Connacht V Edinburgh

Connacht V Edinburgh

At Sportsground, 7.35pm
Live on TG4 Deferred on BBC Alba (being shown 'live' after the Glasgow game at 9:30pm)

Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 47th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Andy Brice, Olly Hodges (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Gordon Black (IRFU)
TMO: Dermot Moloney (IRFU)

Previous meetings

12/9/14 Edinburgh Rugby 13 - 14 Connacht Rugby 3,777
15/2/14 Connacht Rugby 11 - 7 Edinburgh Rugby 4,038
29/11/13 Edinburgh Rugby 43 - 10 Connacht Rugby 3,515

Form

1/1/15 Connacht 24 - 16 Munster 7,745
26/12/14 Ulster 13 - 10 Connacht 17,107
19/12/14 Leinster 21 - 11 Connacht 16,007

2/1/15 Edinburgh 20 - 8 Glasgow 15,810  
27/12/14 Glasgow 16 - 6 Edinburgh 6,945
19/12/14 Edinburgh 48 - 0 Treviso 2,768

Official blurb

Pro 12 website wrote:Connacht 's two game losing run in the Guinness PRO12 ended with their momentous victory over Munster on New Year's day.

Connacht have won their last five games in all tournaments at the Sportsground and are unbeaten there in all eight games this season.  

Edinburgh Rugby's only defeat in their last five fixtures in all competitions came at Glasgow Warriors in the first leg of the 1872 Cup clash. Edinburgh's only victory on the road in their last nine away games in the PRO12 came when they visited Munster on the opening round this season - their only victory over an Irish province since December 2013.

Connacht have won three of their last four encounters with Edinburgh and, following their 14-13 victory at Murrayfield in round 2, they are seeking a first ever league double over the Scotsmen. Edinburgh's only victory in Galway in their last five visits since 2008 was 24-23 in December 2012.

Teams

Connacht

15. Mils Muliaina
14. Darragh Leader
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Danie Poolman
10. Miah Nikora
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Quinn Roux
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Willie Faloon
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. George Naoupu
21. John Cooney
22. Jack Carty
23. Dave McSharry


Edinburgh

15 Jack CUTHBERT
14 Dougie FIFE
13 Matt SCOTT
12 Phil BURLEIGH
11 Tim VISSER
10 Greig TONKS
9 Sam HIDALGO-CLYNE

1 Alasdair DICKINSON
2 Ross FORD (Captain)
3 WP NEL
4 Anton BRESLER
5 Ben TOOLIS
6 Roddy GRANT
7 Hamish WATSON
8 David DENTON

Substitutes
16 Neil COCHRANE
17 Rory SUTHERLAND
18 John ANDRESS
19 Fraser McKENZIE
20 Tomas LEONARDI
21 Sean KENNEDY
22 Jade TE RURE
23 Andries STRAUSS

Well in terms of top 6 qualification for Edinburgh, they don't get much bigger than this.

Lose and we'll be 12 points adrift, win and we're suddenly only 4 points behind. It will still be a big ask over the course of the season, but if we lose this we really are going to struggle for top 6.

Selection wise I would pretty much stick with the same squad that beat Glasgow (have I mentioned a few times that Edinburgh beat Glasgow?? ) and surely to hell Solomons won't bring Strauss back into the team. Given the likely conditions Heathcoat might be a better bet, but can see him sticking with Tonks.

Horrendous weather forecast for Galway on Friday night (gale force winds and pishin doon) so can't see this being a classic - whoever keeps the ball will probably win it. My head says Connacht win but I'd like to think we could definitely win this, but only if we carry on the performance level we set against Glasgow (who we beat, by the way...)

It's gonna be a night to stick it up the jumper, that might well suit this reborn Edinburgh pack who are developing very nicely and dismantled Glasgow last time out. Two of the most improved teams in the league playing here. It will be a close game and very hard to call.

