1,816 total views, 1 views today
The dust has now settled on Connacht’s win against Newcastle last Saturday evening.
While fans can debate about the semantics, the goal set out by coaching staff and team of getting a win and resting players was achieved. Attention now turns to an away game to Brive this Friday night.
Five wins in the past Seven games is good reading for any Connacht fan.
It has kept Connacht in the battle for top eight in the URC and also in a good place for the knockouts of the Challenge cup.
It has built some momentum heading into Christmas and another win this week would really take some pressure off the Challenge cup qualification and let Connacht focus on two huge InterPro games against Leinster and a potentially free-falling Ulster.
The big question will be around selection. Will Andy Friend and Pete Wilkins stick with their young guns.
Will they let them have an opportunity to gain some valuable experience away to a struggling side in Brive, or will they sense blood and try and secure a second win in the group stages and put one foot in the knockout stages.
SQUAD UPDATE
Well, they won’t have talisman Mack Hansen back anyway, he is still nursing a foot injury he sustained against Benetton, but he should be available for Ulster. Young hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin will also be unavailable due to an elbow injury so we could see a start for Shane Delahunt if Dave Heffernan does not return. A big loss in the forwards will be Josh Murphy who failed a HIA last weekend, so he is following the return to play protocols.
Andy Friend is confident however that the depth that have built means they can be without such players and still have enough to get the job done. Oisin Dowling who is now in his 3rd season with Connacht reiterated that sentiment on media duty this week, stating there is a great battle for places on this team and that it’s the deepest squad they have had in his short tenure in Galway.
Brive in poor form
Brive themselves are very much in a rut. After a decent start to their season, they have had an awful time of it, currently sitting bottom of the Top 14 and with only two wins from twelve games. They suffered a heavy defeat in their opening challenge cup game against Cardiff, but we all know that French teams in Europe are different beasts at home compared to on the road. With that being said, I can’t see Brive giving too much care to this competition now with a huge relegation battle on their hands in the top 14.
Brive do have three ex-Connacht players in their ranks. Sammy Arnold, Abraham Papali’I and TieTie Tuimauga all played with Connacht last season.
I have no doubt they will be gunning to pull one over their former teammates.
Connacht looking for killer blow against Brive
Personally I think Connacht should do whatever is necessary to get the win this weekend.
Having two wins in the group stages of the Challenge cup means its very unlikely you won’t qualify from the group stages. Having that burden off your shoulders by game two I think can only be a good thing. Also getting another win under your belt will only add to the momentum heading into a busy and brutal Christmas period. There is also the factor of players heading into a huge battle against Ulster having not played in three weeks. These are professional players of course and will constantly be looking after themselves but nothing replicates an actual game.
There is a risk of some players being undercooked slightly. We will get a better idea of the team that will play this weekend later in the week, but early signs are good that a win is on the cards this weekend.
LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com
#Connacht #killer #blow #Brive
