BT Murrayfield has been a happy hunting ground for Connacht with three wins on their last four visits to the Scottish capital. Their first GUINNESS PRO14 away trip under Andy Friend sees them play an Edinburgh side smarting from a last-gasp defeat to Ulster.
GUINNESS PRO14: Friday, September 14
EDINBURGH (6th, Con B) v CONNACHT (3rd. Con A), BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm (live Premier Sports/eir Sport 2/Galway Bay FM/highlights TG4)
Team News: Ireland scrum half Kieran Marmion is set to make his first start of the GUINNESS PRO14 campaign as Connacht take on Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield tonight. The game also marks the return of Bundee Aki to the matchday 23.
Marmion’s selection is one of four changes to the Connacht starting XV that secured a 32-13 bonus point win over Zebre last weekend, with young Sligo prop Conan O’Donnell, lock Ultan Dillane and winger Niyi Adeolokun also included.
21-year-old Academy back rower Paul Boyle is again named at number 8 after his two tries and man-of-the-match performance against the Italians. He is part of an unchanged back row with captain Jarrad Butler at openside and blindside Sean O’Brien.
Adeolokun’s inclusion on the right wing sees him join a back-three that includes Matt Healy on the opposite wing and Tiernan O’Halloran at full-back. The centre pairing of Eoin Griffin and Australian recruit Kyle Godwin is also retained with seasonal debutant Aki set to feature off the bench.
Head coach Andy Friend spoke about the depth in his squad which is leading to some genuine competition for places, stating: “It is pleasing that we have some real depth and quality coming through. It’s how we balance it while rewarding good performances at the same time. We also really need that physicality against this Edinburgh side.
“This week we are welcoming back two more internationals. Kieran Marmion will start, having come off the bench last week. He is a real quality player and it is great to have him in our starting team after getting an extra break following Ireland’s tour to Australia.
“The other big addition is to have Bundee back. He starts off the bench and is raring to go. We face a big challenge in Murrayfield and no doubt Edinburgh will be hurting after the loss (at Ulster) last weekend – it’s another massive challenge for us.”
Meanwhile, Edinburgh boss Richard Cockerill has made three changes to the side that lost 30-29 Ulster in Belfast, with flanker Hamish Watson, winger Duhan van der Merwe and centre James Johnstone all coming into the starting XV.
Scotland star Watson, who was unavailable for selection last weekend due to the birth of his first child, is named in the back-row with fellow international Luke Hamilton who switches to number 8 in the place of the injured Bill Mata.
Mark Bennett drops out of contention due to injury and is replaced by Johnstone in midfield, while van der Merwe returns to action after missing out on the round 2 trip to Ulster. The South African winger starts in the place of Tom Brown who is nursing a knock.
The fit-again van der Merwe is reunited with Blair Kinghorn and Dougie Fife in the back-three, Matt Scott, who makes his first Edinburgh appearance at Murrayfield since May 2016, partners Johnstone in midfield, and impressive new signings Simon Hickey and Henry Pyrgos both make their home debuts at half-back.
An unchanged front row sees captain Stuart McInally pack down alongside WP Nel and Pierre Schoeman, with Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist in behind them. Hamilton and Jamie Ritchie have the returning Watson alongside them in the back row. The bench includes summer recruit Juan Pablo Socino who could make his competitive debut.
EDINBURGH: Blair Kinghorn; Dougie Fife, James Johnstone, Matt Scott, Duhan van der Merwe; Simon Hickey, Henry Pyrgos; Pierre Schoeman, Stuart McInally (capt), WP Nel, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Luke Hamilton.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Allan Dell, Simon Berghan, Fraser McKenzie, Magnus Bradbury, Sean Kennedy, Jaco van der Walt, Juan Pablo Socino.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Kyle Godwin, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Conan O’Donnell, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Ultan Dillane, Sean O’Brien, Jarrad Butler (capt), Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Colby Fainga’a, Caolin Blade, Craig Ronaldson, Bundee Aki.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Ian Kenny (Scotland)
Television Match Official: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Edinburgh to win: 3/10; Draw: 18/1; Connacht to win: 5/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Andy Friend (Connacht) – “We know Edinburgh are smarting from two losses. You watch the first 50 minutes of the Ulster game and they are a hell of a side, so they will be really upset with that (loss). They are back in front of home crowd, and will do all they can to kick-start their season.
“So we know what’s coming and we have to respect that, but at the same time we have to do a job. Little points in these games are big. Kicking accuracy can often determine games, but for me it’s our defence. I think these big games in the Championship are won on defence.
“You need to stand up and make your tackles, deny the opposition time and space, but if you leak early, like we did against Glasgow (in the opening round), then you have to chase a game and it becomes difficult from there.”
Richard Cockerill (Edinburgh) – “I know we’ve had two losses from two games, but we’re in a good place and that doesn’t tell the whole story.There’s a great spirit in the camp. We just need to make sure that we put in the same performance against Connacht as we did against Ulster, and we’ll be fine.
“Connacht have had a pretty good start. They just lost to Glasgow, but could have won that at the death and then they had a pretty big win against Zebre last weekend. They’re playing some really good stuff. Andy Friend seems to have had a really big impact on them and they’re playing with the ball in hand.
“It would be great to have a big crowd at Murrayfield as we play our first PRO14 home game in front of our own supporters, so we’ve got to match their passion with a fine performance – that’s going to be really important for us.”
Top Scorers – 2018/19 GUINNESS PRO14: Edinburgh – Points: Simon Hickey 25; Tries: Blair Kinghorn, Tom Brown, James Johnstone 1 each; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 23; Tries: Paul Boyle 2
2018/19 TEAM FORM: Edinburgh – Played 2, Lost 2, 2 Points; L 17-13 v Ospreys (away), L 30-29 v Ulster (away); Connacht – Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, 6 Points; L 27-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 32-13 v Zebre (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, January 9, 2015 – Connacht 13 Edinburgh 16, the Sportsground
Saturday, October 31, 2015 – Connacht 14 Edinburgh 9, the Sportsground
Friday, March 4, 2016 – Edinburgh 23 Connacht 28, BT Murrayfield
Friday, September 30, 2016 – Connacht 28 Edinburgh 15, the Sportsground
Friday, April 7, 2017 – Edinburgh 19 Connacht 22, Myreside
Friday, March 23, 2018 – Connacht 22 Edinburgh 29, the Sportsground
MATCH FACTS:
– Edinburgh have slipped to three successive GUINNESS PRO14 defeats but have not begun a Championship campaign with three straight losses since the 2010/11 season
– Edinburgh have won their last two matches at BT Murrayfield, against the Scarlets and Glasgow Warriors last April
– Connacht had a 32-13 bonus point victory at home to Zebre over the weekend but have not beaten any Scottish opponent since they visited Myreside in April 2017
– The westerners have won only once on the road in the Championship since then, on a visit to Benetton Rugby in Treviso last February
– Edinburgh won the only clash between the two last season in Galway, 29-22, and have not achieved successive victories over Connacht since 2009
– Connacht have won on three of their last four visits to BT Murrayfield
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