As Bee Gee said we are in for a 5 year storm event on Friday. That should suit Solomans game plan to a T. If this Edinburgh pack can dominate in the tight I think this will be a very close game.

Connacht have a fine talent for mugging teams and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them win this comfortably.

The tweed wearers are up against a side that has won 8 on the bounce at home and after Connacht dishing up a hammering to Munster (seriously, it was a comfortable win), Edinburgh cannot seriously be regarded as favourites for this.

Muliaina and Aki had storming games recently so any revertion back to Edinburgh's patented 'tissue paper' defence is going to result in a horsing.

Whilst a forwards game is really our forte, Solomans did claim that we were badly affected by the weather against Zebre, so who knows how the game on Friday will go.

On a side issue I do like that Alba are showing both games (Glasgow and Edinburgh) back to back.  Think that has sorted my viewing for the evening.  Sadly though the Edinburgh game is the game they are showing later, so will need to avoid the score until it’s on.

EWT Spoons wrote:Whilst a forwards game is really our forte, Solomans did claim that we were badly affected by the weather against Zebre, so who knows how the game on Friday will go.

On a side issue I do like that Alba are showing both games (Glasgow and Edinburgh) back to back.  Think that has sorted my viewing for the evening.  Sadly though the Edinburgh game is the game they are showing later, so will need to avoid the score until it’s on.

TG4 are showing it live, so you could have the Glasgow game on the TV and the Edinburgh game on your computer (via an online stream)?

That's my plan anyway!

Agree that this one has huge consequences for us in terms of a top 6 finish. Not many teams prosper at Connacht on a wet and windy night, and whilst our pack is picking up some steam, this is a tough old ask.

I'm a big fan of Tonks, but this may well be one for Heathcote. That said, goal kicking may well be pretty much ruled out if the winds are up, and Tonks is the better runner and defender, plus Burleigh can help out with game management.

Might be worth using Hart at 9. He's a bit more combative and physical than H-C.

Good point on Hart - his directness might be called for in this game. Sammy might be due a rest soon anyway.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:Whilst a forwards game is really our forte, Solomans did claim that we were badly affected by the weather against Zebre, so who knows how the game on Friday will go.

On a side issue I do like that Alba are showing both games (Glasgow and Edinburgh) back to back.  Think that has sorted my viewing for the evening.  Sadly though the Edinburgh game is the game they are showing later, so will need to avoid the score until it’s on.

TG4 are showing it live, so you could have the Glasgow game on the TV and the Edinburgh game on your computer (via an online stream)?

That's my plan anyway!

That’s certainly a plan and I can only assume you are better at multi-tasking than I am. I tend to find I am watching one game where nothing is happening only to miss a try etc in the other game and then vice versa.

I tried something similar in the football world cup and ended up not really seeing either game properly.

Tonks has shown good flashes of quality running and passing but his tactical kicking has not been great. I still think he is a better full back, at his best running in an open field and kicking it long back down the field. He does not seem so good measuring angles and regularly kicks it straight in. This is likely to be a night for a good kicker from hand who can use the wind. It is always windy over there, even on a good day, why do you think Danny boy did so well there.

Having said that I think he will start, Solomon's does not strike me as a horses for courses type of selector and he is likely to go with the same side. At the end of the day it is hard to say they don't deserve it, but that may not be the best way of winning the game.

Worth noting though that Heathcote's kicking from hand was also dreadful in the home leg against London Welsh (his last start). He missed touch with at least two penalties from hand.

I think there's little to separate them overall personally - they have different strengths and weaknesses. If Solomons goes for Hart at 9, then it may be an opportunity to rest Tonks at 10 and just go with a new half back combination.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Well in terms of top 6 qualification for Edinburgh, they don't get much bigger than this.

Lose and we'll be 12 points adrift, win and we're suddenly only 4 points behind. It will still be a big ask over the course of the season, but if we lose this we really are going to struggle for top 6.

