Connacht v Munster Saturday 19th April KO: 18.15

Rabo Direct Pro 12 Round 20
Connacht V Munster Saturday 19th April KO: 18.15 Galway Sportsground
On TV: RTE

Both sides come into this interpro on the back of chastening defeats last weekend. Connacht's recent resurgence ground to a shuddering halt away to Ulster, while Munster lost ground in the race for a home semi-final with a 17 point defeat at home to Glasgow. Connacht will be seeking a rare victory over a Munster side who are likely to have one eye on next weeks Heineken Cup Semi-Final away to Toulon but who will also be well aware that a strong finish is important in the Rabo Pro 12 to try and keep their hopes of the title alive.

Munster Stats
Founded: 1879
Ground: Thomond Park / Musgrave Park
Capacity: 25,600 / 9,251
Captain: Peter O'Mahony
Coach: Rob Penney

Rabo Direct Pro12 League Position 2013/14: 3rd P:19 Pts:63
Rabo Direct Pro 12 2012/13: 6th P:22 Pts:54
Heineken Cup 2012/13: 2nd in Pool 1 Points: 20 (Lost Semi-final 16-10 v Clermont)

Recent Results
Munster 5-22 Glasgow (Rabo Direct Pro 12)
Munster 47-23 Toulouse(Heineken Cup Q/F)
Leinster 22-18 Munster (Rabo Direct Pro 12)

Next Fixture:
Sunday 27th April 2014 15:30 (Irish Time) Toulon v Munster @ Stade Velodrome, Marseilles

Next League Fixture:
Saturday 3rd May 2014 17:00 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Edinburgh v Munster @ Meggetland

Heineken Cup (Pool 6) (Final Standings)
Munster 23
Gloucester 14
Edinburgh 12
Perpignan 7

Munster Honours

Heineken Cup Winners: 2005–06, 2007–08

Celtic League/Magners League/Pro12: Winners: 2002–03, 2008–09, 2010–11

Celtic Cup: Winners: 2004–05

Irish Inter-Provincial Championship: Winners: 22

British and Irish Cup Winners: 2011–12

Previous Meetings

Friday 27th December 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12: Munster 22-16 Connacht

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/13696.php

Saturday 23rd March 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12: Munster 22-0 Connacht

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/12359.php

It'll be interesting to see the teams for this game. 6th was always a long shot and is gone from Connacht but a win here would put Connacht in a great position to get 7th and 40+ points. A defeat will probably leave essentially an 8th place play off against Cardiff in 2 weeks time.

Usually this is a tight one where Munster tough it out / we balls it up. After last weekend its hard to know how Munster will approach this. The league still offers their best chance of silverware imo but the HC s/f will undoubtedly take precedence. They will mix and match the squad but will still have a strong side.

Ulster was a massively disappointing performance. I'm not very confident but I expect a reaction and a performance. I'd fancy us to be in a decent position with 10/15 to go but amn't very confident we'll close out the deal.

Really hope I'm wrong. A win here would be a huge boost.

Connacht should have won this fixture easily last season but for a couple of balls up moves and allowing keatley to cut loose and run the game at will for Munster. Neither of these things should happen this year. At the same time it will require a massive effort from the scrum, imo kilcoyne can be gotten at and is just very sloppy and inconsistent at loosehead.
I half expect at least two changes to the connacht team, lam has shown confidence in the guys starting for 4-5 games which is great but they need to be monitored at the same time and make sure they are in tip top shape.

After putting out an unchanged Connacht team for the last four games, Head Coach Pat Lam has made seven personnel and two positional changes to the Connacht team for tomorrow’s interpro clash with Munster at the Sportsground, kick off 6:15pm.

Willie Faloon is named at openside flanker after recovering from a hamstring injury picked up late last week. This is the first game in seven months for the 27-year-old who joins Eoin McKeon and captain John Muldoon in the back row.

Galway-born forwards Ronan Loughney and Andrew Browne are promoted from the bench and represent the only other changes to the pack.

There is also a reshuffle to the backline with scrum half Kieran Marmion the only player to be lining out in the same position as last week. Last week’s try scorer Darragh Leader has been named to start at fullback while Ireland international Robbie Henshaw shifts to outside centre to partner Eoin Griffin.

Wingers Matt Healy and Danie Poolman return to the starting line-up for tomorrow’s game in place of Fionn Carr and Tiernan O’Halloran, who has been ruled out with a quad tear sustained in training mid-week.

Miah Nikora is handed the reins at outhalf and completes an all-Irish qualified starting team.

Also ruled out this week is substitute hooker Dave Heffernan. With three hookers unavailable due to injury, the coaching team has had to call on the services of 19-year-old sub-Academy hooker Jack Dinneen. Limerick-born Dinneen, who now plays his club rugby with Galwegians RFC and studies Commerce in NUI Galway could earn his first senior cap against the Heineken Cup semi-finalists tomorrow.

Another notable addition to the bench is flanker Conor Gilsenan. On loan to Connacht for the remainder of the season, 21-year-old Gilsenan lined out twice for the Eagles last month. If called upon, this will be his first PRO12 appearance.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“After a false start last week for Willie (Faloon), it’s great to have him back this week at the Sportsground. Seven is such a specialised position, and one which we’ve had to patch up this season with both Willie and Jake (Heenan) out long-term.

