Connacht will aim to put a poor performance against Glasgow Warriors behind them when they return to the Sportsground to face the Ospreys, one of the teams battling with them for a third-place finish in Conference A of the GUINNESS PRO14.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, March 2
CONNACHT (4th, Con A) v OSPREYS (5th, Con A), the Sportsground, 2.45pm (live TG4/Premier Sports 1)
Team News: Connacht have been boosted by the return of Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Tom Farrell and Caolin Blade from Ireland duty for today’s GUINNESS PRO14 showdown with the Ospreys at the Sportsground.
Dillane and Roux, who were Ireland’s starting locks against Italy last Sunday afternoon, resume in the Connacht engine room, rejoining a tight five which includes Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt and fellow international Finlay Bealham in the front row.
The back row remains unchanged from the 43-17 loss to Glasgow Warriors, with flankers Eoin McKeon and Colby Fainga’a supporting number 8 and captain Jarrad Butler. Kieran Marmion starts his second successive game since returning from ankle surgery, forming a new-look half-back partnership with Australian Kyle Godwin.
The fit-again Peter Robb gets his first start of the campaign after impressing off the bench in Scotstoun. He combines with returning Farrell in midfield, while an unchanged back-three is comprised of Tiernan O’Halloran at full-back and wingers Matt Healy and Stephen Fitzgerald, who opened his try account for the province against Glasgow.
Meanwhile, 81-times capped Wales international James Hook is the Ospreys’ only change to the side that lost 19-13 to Munster at the Liberty Stadium. He came on at half-time for Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler last weekend and will resume in the centre alongside Cory Allen in Galway.
Allen Clarke’s charges are missing 15 players for this round 17 fixture, including Adam Beard, Aled Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, George North, Nicky Smith, Justin Tipuric and Owen Watkin who are all in camp with Guinness Six Nations leaders Wales ahead of their round 4 game against Scotland next week.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Stephen Fitzgerald, Tom Farrell, Peter Robb, Matt Healy; Kyle Godwin, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, Colby Fainga’a, Jarrad Butler (capt).
Replacements: Tom McCartney, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, James Cannon, Paul Boyle, Caolin Blade, Tom Daly, Cian Kelleher.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Hanno Dirksen, Cory Allen, James Hook, Keelan Giles; Luke Price, Matthew Aubrey; Jordan Lay, Scott Baldwin, Tom Botha, James King, Bradley Davies, Olly Cracknell (capt), Sam Cross, Rob McCusker.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Rowan Jenkins, Ma’afu Fia, Lloyd Ashley, Will Griffiths, Harri Morgan, Tom Williams, Luke Morgan.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher (Ireland), Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Television Match Official: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 1/5; Draw: 17/1; Ospreys to win: 7/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Andy Friend (Connacht) –
We have trained well and prepared well this week. We’ve seen a really positive response from the players after a disappointing result last weekend in Glasgow. We will continue to focus on our game and what we can control, as we have done all season.
“We know every game now is a ‘must win’ and with a two week-break before our next game we are determined to finish this block on a high. The four players back from international duty bring a huge amount of experience to our matchday squad.”
Allen Clarke (Ospreys) –
As a group we understand the importance of this last game during the Six Nations block against Connacht who are also vying for the play-offs. Considering the off-field uncertainty the boys have been excellent, with a consistent focus on improving individually and collectively.
“There’s frustration that we’ve been on the wrong end of scorelines in each of the previous three games but also a realisation that we have the solutions to deliver a more complete performance on Saturday. Games against Connacht are always testing and exciting, our focus is to be the best version of ourselves.”
Top Scorers – 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 119; Tries: Cian Kelleher, Tom Farrell, Paul Boyle 5 each; Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 124; Tries: Luke Morgan 7
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Connacht – Played 16, Won 8, Lost 8, 42 Points; L 27-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 32-13 v Zebre (home), L 17-10 v Edinburgh (away), W 33-20 v Scarlets (home), L 20-3 v Leinster (home), W 22-15 v Ulster (away), L 22-17 v Ospreys (away), W 33-12 v Dragons (home), W 31-14 v Isuzu Southern Kings (away), W 21-17 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), L 33-29 v Leinster (away), W 21-12 v Ulster (home), L 31-24 v Munster (home), L 8-7 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 25-17 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), L 43-17 v Glasgow Warriors (away); Ospreys – Played 16, Won 8, Lost 8, 39 Points; W 17-13 v Edinburgh (home), W 46-14 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), L 49-13 v Munster (away), W 27-10 v Benetton Rugby (home), W 22-8 v Zebre (away), L 20-17 v Scarlets (away), W 22-17 v Connacht (home), L 29-20 v Glasgow Warriors (home), L 52-7 v Leinster (away), W 43-0 v Zebre (home), W 19-12 v Scarlets (home), L 23-23 v Dragons (away), W 20-11 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 9-3 v Glasgow Warriors (away), L 8-0 v Ulster (home), L 19-13 v Munster (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, February 27, 2016 – Connacht 30 Ospreys 22, the Sportsground
Saturday, September 10, 2016 – Connacht 11 Ospreys 32, the Sportsground
Saturday, January 7, 2017 – Ospreys 29 Connacht 7, Liberty Stadium
Friday, February 9, 2018 – Connacht 26 Ospreys 15, the Sportsground
Friday, April 6, 2018 – Ospreys 39 Connacht 10, Liberty Stadium
Friday, October 26, 2018 – Ospreys 22 Connacht 17, Morganstone Brewery Field
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht’s only win in the last four rounds of the GUINNESS PRO14 was 25-17 at home to the Toyota Cheetahs in round 15
– The westerners have lost only once at home in any tournament since September: 31-24 to Munster in the PRO14 in early January
– No Welsh side has won at the Sportsground since Cardiff Blues were the visitors in September 2017
– The Ospreys have lost their last five fixtures in all tournaments since beating Cardiff 20-11 at the Liberty Stadium in round 13 of the PRO14
– The Ospreys have won only once away from home this season: 22-8 at Zebre in late September
– The Welshmen have lost their last ten visits to Irish provinces since beating Connacht in Galway in September 2016
– The Ospreys’ only defeat in their last five fixtures against Connacht was 26-15 at the Sportsground last February