After a month’s break, the Magners League resumes this weekend with Connacht facing a difficult away fixture against Wales’ top side Ospreys at Liberty Stadium on Sunday (2.15pm ).
Having struggled with away form all season, and with three home-wins under the belt, Connacht will travel to Swansea looking for some much needed points to lift them from the bottom of the league table. It is a tough task against a team just two points behind Munster in the hunt for a second league crown.
Connacht’s preparations have already been hampered with an injury to Mike McCarthy who was expected to line out in the backrow on Sunday. McCarthy broke a bone in his foot during line-out practice at a training session yesterday, and is likely to be out of action for up to 10 weeks. It is another blow to Connacht whose backrow options have already been limited with the long-term injury to Johnny O’Connor.
Apart from McCarthy, it is expected coach Michael Bradley will name a starting XV unchanged from that which faced Dax in their last home outing in January. Brett Wilkinson, who was drafted into Irish squad training sessions, Ireland A hooker Sean Cronin, and Robbie Morris will be faced with a strong Ospreys’ scrum in which Paul James, Richard Hibbard and Cai Griffiths could feature. Andrew Browne and Andrew Farley look set to oppose new signing, Samoa skipper Filipo Levi who makes his competitive debut for the Ospreys, possibly alongside Jonathan Thomas who has been released from the Wales squad.
Connacht’s back row of John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa, and Colm Rigney will have the chance to shine against the likes of Marty Holah, Steve Tandy, Andy Lloyd, and Filo Tiatia.
Gavin Duffy, Fionn Carr, Niva Ta’auso, Keith Matthews, Liam Bibo, Ian Keatley and Frank Murphy are expected to be selected in the back line, although there is a doubt over Matthews’ fitness. In recent times the three-quarters has begun to express itself, but they will find it tough to penetrate the Ospreys’ aggressive defence and a key will be their ability to retain possession.
Connacht will see Sunday’s match, and the March 6 visit of Cardiff to Galway as opportunities to get points on the board while teams are without their internationals. As a result they will need to blow out any cobwebs early in the game or they could find themselves on the back foot.
The Ospreys, despite having some 12 players in the Wales panel, are still a formidable and talented outfit, making it hard to bet against them. May be it is time Connacht pulled off a surprise. It would be a huge boost if they did.
Connacht possible XV: G Duffy, F Carr, N Ta’auso, K Matthews, L Bibo, I Keatley, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris, A Browne, A Farley, J Muldoon (cpt ), R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements from, A Flavin/C Muldoon, R Loughney, M Swift, D Gannon, K Campbell, A Dunne/D Riordan, T Nathan, M Deane.
