HAVING ENDED 2023 in downbeat fashion, Connacht and Munster are both hoping to start the new year on a much happier note as they go head-to-head at the Sportsground this afternoon [KO 3pm, TG4/Premier Sports].
The westerners need to make home advantage count as they aim to end a run of five consecutive defeats and restore some of the optimism that rose at the start of this campaign.
Peter Wilkins’ men opened their URC season by winning at the Sportsground against the Ospreys, Glasgow, and Ulster but have struggled since.
It’s worth noting that their losing streak has coincided with a run of games against strong opposition. The Bulls, Leinster, Bordeaux, Saracens, and Ulster in Belfast is about as tough a five-game schedule as you can get. That said, Connacht won’t be happy about their performances, particularly in defence.
Ex-Leinster and Wallabies flanker Scott Fardy, now in his first season as Connacht’s defence coach, will expect to see much better from his charges after conceding 27 tries in their last five games. Some of those scores have simply been too straightforward.
The Connacht lineout has wobbled too, meaning forwards coach John Muldoon will be keen to see more success in that area. Defence and set-piece are the foundations for any team and Wilkins’ side have been lacking consistent solidity.
Connacht’s most recent win was on 18 November against the Sharks in South Africa, so they would relish the chance to taste victory today against a Munster side in need of a boost of their own.
Amid an injury crisis that now includes 16 players, Graham Rowntree’s side have won once in their last five games. They’ve had to face Leinster twice in that time, losing narrowly on both occasions, but even bigger frustrations came in the Champions Cup in December. A poor home draw against Bayonne was followed by a final-quarter collapse to lose away to Exeter.
With Munster’s depth being given a severe test due to the injury travails, they have struggled in the second half of games.
Indeed, Rowntree’s men have lost the second halves of these past five games on a combined scoreline of 70-31. It’s not all that surprising given the quality they’ve been missing and that the project to create a deeper squad remains ongoing despite last season’s URC title success.
When you also factor in the confirmation that RG Snyman will be joining Leinster next season, it has been a frustrating time for Munster fans recently but we know that things can turn around very quickly in rugby.
Victory today in Galway would get things going again ahead of this month’s mission to salvage their Champions Cup campaign in clashes against Toulon and Northampton, so Rowntree will be hoping his much-changed team can bounce back from the St Stephen’s Day defeat to Leinster.
Craig Casey and Jack Crowley are missing due to the IRFU player management guidelines, meaning the experienced Conor Murray returns at scrum-half after his own down weekend and he’s joined in the halfbacks by academy out-half Tony Butler, who gets just his second senior start with Joey Carbery still out injured. The experienced Rory Scannell comes into the midfield after Alex Nankivell suffered an ankle injury and will cover out-half too.
With Diarmuid Barron and Niall Scannell also sidelined, Eoghan Clarke makes his first start for the province at hooker.
Given the injury travails in the second row – Snyman, Jean Kleyn, Edogbo – it’s timely that Rowntree can welcome back Tadhg Beirne after a rest weekend and Fineen Wycherley from a shoulder issue, which also means Gavin Coombes can slot back to number eight after operating at lock in recent weeks.
As for Connacht, Wilkins makes six changes to his side after the narrow defeat away to Ulster before Chrismas, with JJ Hanrahan getting the nod at out-half against his native province.
Cathal Forde is back in midfield, while Wilkins will hope to see Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Joe Joyce, and Jarrad Butler add some steel to the starting pack.
We’ve already had some cracking inter-pros this season and this should be another one today. It feels like an important occasion for both sides.
Connacht:
- 15. Mack Hansen
- 14. Byron Ralston
- 13. Cathal Forde
- 12. Bundee Aki
- 11. Shayne Bolton
- 10. JJ Hanrahan
- 9. Caolin Blade (captain)
- 1. Peter Dooley
- 2. Dave Heffernan
- 3. Finlay Bealham
- 4. Darragh Murray
- 5. Joe Joyce
- 6. Cian Prendergast
- 7. Shamus Hurley-Langton
- 8. Jarrad Butler
Replacements:
- 16. Dylan Tierney-Martin
- 17. Denis Buckley
- 18. Jack Aungier
- 19. Niall Murray
- 20. Oisín Dowling
- 21. Michael McDonald
- 22. Jack Carty
- 23. Conor Oliver
Munster:
- 15. Simon Zebo
- 14. Calvin Nash
- 13. Antoine Frisch
- 12. Rory Scannell
- 11. Shane Daly
- 10. Tony Butler
- 9. Conor Murray
- 1. Jeremy Loughman
- 2. Eoghan Clarke
- 3. Oli Jager
- 4. Fineen Wycherley
- 5. Tadhg Beirne (captain)
- 6. Tom Ahern
- 7. John Hodnett
- 8. Gavin Coombes
Replacements:
- 16. Scott Buckley
- 17. Josh Wycherley
- 18. John Ryan
- 19. Jack O’Donoghue
- 2o. Alex Kendellen
- 21. Paddy Patterson
- 22. Seán O’Brien
- 23. Shay McCarthy
Referee: Chris Busby [IRFU].
