Connacht Have Injury-Disrupted Build-Up To Ospreys Game
Ahead of Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 round 2 clash with the Ospreys at the Sportsground, the Connacht medical team have provided the following update.
Denis Buckley sustained a concussion during the 41-5 defeat to Glasgow Warriors. He will be monitored and continue to follow the graduated return-to-play protocols under the supervision of the medical team. Fellow prop Conor Carey played club rugby at the weekend and is available for selection.
In the back row, Nepia Fox-Matamua sustained an injury to his hamstring against Glasgow and is awaiting the results of a scan to determine the extent of the injury.
Meanwhile, scrum half Caolin Blade sustained a quad haematoma last Saturday and will be monitored ahead of team selection this week. Peter Robb, who came on in the centre, sustained a concussion against Glasgow. He will be monitored and follow the graduated return-to-play protocols under the supervision of the medical team.
Unfortunately, versatile young back Rory Parata injured his knee in a club game at the weekend and will be out of action for a month. Cian Kelleher, who made his Connacht debut at full-back against the Scots, sustained a minor hip injury and will be monitored ahead of team selection this week.
Meanwhile, Connacht head coach Pat Lam is understandably eager for his charges to bounce back from that heavy opening loss and register a confidence-boosting victory at home to the Ospreys this coming Saturday (kick-off 7.35pm).
Reflecting on his side’s round 1 reversal, Lam said: “Talking about it afterwards, the players all feel better for having that game under their belt. When you look at the end of last year to where we are, we are a bit under done. It was the concern I had because a lot of players hadn’t played 80 minutes.
“All our supporters said fantastic, great last year. We didn’t get carried away, we went through the process. Now everyone is telling us it was a shocking performance (against Glasgow), which it was, but we are not getting carried away by that either.
“There were moments in the game when we were really good, but unfortunately too many moments that we weren’t, and that’s part of the process.
“The reality is, it was just five points on offer, that’s all it was and we got none. Last year we lost five games and in two of those, we got no points, so that’s one down, out of the way now.
“We spent five-and-a-half minutes in defence in our own half by kicking the ball and not chasing it well, that’s where we lost the game, and that’s the hunger. That is an area where we have to improve, and we will, because there is a bit of pain going on at the moment.”