Preview: Challenge Cup Pool One
The Irish and the Irish Exlies go head to head at the Galway Sportsground on Friday, in what will probably be the first leg of a head-to-head battle for Pool One supremacy.
The Irish and the Irish Exlies go head to head at the Galway Sportsground on Friday, in what will probably be the first leg of a head-to-head battle for Pool One supremacy.
Connacht v London Irish
Michael Bradley has made three changes to his Connacht side for their encounter with London Irish at the Sportsground on Friday.
In the forwards Adrian Flavin starts at hooker against his former side while Ray Ofisa is selected at blindside flanker Aidan Wynne comes into the side at inside centre for the injured Mel Deane as Connacht and London Irish battle it out for top spot in pool one.
Connacht's superb 30-12 away win to Dax in the south of France last week has given Michael Bradley's men a great chance of advancing from the pool.
The first ever competitive fixture between the sides on Friday is poised to go a long way towards deciding the pecking order in this pool.
The Exiles, who began their Challenge Cup Pool one campaign with an emphatic bonus point win over Rugby Rovigo last Saturday, make one change to the stating line-up of the team that played at Madejski Stadium
James Buckland starts in place of Danie Coetzee at hooker with David Paice taking the reserve hooker's position among the replacements
South Africa international, Faan Rautenbach returns to join All Black Clarke Dermody in providing front row cover on the bench Bob Casey captains the team.
“Last Saturday we showed how serious we are about the Challenge Cup and how we want to compete in it,” said Toby Booth, London Irish Head Coach
“The players finished strong and clinically in the match with Rovigo and that shows how determined they are to do well in the tournament
“It's a case of taking one step at a time and if we're good enough, we'll put ourselves in a position to realise our objective for this competition come the final stage of the season.”
Connacht: 15 Fionn Carr, 14 Liam Bibo, 13 Gavin Duffy, 12 Aidan Wynne, 11 John Hearty, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Frank Murphy, 8 John Muldoon (c), 7 Jonny O'Connor, 6 Ray Ofisa, 5 Andrew Farley, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Robbie Morris, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Andrew Browne, 19 Colm Rigney, 20 Kieran Campbell, 21 Andy Dunne, 22 Denis Riordan.
London Irish: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Elvis Seveali'i, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Peter Hewat, 9 Paul Hodgson, 8 Chris Hala'Ufia, 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Richard Thorpe, 5 Bob Casey (captain), 4 Nick Kennedy, 3 Tonga Lea'aetoa, 2 James Buckland, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Clarke Dermody, 17 David Paice, 18 Faan Rautenbach, 19 Gary Johnson, 20 Declan Danaher, 21 Peter Richards or Tom Parker, 22 Shane Geraghty.
Date: Friday, October 17
Venue: Galway Sportsground
Kick-off: 19.00 (18.00 GMT)
Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
Rovigo v Dax
South African Sevens legend Stefan Basson will start at full-back for Rovigo, in a side that faces a tall order getting a result against Dax.
They do have Italian cap Gabriel Pizarro to steady the ship in the centres, but lack the depth required to challenge in this pool.
No change in the backs for Dax bar the addition of scrum-half Nicolas Morlaes, but it's all change up front, where Pierre Caillet shifts to the second row, Bastien Audrillon comes in at flanker, and Jimmy Jaen at hooker.
Rovigo: 15 Stefan Basson, 14 Pablo Calanchini, 13 Gabriel Pizarro, 12 Norman di Maura, 11 Andrea Bacchetti, 10 Stefano Ambrosio, 9 Stefano Canale, 8 Jacobus Immelman, 7 Alfredo Giuria, 6 Niccolò Badocchi, 5 Johan Britz, 4 Marco Barion, 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 2 Luke Mahoney, 1 Bruno Fortuna.
Replacements: 16 Andrea De Marchi, 17 Valerio Vicere, 18 Simone Favaro, 19 Younes Anouer, 20 Juan Cruz Legora, 21 Emanuel Pellegrini, 22 Nicola Pavin.
Dax: 15 Laurent Diaz, 14 Bruno Hiriart, 13 Laurent Marticorena, 12 Duncan Bell, 11 Paul Albaladejo, 10 Maxime Petitjean, 9 Nicolas Morlaes, 8 Vincent Deniau, 7 Jean-Baptiste Cros, 6 Bastien Adrillon, 5 Pierre Caillet, 4 Cédric Guironnet, 3 Jérémy Castex, 2 Jimmy Jaen, 1 Julien Brugnaut.
Replacements: 16 Mattin Auzqui, 17 Yves Pedros, 18 Kane Thompson, 19 Jean-Baptiste Pezet, 20 Justin Pendanx, 21 Florian Argel, 22 Jordi Rouge.
Date: Saturday, October 18
Venue: Stadio Matteo Battaglini
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Referee: Gwyn Morris (Wales)