Connacht v Leinster URC Digital Match Programme

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2 HEMISPHERES,
1 LEAGUE
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PRESIDENT’s
WELCOME
THank You To Our Partners for
their continued support
I am delighted to welcome you to
The Sportsground for today’s
United Rugby Championship clash
with our neighbours Leinster
Rugby. No matter how near or
far you have travelled, whether
it be here in Galway, across the
province or indeed around the
country, I hope you enjoy your
time at the game.
Today marks the start of a vital and historic
couple of months for the club. We’re all
familiar with meetings between Connacht
and Leinster, but for the two sides to meet
three times in the space of four weeks really
is unique. Naturally there is a lot of excitement
about the upcoming games in the Heineken
Champions Cup which will be among the most
anticipated in the club’s history, but we also
cannot discount the importance of today’s
fixture, as Andy, Jarrad and the team build
towards hopefully reaching the URC playoffs
at the end of the season.
Like all of you I’ve been following Ireland’s Six
Nations campaign with great interest over the
past few months. On behalf of all at Connacht
Rugby I’d like to congratulate the five men
who represented the province on the national
stage – Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Finlay
Bealham, Jack Carty and Dave Heffernan.
While they have all impressed in their own way,
I’m sure you’ll agree that the impact Mack has
had in his short time here has been nothing
short of incredible, and I personally can’t wait
to see all of the players back in the green of
Connacht.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to wish
the best of luck to all the Connacht players
involved in the Ireland Women’s Six Nations
squad. In particular a congratulations our own
Nichola Fryday who has been named captain
of the squad. This is a tremendous honour
not just for her and her family but also for all
the coaches and volunteers in Connacht who
helped her along the way.
On the Club & Community front I’ve been
delighted to attend a number of club and schools
finals over the past few weeks. These games are
the heartbeat of domestic rugby in the province
and they’ve been badly missed these past few
years. More games are scheduled in the weeks
ahead, and I would strongly encourage you to
attend one if you haven’t been before. It’s a great
experience and the players involved deserve all
the support we can give them.
I’d like to thank all those who are making today
come to life. Game days - particular interpro
game days - are a huge undertaking, between
operations, volunteers, ticketing, marketing
and everybody in between. Today we’ll have our
biggest attendance at The Sportsground in over
two years, so I’d ask all our supporters to enjoy
every minute of it.
Finally to our visitors Leinster Rugby and
especially the Leinster President, John Walsh,
you are welcome to the West, have a safe trip
back across the M6 after the game, and we’ll be
seeing you again very soon!
Connacht Abu!
Ann Heneghan
President, Connacht Rugby
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gilbertrugby.com
GUINNESS PRO14 CAMPAIGN TO CONCLUDE IN
MARCH AHEAD OF NEW “RAINBOW CUP” WITH
SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP FOUR ‘SUPER’ TEAMS
The current Guinness PRO14 campaign will
end in March allowing South Africa’s four
‘Super’ teams and our existing clubs to
finish the season with a 16-team “Rainbow
Cup” competition ahead of the British &
Irish Lions tour.
• The 2020/21 Guinness PRO14 campaign will finish after 16
rounds with the Conference winners facing each other in a
final in late March
• Qualification for EPCR tournaments in 2021/22 will be
decided by rankings after Round 16
• On April 17, 2021, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will
kick-off and introduce the Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions,
Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers and their World Cupwinning
Springboks
• The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will consist of a pool
stage (two pools of eight teams) and a final between the
two pool winners
FINAL CHAPTER OF GUINNESS PRO14
fixture list will aim to ensure home and away in-conference
fixtures are completed and each team plays all of its
cross-conference matches also. Further clarification will be
available when fixtures are confirmed.
