to identify space on the edges with crosskicks and power plays in the red zone have remained as remorseless as ever.
Such is the efficiency of the machine that no amount of disruptions last week affected their attacking rhythm, nor do widespread changes unduly bother them as players switch seamlessly in and out.
If there has been one caveat it has been the concession of a dozen tries, notably five apiece in the free-scoring wins over Zebre and the Sharks. Half of those 10 tries were, unusually, scored by the opposition backs off first phase and even in last season’s difficult campaign, Connacht’s launch plays were repeatedly inventive and effective, especially with Carty pulling the strings.
Much of Leinster’s defensive difficulties in this area can be attributed to Charlie Ngatai adapting to a new team and different combinations, although this evening he is being partnered by Ringrose in his natural position.
Met Éireann has forecast a dry, bright day but, alas, from possibly around halfway through the game, some heavy and possibly thundery showers will be moving into western parts. Hence, this really could have a little of everything.
Connacht might trouble Leinster more than is widely anticipated, and their 6-2 split on the bench could also be suited to potentially worsening weather. But that starting Leinster pack and ballast off the bench looks well equipped to see them maintain their 100 per cent winning ways.
CONNACHT: Conor Fitzgerald; John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty (capt), Colm Reilly; Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Niall Murray, Gavin Thornbury; Josh Murphy, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Denis Buckley, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Conor Oliver, Caolin Blade, Tom Daly, Ciaran Booth.
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose (capt), Charlie Ngatai, Rob Russell; Ross Byrne, Cormac Foley; Ed Byrne, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Ross Molony, James Ryan; Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan
Replacements: John McKee, Andrew Porter, Michael Ala’alatoa, Joe McCarthy, Martin Moloney, Nick McCarthy, Ciarán Frawley, Robbie Henshaw
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU).
Forecast: Leinster to win.
