CONNACHT ARE THE most potent team in the URC after eight attacking phases.
That’s the job, Connacht fans will think, in an era in which the team that kicks the ball away more tends to win games.
Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia and his side have this week placed a particular emphasis on curtailing Connacht’s productivity during lengthy attacking sets. Saturday’s game at Rodney Parade will, like most, be won at the breakdown — but Dragons will, more than most, attempt to challenge Connacht in that department.
Kicking off at 7:45pm on TG4/Premier Sports 1, ninth-placed Connacht — who have a game in hand over the majority of teams around them — will seek in Newport the exact same thrill as that being pursued by their opponents: to win successive games and achieve some kind of performative stability.
The respective returns of star men in the shapes of Cian Prendergast, Josh Ioane and Bundee Aki will aid their cause at Rodney Parade.
Hooker George Roberts and tighthead Cebo Dlamini are set to make their competitive debuts for Dragons, for whom Aaron Wainwright misses out with a niggle.
Fellow Wales internationals Ben Carter and Rio Dyer do return, at lock and wing respectively, after being rested against Lyon.
Bundee Aki on the charge for Connacht. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
That Challenge Cup success was Dragons’ first win in over a year, and they’ll feel equipped to double that in quick succession. Victory over Connacht would be the Welsh region’s first in the URC in 15 months.
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Dragons: Angus O’Brien (Co-captain), Jared Rosser, Fine Inisi, Aneurin Owen, Rio Dyer, Tinus de Beer, Che Hope, Rodrigo Martinez, Oli Burrows, Robert Hunt, Levi Douglas, Ben Carter (Co-captain), Ryan Woodman, Harry Beddall, Harri Keddi
Replacements: George Roberts, Jordan Morris, Cebo Dlamini, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Thomas Young, Rhodri Williams, Joe Westwood, Huw Anderson
Connacht: Sam Gilbert, Chay Mullins, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade, Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Sean Jansen, Ben Murphy, Jack Carty, Hugh Gavin
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU, league debut)
Munster, meanwhile, can count upon Jack Crowley among their starters in Bridgend (5:30pm, Premier Sports 1).
The visitors find themselves in the peculiar position of having to ‘bounce back’ from a bonus-point victory at home to a second-string Gloucester last time out.
While they still sit pretty in the URC log, Munster’s performance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh took a long time to ignite and, after two defeats in three, Clayton McMillan’s side will be keen to build up a head of steam ahead of the visit of Leinster on 27 December.
Calvin Nash returns from a shoulder injury to make his second start of the season, while Fineen Wycherley has overcome a hand injury to return to the starting second row.
With Irish internationals Tadhg Beirne and Craig Casey on down-weeks, Jack O’Donoghue captains the side from blinside flanker.
Paddy Patterson replaces Casey at scrum-half as he joins Jack Crowley in a new half-back pairing.
Billy Boen sings the Fields of Athenry ahead of his first cap. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Tom Farrell is reintroduced to the centre alongside Alex Nankivell, while Shane Daly switches wings to accommodate Nash. Dan Kelly and Ben O’Connor drop out of the backline.
The final change is in the front row where Jeremy Loughman starts as Michael Milne is named among the replacements.
There is a 6-2 split on Munster’s bench, with Lee Barron, John Hodnett, and Ethan Coughlan included among the replacements.
Ospreys have won their last two — including a home URC comeback over Connacht during their last league fixture — but with Wales captain Jac Morgan and fellow international Dewi Lake announcing moves to Gloucester last week, there exists an increasing sense that this evening’s hosts will eventually be the Welsh region to bite the bullet.
That insecurity may inspire a ‘Last Dance’ from Mark Jones’ side this term, but Munster are the clear bookmakers’ favourites at Brewery Field.
Ospreys: Max Nagy, Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles, Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Steffan Thomas, Dewi Lake (Captain), Rhys Henry, Rhys Davies, Ryan Smith, James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris
Replacements: Sam Parry, Cam Jones, Tom Botha, Huw Sutton, Morgan Morse, Kieran Hardy, Keiran Williams, Jack Walsh
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue (Captain), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Conor Bartley, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern, Ethan Coughlan, JJ Hanrahan, John Hodnett
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Connacht and Munster seek momentum on Welsh trips
CONNACHT ARE THE most potent team in the URC after eight attacking phases.