Selection wise I would pretty much stick with the same squad that beat Glasgow (have I mentioned a few times that Edinburgh beat Glasgow?? ) and surely to hell Solomons won't bring Strauss back into the team. Given the likely conditions Heathcoat might be a better bet, but can see him sticking with Tonks.

Horrendous weather forecast for Galway on Friday night (gale force winds and pishin doon) so can't see this being a classic - whoever keeps the ball will probably win it.  My head says Connacht win but I'd like to think we could definitely win this, but only if we carry on the performance level we set against Glasgow (who we beat, by the way...)

Forecast for west of Ireland for Friday is sh1te but don't necessarily expect stick-it-up-the-jumper play by Connacht. Against Munster, Connacht played dry weather rugby - great passing and offloading, line breaks etc - in awful wind and rain and outscored Munster 3 tries to 1. With Marmion at 9, presumably Carty at 10 given that Ronaldson is a concussion doubt, Aki and Henshaw at 12 and 13 and Muliaina at the back, don't be surprised if Connacht try to run the ball on Friday. Connacht back line is arguably one of the best in Ireland right now.

Given our away form this would be a huge result for Edinburgh. When Glasgow did do clever things they scored tries, as have others this season, so if Connacht do give the ball some air then I think they will be rewarded. Where we have got much better is dealing with bread and butter stuff, and few teams outmuscle us these days. We are also frighteningly negative with ball in hand, which although completing negating us as an attacking force, does also cut down on mistakes for the opposition to feed off.

I think Connacht will win by 15 points or so personally.

I just hope Solomons doesn't completely revert to type and goes back to the dark old days of his tactics, using the weather as an excuse.

I'm not saying negative tactics won't have a place during a storm front, but the problem with his version of negative tactics in the past has been that they haven't been overly effective negative tactics. Hoof the ball aimlessly with a poor chase - that's not going to get you anywhere.

It sounds like we really need to starve Connacht of any ball, and I'll repeat what I said earlier - I suspect the team with the most possession and territory will win this.

I'm not particularly convinced we ever left the dark old days of Solomons' tactics. In beating Glasgow the Visser first try was nicely worked, but the second was a simple intercept. We were tryless in the first game. Treviso were dire, and we hardly set the world on fire against a urine poor London Welsh.

I think we will see an awful lot of box kicking away at Connacht.

This is the real test for Edinburgh, facing that Connacht pack in Galway is a totally different kettle of fish than getting on top of the great unwashed's powder puff pack!

Agreed. Sadly we won't have to "cope" with Kellock mincing around with an angry face.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I'm not particularly convinced we ever left the dark old days of Solomons' tactics. In beating Glasgow the Visser first try was nicely worked, but the second was a simple intercept. We were tryless in the first game. Treviso were dire, and we hardly set the world on fire against a urine poor London Welsh.

I think we will see an awful lot of box kicking away at Connacht.

True, but at least the players know that - Scott was joking him and Burleigh barely touched the ball, and visser was downplaying his 2nd try and was bemoaning the lack of attacking threat.

It'll end up being like the Matt Williams regime, when the players just ignored the system and played rugby instead. I'm not convinced that isn't what happens from time to time already. There's no way Hart's decision to attack the blindside would have been endorsed by Solomons, and that was our best try for ages.

The thing I like about Connacht against Munster was they always looked to play the ball and with Aki and Henshaw they have two good runners that have to be stopped.

They also had 57% against Munster and it was higher before munster kept the ball for the last ten minutes.

Connacht also have a good kicking game with some good kickers in the backs so they will run when its good but will kick you back 40m if you focus on just defending them.

They do let themselves down in handling sometimes but they are due a game where they run in 4+ tries but I don't think it is this one.

Jeezo, you would have thought Connacht were the best team in the league!

They are certainly one of the form teams anyway...

RDW_Scotland wrote:Jeezo, you would have thought Connacht were the best team in the league!

They are certainly one of the form teams anyway...

