Recap: Leinster vs Connacht LIVE | Guinness PRO14
Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Guinness PRO14 match between Leinster and Connacht at the RDS.
Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation from anywhere in the world in our Live Match Centre (click here).
After the win last week at Thomond Park against Munster, Leinster boss Leo Cullen has brought in a number of fresh faces. It’s a completely new backline with Jordan Larmour coming in at full-back, Fergus McFadden in on the right wing and Dave Kearney back on the left.
Joe Tomane makes a return from injury in the centre where he will be joined by Garry Ringrose. Luke McGrath and Ciaran Frawley are the half-back pairing chosen by Cullen this week.
Peter Dooley, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong start in the front row for Leinster, with Ross Molony and James Ryan behind them in the second row. In the back row, captain Rhys Ruddock is joined by Will Connors and Max Deegan.
(Continue reading below…)
RugbyPass travelled to Brecon to see how life after rugby is treating Andy Powell
Second row Niall Murray is set to make his first start for Connacht. The 20-year-old came off the bench in the recent Champions Cup win over Gloucester. Gavin Thornbury has returned from injury to partner Murray in the second row.
In the front row, prop Denis Buckley also returns to the starting team where he lines up alongside hooker Shane Delahunt and Dominic Robertson McCoy at tighthead. In the back row, Eoghan Masterson is included at blindside with his brother and academy player Sean among the replacements.
There is a new-look back three with Stephen Fitzgerald named at full-back and Niyi Adeolokun and John Porch on the wings.
Connacht boss Andy Friend said: “We are fully aware of the challenge we face. Leinster have been impressing week in week out in the Guinness PRO14 and the Champions Cup and have set the standard so far this season.
“We really challenged them in the corresponding fixture last season and the lesson from that game is that to beat them you need to deliver a top-class performance over 80 minutes or they will punish you.”
LEINSTER: 15. Jordan Larmour; 14. Fergus McFadden, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Joe Tomane, 11. Dave Kearney; 10. Ciaran Frawley, 9. Luke McGrath, 1. Peter Dooley, 2. Sean Cronin, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Ross Molony, 5. James Ryan, 6. Rhys Ruddock (capt), 7. Will Connors, 8. Max Deegan. Reps: 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Ed Byrne, 18. Roman Salanoa, 19. Ryan Baird, 20. Caelan Doris, 21. Jamison Gibson-Park, 22. Harry Byrne, 23. Cian Kelleher.
CONNACHT: 15. Stephen Fitzgerald; 14. Niyi Adeolokun, 13. Kyle Godwin, 12. Tom Daly, 11. John Porch; 10. Conor Fitzgerald, 9. Caolin Blade (capt); 1. Denis Buckley, 2. Shane Delahunt, 3. Dominic Robertson-McCoy, 4. Niall Murray, 5. Gavin Thornbury, 6. Eoghan Masterson, 7. Paul Boyle, 8. Robin Copeland. Reps: 16. Tom McCartney, 17. Paddy McAllister, 18. Conor Kenny, 19. Joe Maksymiw, 20. Sean Masterson, 21. Stephen Kerins, 22. David Horwitz, 23. Tiernan O’Halloran.
WATCH: Follow every game from the Gallagher Premiership and Guinness PRO14 LIVE in the RugbyPass Match Centre with live commentary, scores, stats and more including HD streaming in some countries
Comments on RugbyPass
Results probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to comments