That’s the job, Connacht fans will think, in an era in which the team that kicks the ball away more tends to win games.
Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia and his side have this week placed a particular emphasis on curtailing Connacht’s productivity during lengthy attacking sets. Saturday’s game at Rodney Parade will, like most, be won at the breakdown — but Dragons will, more than most, attempt to challenge Connacht in that department.
Kicking off at 7:45pm on TG4/Premier Sports 1, ninth-placed Connacht — who have a game in hand over the majority of teams around them — will seek in Newport the exact same thrill as that being pursued by their opponents: to win successive games and achieve some kind of performative stability.
The respective returns of star men in the shapes of Cian Prendergast, Josh Ioane and Bundee Aki will aid their cause at Rodney Parade.
Hooker George Roberts and tighthead Cebo Dlamini are set to make their competitive debuts for Dragons, for whom Aaron Wainwright misses out with a niggle.
Fellow Wales internationals Ben Carter and Rio Dyer do return, at lock and wing respectively, after being rested against Lyon.
That Challenge Cup success was Dragons’ first win in over a year, and they’ll feel equipped to double that in quick succession. Victory over Connacht would be the Welsh region’s first in the URC in 15 months.
Dragons: Angus O’Brien (Co-captain), Jared Rosser, Fine Inisi, Aneurin Owen, Rio Dyer, Tinus de Beer, Che Hope, Rodrigo Martinez, Oli Burrows, Robert Hunt, Levi Douglas, Ben Carter (Co-captain), Ryan Woodman, Harry Beddall, Harri Keddi
Replacements: George Roberts, Jordan Morris, Cebo Dlamini, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Thomas Young, Rhodri Williams, Joe Westwood, Huw Anderson
Connacht: Sam Gilbert, Chay Mullins, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade, Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Sean Jansen, Ben Murphy, Jack Carty, Hugh Gavin
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU, league debut)
Munster, meanwhile, can count upon Jack Crowley among their starters in Bridgend (5:30pm, Premier Sports 1).
The visitors find themselves in the peculiar position of having to ‘bounce back’ from a bonus-point victory at home to a second-string Gloucester last time out.
While they still sit pretty in the URC log, Munster’s performance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh took a long time to ignite and, after two defeats in three, Clayton McMillan’s side will be keen to build up a head of steam ahead of the visit of Leinster on 27 December.
Calvin Nash returns from a shoulder injury to make his second start of the season, while Fineen Wycherley has overcome a hand injury to return to the starting second row.
With Irish internationals Tadhg Beirne and Craig Casey on down-weeks, Jack O’Donoghue captains the side from blinside flanker.
Paddy Patterson replaces Casey at scrum-half as he joins Jack Crowley in a new half-back pairing.
Tom Farrell is reintroduced to the centre alongside Alex Nankivell, while Shane Daly switches wings to accommodate Nash. Dan Kelly and Ben O’Connor drop out of the backline.
The final change is in the front row where Jeremy Loughman starts as Michael Milne is named among the replacements.
There is a 6-2 split on Munster’s bench, with Lee Barron, John Hodnett, and Ethan Coughlan included among the replacements.
Ospreys have won their last two — including a home URC comeback over Connacht during their last league fixture — but with Wales captain Jac Morgan and fellow international Dewi Lake announcing moves to Gloucester last week, there exists an increasing sense that this evening’s hosts will eventually be the Welsh region to bite the bullet.
That insecurity may inspire a ‘Last Dance’ from Mark Jones’ side this term, but Munster are the clear bookmakers’ favourites at Brewery Field.
Ospreys: Max Nagy, Dan Kasende, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles, Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Steffan Thomas, Dewi Lake (Captain), Rhys Henry, Rhys Davies, Ryan Smith, James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris
Replacements: Sam Parry, Cam Jones, Tom Botha, Huw Sutton, Morgan Morse, Kieran Hardy, Keiran Williams, Jack Walsh
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue (Captain), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Conor Bartley, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern, Ethan Coughlan, JJ Hanrahan, John Hodnett
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
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