Are you suggesting that the Irish may be getting rather carried away based on half a season, and may possibly be overrating their players a tad??

You're a braver man than me.

Team announced:

1 Dickinson
2 Ford (C)
3 Nel
4 Bresler
5 Toolis
6 Grant
7 Watson
8 Denton

9 Hidalgo-Clyne
10 Tonks
11 Visser
12 Burleigh
13 Scott
14 Fife
15 Cuthbert

Subs - Cochrane, Sutherland, Andress, McKenzie, Leonardi, Kennedy, Te Rure, Strauss

Interesting that we've gone for two 7s - looks like Coman is injured. I'd assume Heathcoat is injured too - this isn't the time to be finding out if Jade Te Rure is any good!

Strauss on the bench is the complete opposite of the definition of 'impact sub'

I take it back - Coman has been rested and Heathcoat dropped!


Edinburgh Rugby v Connacht, The Sportsground, Friday 9 January 2015, kick-off 7.35pm

15 Jack CUTHBERT
14 Dougie FIFE
13 Matt SCOTT
12 Phil BURLEIGH
11 Tim VISSER
10 Greig TONKS
9 Sam HIDALGO-CLYNE

1 Alasdair DICKINSON
2 Ross FORD (Captain)
3 WP NEL
4 Anton BRESLER
5 Ben TOOLIS
6 Roddy GRANT
7 Hamish WATSON
8 David DENTON

Substitutes
16 Neil COCHRANE
17 Rory SUTHERLAND
18 John ANDRESS
19 Fraser McKENZIE
20 Tomas LEONARDI
21 Sean KENNEDY
22 Jade TE RURE
23 Andries STRAUSS



Injury update

Players currently on the injured list are: Wicus Blaauw (knee), Tom Brown (head), Allan Dell (leg), Cornell Du Preez (leg), Jamie Farndale (knee), Hugh Fraser (knee), Grant Gilchrist (arm), Brett Thompson (shoulder) and George Turner (hamstring).

Didn't we play 2 7s against Bordeaux?  I'm quite happy to see Watson and Grant on the pitch at the same time.  Probably our 2 hardest working players and not short on ability either.

Connacht

15. Mils Muliaina
14. Darragh Leader
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Danie Poolman
10. Miah Nikora
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Quinn Roux
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Willie Faloon
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. George Naoupu
21. John Cooney
22. Jack Carty
23. Dave McSharry

The Connacht team looks very dangerous. It's amazing how they've transformed this season.

Pleased with the XV, especially Roddy Grant and Hamish Watson, although why is Te Rure getting an opportunity when Hoyland and Dean aren't? Should be a tight game.

Connacht team is menacing.
Let's see how we go.

Where is Tom Heathcote, if not injured?

Nematode wrote: why is Te Rure getting an opportunity when Hoyland and Dean aren't? Should be a tight game.

It really isn't the time or place to be trying him out.

Also, he's a slight, running 10 - not much use during a hurricane!

The inclusion of Te Rure is unusual. Would rather keep Heathcote on and give Te Rure a run against Lyon which is sort of a "free" game for us (given that if we beat Bordeaux we win the group almost regardless of our result against Lyon).

Good side though. 12 SQ players in there too with most of the squad back. On that front Solomons does seem to be sticking to his word, gradually feeding them in and guys like Bezzy slipping out of the frame altogether. Only Nel, Burleigh and Bresler are the NSQs and don't think there will be too many complaints there.

I hope the reason for the inclusion of Te Rure is because he has been beyond phenomenal in training and Solomans can't justify not at least having him on the bench. I can but hope.

Looks a decent side we're putting out and it's good to see Watson back in.

Hopefully we can build on the result against Glasgow and get a win here, will be tough against a very good looking Connacht team, but fingers crossed.

Woukd have preferred Carty got the nod for this one, still a very strong team. When heenan gets back fit they are gonna have some starting 15.

Dare I suggest that Solomons is slowly figuring out his best side!?

