URC Preview: Cardiff v Connacht

Victories have been hard to come by for Connacht at Cardiff Arms Park, so a winning start to the United Rugby Championship would give Andy Friend’s men a major fillip.

UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1: Friday, September 24

CARDIFF v CONNACHT, Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live on TG4/BBC Two Wales/Premier Sports 2/SuperSport Action/URC TV)

Team News: Connacht head coach Friend has announced his team for tonight’s United Rugby Championship opener away to Cardiff at the Arms Park.

After a two-try performance for Connacht Eagles last week, new signing Mack Hansen has been handed his senior debut on the left wing.

Fellow Australian John Porch is named on the other wing, with Clifden man Tiernan O’Halloran operating at full-back.

Tom Farrell starts his first competitive game since November after his serious knee injury, with the 28-year-old named in the centre alongside Tom Daly who makes his 50th appearance for the province.

Ireland internationals Jack Carty and Kieran Marmion, who have played a combined 346 times for Connacht, make up the half-back pairing.

Club captain Jarrad Butler lines out at number 8 alongside flankers Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver, while Oisin Dowling is set for his eighth appearance, partnering Ultan Dillane in the engine room.

The westerners’ starting line-up is completed by hooker Shane Delahunt, who ended last season by becoming a Connacht centurion, and props Matthew Burke and Finlay Bealham.

With Caolin Blade and Colm Reilly both injured, there is a potential debut off the bench for Hubert Gilvarry. The young Sligo RFC scrum half has been integrated into Connacht’s professional set-up the last number of weeks.

Friend commented: “It’s been a really productive pre-season campaign so we’re all looking forward to this United Rugby Championship opener.

“It’s a difficult opening game as Cardiff are always a formidable outfit especially at home, but we’ve prepared in the right way and are confident we can put in a really strong performance.

“Mack Hansen has been very impressive since arriving so fully deserves his first start, and in Hubert Gilvarry (pictured below) we have another Connacht native ready to make his debut if called upon.

“I know his inclusion in the matchday 23 will be a very proud day for all at Sligo RFC and Sligo Grammar School.”

Meanwhile, Rhys Priestland will make his competitive debut for Cardiff, as the Blue and Blacks welcome Connacht to the Welsh capital for the first time since 2019.

The experienced out-half, who arrived at the Arms Park from Bath over the summer, is one of 11 internationals named in Dai Young’s starting XV for the curtain raiser.

Having featured in both of Cardiff’s pre-season matches against Harlequins and Bath, Priestland continues his partnership with Lloyd Williams at half-back.

Willis Halaholo is reunited with Rey Lee-Lo in midfield, while Owen Lane, Jason Harries and Hallam Amos form the back-three.

Josh Turnbull starts in the number 6 jersey to kick off his tenure as club captain, and is joined in the back row by Ellis Jenkins and James Ratti.

Linking up with Seb Davies in the second row is newly-capped international Matthew Screech, who is set for his first appearance in Cardiff colours since returning to the Arms Park over the summer.

Corey Domachowski, Kirby Myhill and Dmitri Arhip for the front row, and further international firepower is included on the bench in the form of prop duo Rhys Carré and Dillon Lewis, as well as half-backs Tomos Williams and Jarrod Evans.

Will Boyde is poised to make his first league appearance since last November, having returned from a lengthy facial injury during pre-season.

CARDIFF: Hallam Amos; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Jason Harries; Rhys Priestland, Lloyd Williams; Corey Domachowski, Kirby Myhill, Dmitri Arhip, Seb Davies, Matthew Screech, Josh Turnbull (capt), Ellis Jenkins, James Ratti.

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Dillon Lewis, Rory Thornton, Will Boyde, Tomos Williams, Jarrod Evans, Max Llewellyn.

CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; John Porch, Tom Farrell, Tom Daly, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Matthew Burke, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Oisin Dowling, Ultan Dillane, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler (capt).

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Jordan Duggan, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Hubert Gilvarry, Conor Fitzgerald, Sam Arnold.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Elgan Williams, Steff Edwards (both Wales)
TMO: Alan Falzone (Italy)

Pre-Match Quotes: Jarrad Butler (Connacht) –

A lot of new guys have come into the set-up and they have been integrated well. I think having a new coaching set-up in there has made that transition a little bit easier because everyone has kind of been on the same page.

“The last couple of years, we have been able to roll onto the following year. This year has been a real change of direction and a real change of style from the coaches, so it’s been new for everybody.

“In saying that, we had a lot of guys who performed really well last year – you think of guys like Paul Boyle, who had a great year and got himself involved with the Irish squad. You think of guys like Tom Daly and Caolin Blade.

“You’ve got these younger guys coming in and stepping up to leadership roles as well. It opens the door for them to have a voice.

“It opens the door for new guys to come in and have a voice as well, and I think it works best for everybody.”

Dai Young (Cardiff) –

There’s added pressure to get a result because the first block of games is all about building points. You want to win games but you want to sit back after the five games and be happy with your point accumulation.

“We’ve got four out of five games at home so it’s a hugely important start for us and we need to pick up as many points as possible.

“I’ve got huge respect for Connacht. They play a great brand of rugby and if we’re not at our best then we’ll lose. It’s as simple as that.

“But we’re confident that if we bring our  ‘A game’ then we’ll come away with the result. It will be tough but we can come away with the result.”

Top Scorers – 2020/21 Guinness PRO14/Rainbow Cup: Cardiff – Points: Jarrod Evans 132; Tries: Rey Lee-Lo 5; Connacht – Points: Jack Carty 110; Tries: Alex Wootton 9

RECENT CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS:

Friday, November 24, 2017 – Cardiff Blues 36 Connacht 30, Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, January 26, 2019 – Cardiff Blues 8 Connacht 7, Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday, April 13, 2019 – Connacht 29 Cardiff Blues 22, the Sportsground
Saturday, February 15, 2020 – Connacht 29 Cardiff Blues 0, the Sportsground
Saturday, October 10, 2020 – Cardiff Blues 29 Connacht 7, Rodney Parade
Saturday, February 20, 2021 – Connacht 32 Cardiff Blues 17, the Sportsground

MATCH FACTS:

– Cardiff Rugby won three of their last four matches in the Rainbow Cup last season with the defeat being 31-27 to Munster in Limerick on March 28

– Cardiff’s only defeat at the Arms Park since January 2020 was 20-11 to Munster in the PRO14 last February

– The Welshmen have beaten an Irish province just once in their last dozen encounters: 29-7 against Connacht at Rodney Parade in October 2020

– Connacht won three of their five fixtures in last season’s Rainbow Cup, beating Ulster, Munster and the Ospreys

– Connacht have not won outside of Ireland since a trip to Treviso to play Benetton last February

– The westerners have won three of their last four clashes with Welsh opponents

– Connacht’s only defeat to Cardiff in their last four fixtures was at Rodney Parade in October 2020

– Connacht have won only three times at the Arms Park in the history of the Celtic League/PRO14, in 2001, 2013 and 2017