“It was obviously a big blow losing both Tiernan (O’Halloran) and Dave (Heffernan) to injuries during the week. Tiernan has been showing great form in the last two months but unfortunately this quad muscle tear has ruled him out for the rest of our season. We also had to train all week without Fionn (Carr), who’s struggling with a knee haematoma, so it’s a complete reshuffle to the back three. But what a great opportunity this is for the returning Danie (Poolman) and Matt (Healy) who have been pushing the guys hard in training.

“It doesn’t get any bigger than Munster at home. It’s always a tough game for us no matter where we play them. It’s been seven weeks since we’ve played at the Sportsground and with a huge crowd expected, it’s certainly going to be a special night. We can feel the buzz in training, the buzz around town. Everyone is up for it.

“But we know this is a must-win game for Munster too. Like us, they’ll be hurting after their loss last week and they’ll want to lay down a marker ahead of their big game with Toulon. We expect a big back lash and we need to be able to deal with it.

“We were so disappointed we didn’t make anything of the opportunities we created against Ulster last week. We need to be so clinical tomorrow especially against a side like Munster who don’t give you many of those opportunities.”



Connacht line-up v Munster

15. Darragh Leader
14. Danie Poolman
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Eoin Griffin
11. Matt Healy
10. Miah Nikora
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Ronan Loughney
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Mick Kearney
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Willie Faloon
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16. Jack Dinneen
17. Denis Buckley
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Aly Muldowney
20. Conor Gilsenan
21. Frank Murphy
22. Dan Parks
23. Dave McSharry

Unavailable/Injured: Nathan White, Brett Wilkinson, Sean Henry, Dave Heffernan, James Rael, Craig Clarke, Jake Heenan, Tiernan O’Halloran, Craig Ronaldson, Paul O’Donohoe and Kyle Tonetti.

CONNACHT v MUNSTER
at the Sportsground, 6.15pm.
Live on RTE Sport
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 27th competition game)
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Mark Patton (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore

No swifty


Munster: Denis Hurley; Gerhard van den Heever, Johne Murphy, James Downey, Andrew Conway; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley Capt., John Ryan; Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell; CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, Paddy Butler. Replacements: Quentin MacDonald, Alan Cotter, BJ Botha, Billy Holland, Tommy O'Donnell, Gerry Hurley, Conor Murray, Ronan O'Mahony.

Surprised to see Griffin given nod over McShaz at 12..

Loughney over Buckley is also a puzzlier

Glad to see Poolman back, honestly think he has the attributes to be a Trimble like winger

Also Faloon at 7 - been ages since we have had a recognised openside start!

That is a strong looking Munster pack but bar Keatley not the most fearful looking backline..

That said, worse looking Munster sides have come to the Sportsground and won - gutted I'm going to miss this game.

Rotating a number of players as expected was necessary, putting McSharry on the bench is a bit odd but could be a masterstroke if he comes on with 30 to go and ups the tempo and physicality. Also we might see him and Parks off the bench together and McSharry will offer fresh defensive cover for the flyhalf.
If JHW can live with Varley in the scrum then we have a really good shot of taking dominance early on imo.
Really big test for Kearney against doc/poc that will be interesting to see. Personally feel he is in with a shout for the tour to Argentina if he continues to impress.

The Sportsground is licensed to sell booze but Connacht played a game on Good Friday a few years back and there was a row between the branch and the greyhound people. Long story short, I didn't get my pint.

Typical. Wish we could ditch the greyhound folk and be done with them. That said I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

Some thoughts on the team.

Glad Parks is dropped he was dire last week while Nikora did well.

Worried about Dineen on the bench it's a huge call-up for him after only recently being converted. Hope he's not needed.

Faloon at 7 yay! No offence to Masterson whose done well but Faloon is a groundhog.

Our bench is very shallow looking.

Glad Leader got brought into the first team on form he deserves it.

Healy and Poolman brought in so two good defenders on the wings who can cause damage to.

This is going to be tough.

I really love that selection I've to admit it

Yeah, I like the looks of that Connacht team. The bench may have some question marks but with the injury list what can you expect. This backline could be really exciting. If a platform can be established I'm confident Nikora can get them going. I'm not going to call this a must win for Connacht, but another heavy loss to another province will undo a lot of the good work that was recently done. Wouldn't mind seeing a solid 7-10 point Connacht victory with a try bonus thrown in for good measure.

Miah Nikora is handed the reins at outhalf and completes an all-Irish qualified starting team.

Aren't they jumping the gun on Poolman?

come on. it's basically a given at this stage

The Irish qualified thing is all part of the propaganda!!

Its a good Munster pack (even missing most of their regulars) for tomorrow and that's probably where they will look to win it. Kearney and Browne in the 2nd row looks a bit lightweight for my liking. I think Nikora had to get the start this week which doesn't really reflect well on our options. The key for Connacht will be to put serious pressure on Duncan Williams. Keatley is a good player at this level when he has a good scrum half beside him. Keatley was very good in this game last year but he had Stringer beside him and between them they pulled Munster through.

I like the look of Connacht's backline if the forwards can deliver some good ball. I think we have our two best wingers back in the team and it'll be good to see Henshaw in the thick of it at 13.

not quite sure what McSharry has done wrong to deserve being dropped to the bench, we were poor in a lot of areas last week. Munster tight 5 looks worryingly strong tomorrow, i just hope we don't try and play our way out of our own half. Miah should be kicking for touch every chance he gets and we should be able to stop them mauling on their lineouts. hopefully Faloon is up with the pace and can chop down their backrow where they look weak.

Good to see a sell out for this, which should be a novel experience for the travelling Munster fans.