CONNACHT CAPTAIN JARRAD Butler is excited by the chance of taking on Ospreys’ in-form back-row Justin Tipuric, and says the westerners are ready to meet their hosts in a war among the flanks.
Butler has been one of Connacht most potent weapons all season in the number 7 shirt, but so too has Tipuric for Ospreys, with the duo set to do battle tomorrow in the unusual venue of Bridgend’s Morganstone Brewery Field.
“Absolutely, he [Tipuric] is an incredible player. You find yourselves (facing off) a lot at the first rucks. You kind of have a race to the first ruck. If it’s your ball you’re trying to defend it, if you win the race they usually don’t go in, but it’s a sprint off the scrum to see who gets there first,” said Butler.
“Sometimes you don’t get caught up following a player round, but we’ll see how it pans out. I don’t plan on chasing him around but it could turn into something like that.”
While Butler has caught the eye on the openside, Connacht have been strengthened by the off-season arrival of Robin Copeland and Colby Fianga’a, while academy graduate Paul Boyle and local Sean O’Brien have also claimed man of the match awards this season.
“The back row is functioning really well and we have some great depth. Paul was someone that had a little bit of experience last year and then during pre-season he training really well and it was clear form the get-go he was going to have a good season.
“Straight off the bat he has been really good. Particularly in attack he has linked really well with the backs.
“With the steady hand of Copeland there and Colby has so much experience, we’re not struggling for back rowers at the moment. We have Eoghan Masterson when he comes back as well, Eoin McKeon, Sean O’Brien, so we’re spoilt for back rowers.
“But you take it when you can because you never know what will happen. But at the moment we’re in a very good spot.”
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