Champions Cup preview: Connacht v Bristol, The Sportsground, Friday, 8pm (Live on TNT Sport)
When the draw was made for the Champions Cup back in June, this tie would have been eagerly earmarked by Connacht squad and supporters alike. Nor have results so far reduced the intrigue associated with Pat Lam returning to his old Galway stomping ground, along with the starting halfbacks from that memorable Pro12 final win over Leinster in May 2016 at Murrayfield, Kieran Marmion and AJ MacGinty.
Furthermore, John Muldoon was the captain of that history-making side before cutting his teeth as a coach under Lam at the Bears, and is now overseeing the Connacht line-out, while lock Joe Joyce, who joined the Bristol academy in 2012 before making more than 150 appearances for the club, last summer moved to the province from where his family originated.
Hence, as of last Wednesday, this intriguing clash became Connacht’s fourth successive sell-out at the Sportsground, albeit with the standard 6,129 capacity rather than with temporary seating at either end of the ground.
“For a lot of reasons this should be a great occasion,” said head coach Pete Wilkins. “Friday night Champions Cup games at the Sportsground are always special, and there will be a few old faces making the visit as well. Both teams still have a lot to play for, so we can’t wait for it.”
No team is mathematically out of consideration for the Champions Cup round of 16, including Connacht. But on the premise that a wounded Saracens rebound from their pummelling in Bordeaux at home to Lyon on Saturday evening, then in all likelihood Connacht’s most realistic hope of remaining in Europe is by finishing above Bristol in fifth place in Pool 1 and thus advancing to the Challenge Cup.
The pity is that Connacht don’t have even one more match point to their tally, ie had they added a fourth try in either of their away defeats by the Bulls and Lyon.
The net effect is that barring a 20-point win, Connacht need to beat Bristol with a try-scoring bonus point while denying the Bears a losing bonus point, ie a 5-0 haul in match points.
Yet Wilkins maintained: “The great thing for us going in to this Bristol game is we know the type of result we need, whether it’s a bonus-point win and deny Bristol anything, or getting the points difference. We have to go for it, and one thing we know about Connacht is that we are absolutely at our best when we do.”
Wilkins has made seven changes in personnel and one positional switch. Tiernan O’Halloran, a try scorer in that 2016 final, returns from the foot injury that has sidelined him for more than a month to make his 229th appearance for his native province.
Having opted to rest Bundee Aki last week in accordance with IRFU’s game management of the World Cup squad rather than the preceding derbies, Wilkins recalls his midfield talisman alongside David Hawkshaw, while JJ Hanrahan reverts to outhalf from fullback.
The experienced duo of Denis Buckley and Finlay Bealham return to the frontrow, while Niall Murray replaces his brother Darragh in the secondrow, and Shamus Hurley-Langton replaces Sean Jansen, who last week scored the try of the round, in a rejigged backrow.
“It is exactly the type of the challenge this group thrives upon, and I am looking forward to it as much as anyone,” said head coach Pete Wilkins. “It is about really backing ourselves and taking the brave options.
“Sometimes it is historically when we have been in a game and behind on the scoreboard, and the shackles have come off. Other times it has been when we were very much perceived as the underdogs and the shackles have been off from the get-go. And this is one of those games. The reward for us will come only if we have a massive performance and one that is full of energy and full of ambition.”
Bristol, who qualified for this competition after finishing ninth in last season’s Premiership in place of London Irish after they went into liquidation, lead Saracens by the narrowest of margins on points difference and therefore would have to at least match the latter’s result. In other words, Saracens will know exactly what they’ll need come kick-off tomorrow night.
But Lam’s selection is a statement of intent. Captain Fitz Harding returns from injury at open side, while Lam makes four other changes, with Jake Woolmore and Kyle Sinckler returning in the frontrow, as do centre Virimi Vakatawa and winger Kalaveti Ravouvou.
It will be a poignant night for Lam too, who has a photo on his wall of Bealham, Marmion, Robbie Henshaw, Ultan Dillane and Nathan White.
“At that time Connacht had five players involved in a Six Nations game. I keep it alongside my Connacht jersey and medal, reminding me of the amount of players who were rewritten off, but as so long as they have the dream and are willing to do the work, they will make it.”
Vintage Lam. As with Marmion, who’s on the bench, and MacGinty, who starts, he’ll surely be afforded a warm welcome back.
Connacht: T O’Halloran, A Smith, D Hawkshaw, B Aki, S Bolton, JJ Hanrahan, C Blade (C), D Buckley, T McElroy, F Bealham, N Murray, J Joyce, C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler. Replacements: D Heffernan, P Dooley, J Aungier, O Dowling, C Oliver, M McDonald, J Carty, O McNulty.
Bristol Bears: M Malins, K Ravouvou, V Vakatawa, B Janse van Rensburg, G Ibitoye, AJ MacGinty, H Randal; J Woolmore, G Oghre, K Sinckler, J Caulfield J Batley, S Luatua, F Harding (capt), M Bradbury. Replacements: W Capon, S Grahamslaw, M Lahiff, J Owen, D Thomas, K Marmion, J Williams, P O’Conor.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FRA).
Forecast: Bristol to win.
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