“When you go from the league into Europe it’s always a nice change of emphasis. It freshens things up as well. We are all looking forward to that now,” said Connacht full-back Tiernan O’Halloran as the province look to build on the momentum of their historic Belfast win with a successful start to their Challenge Cup campaign.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – POOL 3: Saturday, October 13
CONNACHT v BORDEAUX-BEGLES, the Sportsground, 3pm (live Galway Bay FM/highlights Virgin Media One)
Team News: Connacht head coach Andy Friend has named two Academy players on the bench for the province’s European Challenge Cup opener against Bordeaux-Bégles at the Sportsground.
Out half Conor Fitzgerald and Connemara youngster Colm de Buitléar, who has featured across the back-three for Connacht Eagles, are named among the westerners’ replacements. Tickets for the opening Pool 3 clash with the French side are available to buy online here.
The front row of props Peter McCabe and Conor Carey, along with hooker Shane Delahunt, are all set for their first starts of the season. James Cannon returns to the second row alongside Quinn Roux, while captain Jarrad Butler, Colby Fainga’a and number 8 Robin Copeland complete the pack.
Caolin Blade comes back in at scrum half for ankle injury victim Kieran Marmion where he partners the in-form Jack Carty. The experienced Eoin Griffin joins Bundee Aki in midfield, and Australian Kyle Godwin will make his Challenge Cup bow on the left wing, combining with Niyi Adeolokun and Cian Kelleher in the back-three.
Irish-qualified lock Joe Maksymiw is set for his Connacht debut off the bench, while there is also plenty of experience to draw on with Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham backing up the starting front row trio.
Speaking ahead of the first European fixture of the season, Friend said: “We are really looking forward to our opening game of our Challenge Cup campaign. This is a competition that Connacht have a proud tradition in and we hope to make a big impact in this season.
“We are coming off six tough PRO14 games, so it is only natural that there is some rotation of the squad, but we are have a good blend of youth and experience among the squad. We have included Conor Fitzgerald and Colm de Buitléar (pictured below), two promising Academy players, among our replacements. We hope that they’ll get a chance to make their debuts at some stage.
“It is a big opportunity to be involved in a European fixture especially in front of the home fans in the Sportsground. We also have plenty of experience on that bench to call on if needed. It’s been a big week for Connacht Rugby with the announcement of our stadium plans all coming off a good win against Ulster last weekend.
“We know that Bordeaux will come with a big physical side and we are expecting a massive challenge. But it will be a big occasion in the Sportsground. Our fans have been huge for us this season and they will be on a high again (tomorrow), I’m sure.”
Meanwhile, Bordeaux-Bègles have made 11 changes to the side from last weekend’s narrow 28-25 loss to Grenoble in the Top 14. Connacht’s first round opponents are coached by Rory Teague, the former Gloucester out-half and England skills coach.
France-capped winger Nans Ducuing, scrum half Yann Lesgourgues, lock Cyril Cazeaux and Georgian international number 8 Beka Gorgodze are the players retained following the trip to Grenoble. Bordeaux finished third in their Challenge Cup pool last season.
Their Galway-bound starting XV also includes former Australia Under-20 international Ulupano Seuteni at centre, 21-year-old Georgian tighthead Lasha Tabidze, Buenos Aires-born former Leinster lock Mariano Galarza and Maori All Blacks flanker Luke Braid.
CONNACHT: Cian Kelleher; Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Bundee Aki, Kyle Godwin; Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Peter McCabe, Shane Delahunt, Conor Carey, James Cannon, Quinn Roux, Jarrad Butler (capt), Colby Fainga’a, Robin Copeland.
Replacements: Tom McCartney, Conan O’Donnell, Finlay Bealham, Joe Maksymiw, James Connolly, Conor McKeon, Conor Fitzgerald, Colm de Buitléar.