I like that line-up, albeit that I still think Connacht will win at home. Hopefully we can extract an LBP out it and try and develop some sort of attacking threat at least. Midfield looks good at least, and Fife and Visser know what they're doing out wide.

Cuthbert vs Muliaina. Hilarious!

funnyExiledScot wrote:Dare I suggest that Solomons is slowly figuring out his best side!?

I like that line-up, albeit that I still think Connacht will win at home. Hopefully we can extract an LBP out it and try and develop some sort of attacking threat at least. Midfield looks good at least, and Fife and Visser know what they're doing out wide.

Cuthbert vs Muliaina. Hilarious!

Ever seen what happens when an Oil Tanker and Jetski have to complete in tests of maneuverability and speed?

To be fair, Mills is getting on a bit now...Strauss might even be able to keep within 30m of him in a 100m sprint!

Interesting Embra team but imo going with 2 opensides against that strong Connacht pack in what is likely to be wet conditions is quite a daft idea. Atkins doesn't seem to be getting any gametime as of late..

Edinburgh does have a very physical, abrasive front 5 so I suppose they can afford two sevens. The question is how does Solomons plan to use them? You'd think 2x7s would suggest you want a fast paced game to get turnover ball to the backs for some attacking moves - but that's not the Edinburgh way.

I'm not overly concerned - Roddy Grant is a little like Rob Harley in how he plays, and Hamish Watson is an exciting prospect. Also they seem a bit more resilient in defence than Chris Fusaro.

I'm quite excited to see how Jade Te Rure plays - who knows, with the injury crisis at 10 we might be hearing more of him

I just think he wants us to make us much of a mess of the breakdown as we can.

Alternatively if Coman really was needing rested, then maybe he thought Grant would do a better job at 6 than Leonardi!

Solomon's may feel that he needs to get Te Rure into the mix as it now seems very likely that Edinburgh are going to lose a FH to the 6N squad and a bit like Glasgow are one injury away from being really exposed. I suspect you will see a fair bit of him over the next few games, keep an open mind, he may well turn out to be half decent.

Found a full game with Te Rure playing at 10:

Nematode wrote:Found a full game with Te Rure playing at 10:

You watch that now and let us know what you think!

Well watched 10 mins and he seemed a bit underweight for NH rugby. Also his kicking stats for 2013 was 66%. Nothing really of note.

VinceWLB wrote:Interesting Embra team but imo going with 2 opensides against that strong Connacht pack in what is likely to be wet conditions is quite a daft idea. Atkins doesn't seem to be getting any gametime as of late..

Agreed, and it's harsh on Leonardi. I'd have thought they may want to give Grant a rest given his efforts recently, but hey ho.

Scotland once beat Australia in a monsoon (in Australia) with Barclay at 8 and Rennie at 7 (a selection I rubbished at the time!), so it is possible to be effective in such considtions.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:Interesting Embra team but imo going with 2 opensides against that strong Connacht pack in what is likely to be wet conditions is quite a daft idea. Atkins doesn't seem to be getting any gametime as of late..

Agreed, and it's harsh on Leonardi. I'd have thought they may want to give Grant a rest given his efforts recently, but hey ho.

Scotland once beat Australia in a monsoon (in Australia) with Barclay at 8 and Rennie at 7 (a selection I rubbished at the time!), so it is possible to be effective in such considtions.

Indeed, you would have thought a game like that was tailor made for a bruiser like Leonardi but i can understand Solomons going with Grant given his great form as well as Watson who just re-signed.

2 open side can work as it did for Scotland but i would say it's an exception rather than the rule, in these heavy conditions you need players who can make the hard yards.

Truly awful weather in Galway!

I've deliberately not said anything about the game in case people are watching it later on alba...

Interesting game!

Oh go on, it was a mud wrestle in a hurricane, by the end all their players were wearing black as well.

Anyone wanna know what happened?

Yes please!