Connacht sit top of European Challenge Cup Pool 1 with three wins from three but are without 23 players for this weekend’s tough trip to Newcastle’s Kingston Park.
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP – POOL 1: Sunday, December 20
NEWCASTLE FALCONS (3rd) v CONNACHT (1st), Kingston Park, 3pm (live Galway Bay FM)
Team News: Connacht head coach Pat Lam has named 22 players, including the nine fit and available backs, for Sunday’s European Challenge Cup round 4 clash with Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park.
There are seven personnel changes and four positional switches to the starting side that defeated the Aviva Premiership club 25-10 in Galway last weekend.
Young out-half Shane O’Leary (22) will get his first start in a Connacht jersey this weekend, while Caolin Blade is retained at scrum half. Craig Ronaldson returns to the back-line to join Peter Robb in another new centre partnership, while Rory Parata shifts out to the right wing.
Danie Poolman, who scored a late try in the round 3 game, becomes the fifth player to wear the number 15 shirt this season, moving from his more regular position on the wing.
Up front, 19-year-old Academy prop Conan O’Donnell (pictured below) has been handed his first senior start, having made seven appearances from the bench this season. The Sligo youngster is joined in the front row by Rodney Ah You and hooker Jason Harris-Wright who makes his 50th Connacht appearance.
Daniel Qualter will also start for the first time this season and is joined in the second row by Galway man Andrew Browne on his return from injury.
Eoghan Masterson is another welcome returnee and starts in a back row with Sean O’Brien and the experienced George Naoupu who will captain the province on Sunday.
Academy tighthead prop Saba Meunargia, who was added to the European Challenge Cup squad this week, is named among the front row replacements. The Georgian native and Athlone-raised 21-year-old was brought on from the bench in Connacht’s Challenge Cup win away to Bayonne 12 months ago.
Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards has named an experienced team to host Connacht in the return leg, with a total of six personnel changes made.
The Falcons’ selected side boasts 1199 club appearances in league and cups, as they look to swing momentum back in their favour.
In the backs, Marcus Watson moves up from the bench to the left wing, Alex Tait takes over the right wing berth from Dan Marshall and Belisario Agulla is named at outside centre in place of Juan Socino.
In the pack, Alex Rogers and Scott Lawson retain their positions in the front row as Scotland International tighthead Jon Welsh comes in for Tonga’s Taione Vea, who reverts to the replacements.
Sean Robinson, one of the stars of Newcastle’s season to date, returns to partner former England international Mouritz Botha in the engine room, with captain Will Welch and Daniel Temm providing a couple of dynamic threats in a back that is completed by Scottish ace Ally Hogg.
NEWCASTLE FALCONS: Simon Hammersley; Alex Tait, Belisario Agulla, Chris Harris, Marcus Watson; Craig Willis, Tane Takulua; Alex Rogers, Scott Lawson, Jon Welsh, Mouritz Botha, Sean Robinson, Will Welch (capt), Dan Temm, Ally Hogg.
Replacements: George McGuigan, Rob Vickers, Taione Vea, Calum Green, Richard Mayhew, Micky Young, Tom Catterick, Juan Socino.
CONNACHT: Danie Poolman; Rory Parata, Peter Robb, Craig Ronaldson, Niyi Adeolokun; Shane O’Leary, Caolin Blade; Conan O’Donnell, Jason Harris-Wright, Rodney Ah You, Daniel Qualter, Andrew Browne, Sean O’Brien, Eoghan Masterson, George Naoupu (capt).
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Saba Meunargia, Aly Muldowney, Dave Heffernan, Ian Porter, Jack Carty.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell, Greg Morgan (both Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Newcastle Falcons to win: 3/10; Draw: 18/1; Connacht to win: 11/4
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “This is another big game for us and one we’re looking forward to. We want to cement our position at the top of Pool 1 before we switch back into a busy schedule in the PRO12.
“Personally, I’m really looking forward to going back to Kingston Park where I know it’s going to be tough, especially with the fantastic supporters who always lift the team and add to the atmosphere. There is no doubt that Newcastle will feel they should have got more from our game last week and they will present a real challenge for us on their 4G pitch.
“Initially we had 23 players named for this weekend with eight front rowers included but unfortunately we lost Ronan Loughney at training today when he pulled up with a minor back injury.
“So, although we are down to just nine fit backs in our European squad, we have 22 players traveling who have brought a real intensity to training this week. They understand our team work and work ethic will give us the best chance to stay unbeaten in the competition.”
Daniel Temm (Newcastle Falcons) – “Last week was a bit disappointing and was a bit like Brive, we let them keep the scoreboard ticking over with dull penalties, which we really need to rule out this week.
“It has been a bit of story of the season, letting teams tick the scoreboard cheaply and then missing opportunities when we did break the line. When we got in behind them, we didn’t always capitalise in the next few phases as much as we could have.
“This week we need to take our opportunities and not give away the dull penalties that put the pressure back on us. It’s great to get to play a team back to back – we can go out there and put right what we left out there last week.
“The focus has been on winning, they got one over us at their place and we hope to make it one-all this weekend. It would be great to play a game where we do string together our opportunities and we don’t just take one or two, we take five or six and put 30 points on the board and get that ‘w’.”
Current Form – Newcastle Falcons – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 39-27 at home to Gloucester; Lost 42-16 away to Northampton Saints; Lost 41-3 at home to Exeter Chiefs; Lost 28-20 away to Worcester Warriors; (European Challenge Cup): Lost 13-9 away to Brive; Won 55-7 at home to Enisei-STM; (Aviva Premiership): Drew 15-15 away to Sale Sharks; Lost 38-3 at home to Saracens; (European Challenge Cup): Lost 25-10 away to Connacht
Connacht – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 29-23 at home to the Newport Gwent Dragons; Lost 33-32 away to Glasgow Warriors; Won 36-31 at home to Cardiff Blues; Won 34-15 at home to Zebre; Won 21-16 away to the Ospreys; Won 14-9 at home to Edinburgh; Won 33-19 at home to Benetton Treviso; (European Challenge Cup): Won 31-14 away to Enisei-STM; Won 21-17 at home to Brive; (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 18-12 away to Munster; Lost 20-16 away to Cardiff Blues; (European Challenge Cup): Won 25-10 at home to Newcastle Falcons
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Challenge Cup: Newcastle Falcons – Points: Marcus Watson 20; Tries: Marcus Watson 4; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 26; Tries: Rory Parata 2
Previous European Meetings: 4
Friday, December 11, 2015 – Pool 1 – Connacht 25 Newcastle Falcons 10, the Sportsground
Sunday, December 16, 2007 – Pool 3 – Newcastle Falcons 39 Connacht 0, Kingston Park Stadium
Friday, December 7, 2007 – Pool 3 – Connacht 16 Newcastle Falcons 13, the Sportsground
Friday, March 31, 2006 – Quarter-final – Newcastle Falcons 23 Connacht 3, Kingston Park Stadium
Match Facts –
– This will be the fifth meeting between the teams in the Challenge Cup with both winning two games each
– The home team on the day has won each of the four fixtures between these sides in the Challenge Cup
– Connacht have won nine of their last 12 matches in the Challenge Cup, including each of their last three
– After their win last time out against the Falcons, Connacht will be aiming for four consecutive victories in the Challenge Cup for only the third time ever
Challenge Cup Records:
Newcastle Falcons –
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2009/10: Reached the quarter-finals
2008/09: Reached the quarter-finals
2007/08: Reached the semi-finals
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2003/04: Reached round 2
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Reached the semi-finals
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the semi-finals
Connacht –
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
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