BORDEAUX-BEGLES: Simon Desaubies; Nans Ducuing, Jean-Baptiste Dubié, Ulupano Seuteni, George Tilsley; Lucas Meret, Yann Lesgourgues; Thierry Paiva, Clement Maynadier, Lasha Tabidze; Mariano Galarza, Cyril Cazeaux; Luke Braid, Cameron Woki, Beka Gorgadze.
Replacements: Florian Dufour, Laurent Delboubes, Viliamu Afatia, Afa Amosa, Maxime Lamothe, Jules Gimbert, Lucas Lebraud, Adrien Pélissié.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Linton, Keith Allan (both Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/6; Draw: 25/1; Bordeaux-Bègles to win: 7/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) – “It’s been a great week at the Sportsground for so many reasons. The win over Ulster was complemented by the new stadium expansion announcement. And we can’t wait to give the fans something else to shout about when Bordeaux come to town this weekend.
“We actually found out about the new stadium plans on the Tuesday of the Ulster week. We had an extra slot on our schedule for a meeting and nobody knew what it was for. We were presented with the stadium plans and we were all a bit shocked.
“There was a massive excitement in the room straight away. Of course we had heard a lot about a potential stadium but we’d never seen anything on paper. To actually see it up on a projector gave us all a big lift.
“We have a tough game to come against Bordeaux. You don’t know what the French teams will do for the Challenge Cup, especially away from home. Sometimes they could send over second or third choice players but that is irrelevant to us now.
“We look at this competition as something we can go really far in. We got the home quarter-final last year and lost to Gloucester. But we want to go again and we are prepared for a tough test against a typically big and physical French team.”
Current Form – Connacht – (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 27-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Won 32-13 v Zebre (home), Lost 17-10 v Edinburgh (away), Won 33-20 v Scarlets (home), Lost 20-3 v Leinster (home), Won 22-15 v Ulster (away)
Bordeaux-Bègles – (Top 14 Championship): Won 41-19 v Pau (home), Lost 20-8 v Stade Francais (away), Drew 9-9 v Montpellier (home), Lost 22-17 v Agen (away), Won 23-19 v Clermont Auvergne (home), Won 34-22 v La Rochelle (home), Lost 28-25 v Grenoble (away)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Challenge Cup: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 56; Tries: Matt Healy 9; Bordeaux-Bègles – Points: Matthieu Jalibert 44; Tries: Geoffrey Cros 4
Previous European Meetings: 2
Saturday, October 4, 1997 – Challenge Cup Pool 4 – Connacht 22 Bordeaux-Bègles 15, the Sportsground
Saturday, September 20, 1997 – Challenge Cup Pool 4 – Bordeaux-Bègles 9 Connacht 15, Stade Andre Moga
Match Facts –
– Connacht are the competition’s most experienced side with 121 games played across 18 seasons but have yet to reach a final
– Connacht and Bordeaux-Bègles have met twice before with the westerners picking up wins in both games in pool stages of the 1997/98 Challenge Cup
– Connacht have won 15 of their last 17 homes games in the pool stages of the Challenge Cup; Harlequins and Exeter Chiefs are the only clubs to come away with wins in that time
– Bordeaux won on their last European trip to Ireland, a 26-22 victory over Ulster in the 2016/17 Champions Cup
– Bordeaux averaged the most metres gained per game of any side in the Challenge Cup last season (552), while no side averaged more breaks than Connacht (13.1, level with Edinburgh)
– Connacht winger Matt Healy scored nine tries in just six games in last season’s Challenge Cup, only Newcastle’s Adam Radwan scored more (10 tries in 8 appearances)
Challenge Cup Records:
Connacht –
2017/18: Reached the quarter-finals
2015/16: Reached the quarter-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Reached the quarter-finals
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2005/06: Reached the quarter-finals
2004/05: Reached the semi-finals
2003/04: Reached the semi-finals
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
Bordeaux-Bègles –
2017/18: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached round 2
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 8
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
1996/97: Reached the quarter-finals
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