Three changes as Connacht aim to beat Gunners


By Sea_point
September 21 2006

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made three changes to the side for this week's clash with Edinburgh. Good news for the local support as Galway speedster Daniel Riordan, has been brought in for his first start of the competitive season.

MAGNERS LEAGUE: Friday, September 22


   CONNACHT    v      EDINBURGH

                

The Sportsground, Galway at 6.30pm

Team News: 

After a disappointing loss to Llanelli Scarlets last Friday night, Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made three changes to the side for this week's clash with Edinburgh.

Good news for the local support as Galway speedster Daniel Riordan, who only turns 22 on Monday, has been brought in for his first start of the competitive season. He’s joined by new team captain and hooker John Fogarty.

Riordan comes in at fullback as part of a back line reshuffle with the injured Paul Warwick being replaced at outside centre by the elusive John Hearty, while to accommodate Riordan former Ireland international Matt Mostyn vacates his usual position, taking over from Conor McPhillips on the right wing.

In the forwards, Adrian Flavin who has been impressive in his outings for the province thus far makes way for the fit-again Fogarty. Fogarty after an impressive Churchill Cup tournament during the summer with Ireland 'A' has returned from participating in the extended Ireland squad for this week's mini training camp. New season signing Samoan flanker Ray Ofisa looks poised to make his debut for Connacht off the bench. Ofisa has been getting up to speed with the local rugby scene by playing for the Buccaneers club in their Connacht Senior League loss on Sunday to Galwegians; he also played in the Development Squad fixture against his new club.

Some good news from a Connacht perspective of playing a Scottish side is that it means that they are spared the unusual interpretation of another Scottish referee, as James Jones of Wales picks up the whistle on Friday night.

Simon Webster has been named in the side for Edinburgh Gunners’ fourth round Magners League match against Connacht after recovering from the injury he sustained against Leinster two weeks ago. The Scotland winger’s inclusion means that Ben Cairns moves to outside centre and Marcus Di Rollo starts on the bench in place of Mike Pyke.

 

Edinburgh will field the same forwards as last week, the only change being in the substitutes where apprentice Steven Turnbull has been named instead of Fergus Pringle. The Scotland under 19 lock has the chance to make his first appearance for the capital side. Apprentice Prop Alan Dymock will also travel with the squad.

 

This is the first game under new head coach Lynn Howells who took over from interim coach Henry Edwards on Monday although the two coaches have worked together this week ahead of meeting Connacht. The interim assistants Rob Moffat and Iain Paxton confirmed their long-term future with Edinburgh Gunners on Tuesday, after being appointed coach for the backs and forwards respectively.

Connacht: Daniel Riordan; Matt Mostyn, John Hearty, Gavin Williams, Keith Matthews; Mark McHugh, Chris Keane; Brett Wilkinson, John Fogarty (capt), Brett Sturgess, David Gannon, Andrew Farley, John Muldoon, Matt Lacey, Colm Rigney.

Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Michael Diffley, Michael Swift, Ray Ofisa, Tom Tierney, David Slemen, Darren Yapp. 

Edinburgh Gunners: Hugo Southwell, Chris Paterson (capt), Ben Cairns , Rob Dewey, Simon Webster, Phil Godman, Mike Blair , Allan Jacobsen, Dougie Hall, Alasdair Dickinson , Matt Mustchin, Scott Murray, Alasdair Strokosch , Allister Hogg , Ross Rennie

Replacements: Andrew Kelly , Dave Hewett, Steven Turnbull , David Callam , Greig Laidlaw, Duncan Hodge, Marcus Di Rollo

 Referee: James Jones (Wales)
Touch Judges: Olan Trevor, Seamus Flannery (both Ireland)

Coach Speak:

Michael Bradley (Connacht) - "We were particularly disappointed with some of the tries we conceded (against Llanelli). Three of them were soft from our perspective, but on the night we could have no complaints.

"We were chasing the game from the start, so there was always the danger we would cough up some soft scores. We needed to make our dominance at the start of the second half count, in terms of scores, but while it was encouraging the way we took the game to them at that stage, we were not able to make it count on the scoreboard.

"This (Edinburgh game) will be the third of six successive Magners League games we have at home. In that time some of the best rugby players in Europe will come to the Sportsground.

"We knew from the outset it would be a challenge and having won our opening two games we will be looking to getting back to winning ways against Edinburgh, even though it will be tough."

 

Lynn Howells (Edinburgh) -  “It’s great to have Simon Webster back as he’s a quality player, is exciting and has the ability to break down defences. Ben Cairns’ preferred position is centre although he played on the wing last week, and he’s been selected because he’s the on-form centre at the moment.

 

“Steven Turnbull has been selected as, looking to the future, we have to develop young players. If we don’t give them game time now, they won’t be ready to do the job when asked to do so.

 

“This week we’re looking to take things forward from the last twenty minutes of the Ulster game where we fought hard for possession and the result. Michael Bradley has already stated Connacht’s intentions, but we’ll go and play rugby to the best of our abilities.”

 

PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS:

Aug-01

Connacht

21

V

30

Edinburgh

Sportsground

Sep-03

Connacht

11

V

3

Edinburgh

Sportsground

Feb-04

Edinburgh

17

V

32

Connacht

Meadowbank

Oct-04

Connacht

24

V

35

Edinburgh

Sportsground

Mar-05

Edinburgh

13

V

16

Connacht

Murrayfield

Sep-05

Edinburgh

34

V

3

Connacht

Murrayfield

May-06

Connacht

16

V

22

Edinburgh

Sportsground

           

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

For

Against

7

3

0

4

137

164


MATCH FACTS:

- Connacht's three-match winning run in the league came to an end with last week's 37-15 defeat to Llanelli Scarlets. Edinburgh, meanwhile, have beaten both Leinster and Ulster in successive weeks in the Magners League and are going for a hat-trick of consecutive wins over Irish opponents for the first time ever

- While Edinburgh won both of their encounters with Connacht last season, The Men from the West only lost narrowly at home at the tail end of last season, and have beaten the Gunners at Murrayfield in March 2005 16-13.

 - With one exception last season (34 – 3 to Edinburgh at Murrayfield), the sides have been well match with Connacht averaging 20 points per fixture and Edinburgh 23.

- Connacht out-half Mark McHugh is currently the fourth top scorer in the Magners League, with 41 points (1 try, 3 conversions and 10 penalties). Edinburgh's Chris Paterson is ranked joint-seventh on 28 points (2 conversions and 8 penalties)

- McHugh has been successful with 13 of his last 17 kicks at goal, giving him a 76.47% success rate. Paterson has landed 10 out of 16 (62.50%)

- Connacht and Ulster are the only teams left in the 2006/07 Magners League not to have received a yellow card. Back row Allister Hogg is the only Gunners player to have been sin-binned

- The Connacht pack will have to be on guard as the westerners have conceded a penalty try in each of their last two meetings with Edinburgh. The Gunners scored eight tries in their two wins against Connacht last season. In contrast, in their last three clashes with the Scots, Connacht have scored only two tries from Paul Warwick and Tom Tierney