The scheduled dates for the conclusion of the 2020-21
Guinness PRO14 campaign are:
R12: February 20
R13: February 27
R14: March 6
R15: March 13
R16: March 20
Final: March 27
After consulting with key PRO14 stakeholders, the Guinness
PRO14 Rainbow Cup was chosen as the best pathway to
finish up the current campaign and introduce South Africa’s
THE
four ‘Super’ teams: the Vodacom SPIRIT
Bulls; Emirates Lions; Cell
OF
C Sharks and DHL Stormers. This decision also allows our
European-based sides to earn qualification for European
Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) tournaments in 2021/22 in
a fair and equitable manner.
Ahead of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa,
the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will provide a ground-
Once Round 16 has been completed, the top-ranked teams
from each conference will qualify for the 2021/22 Heineken
Champions Cup. Requirement for play-offs is under review.
UNITED RUGBY
GUINNESS PRO14 “RAINBOW CUP”
breaking spectacle for fans who will see international star FORGING NEW RIVALRIES
players from north and south establish new rivalries in their
bid for the ultimate Test selection.
With South Africa preparing to host their first British & Irish
Lions tour since 2009, the World Cup champions will see
Right through until the last kick of the ball in the Rainbow their ‘Super’ teams – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers
Cup in June, fans will be able to watch it all unfold with our take on the very best that Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales
CHAMPIONSHIP.
broadcast partners Premier Sports, eir Sport, S4C, TG4,
have to offer.
DAZN and Super Sport.
How it will Work
Players aiming to make the British & Irish Lions squad will
find no better trial environment to test themselves in, as
they go up against the likes of Siya Kolisi, Pieter Steph du
Toit (both DHL Stormers), Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom
Bulls), Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions) and former Guinness
PRO14 top-try scorer Makazole Mapimipi (Cell C Sharks).
The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will kick off on April 17
with two pools of 8 teams made up of two Irish, two South
African, two Welsh, one Italian and one Scottish club. Each
team will play one game against each pool opponent and
the sides that finish top of their pools will face off in a final
on June 19.
Across 57 matches, the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup will
feature the best of the Springbok talent going toe-to-toe
with some of the British & Irish Lions’ biggest names – every
one of them keen to lay down a marker to their respective
selectors ahead of what will prove to an historic tour.
Enjoy responsibly
The oval trim design is a registered trademark of Gilbert Rugby.
Rounds 12 to 16 will take place from February 20 and
conclude on March 20. A final will then take place at the
home venue of the highest-ranked team. This abbreviated
DISCOVER THE SPIRIT WITHIN |
#SAVOURTHEMOMENT

THE BIG MATCH
PREVIEW
After Andy Friend’s men host Leinster at
7:35 PM on Saturday in the league, they
will face the reigning league champions
twice more in the Heineken Champions
Cup in the following weeks, meaning that
three of Connacht’s next four fixtures in
all competitions will be interprovincial’s
against their eastern rivals.
However, Butler knows that taking it each
game at a time is the right approach and
that is the mentality across the whole squad
and coaching staff.
“Playing any team three times in four weeks
is bizarre, I haven’t been in a situation like
that before,” the back-row forward said.
“Those other two games, in the
Champions Cup, we haven’t really
started to focus on those now. We
have put ourselves under some
pressure with the URC(United
Rugby Championship).
the former Brumbies man said.
“They have got two full teams that they can
put out on the pitch and can do a really
good job for them. I think you can’t get too
caught up in the selection of that team. You
kinda have to worry about your own things,
because you really don’t know what kind of
team they are going to put out on the field.
“Regardless, all of them are class, they are
littered with international players, really
high-quality players. It is what it is, you can’t
think too much about it, you just have to
focus on your stuff. If you get too worried
about the team that’s in front of you, you’re
halfway to losing the game already.”
Head coach Andy Friend wants
to see his team bring a high
intensity and physicality to
Saturday’s 7:35 PM United Rugby
Championship interprovincial
game with Leinster at The
Sportsground.
After a disappointing defeat to Edinburgh
last time out, Friend is keen for his side to
make amends this coming Saturday and
the key to that – he says – is playing with
bravery, on both sides of the ball, and speed,
hallmarks of Connacht’s tactical blueprint.
“What I want to see when we’re carrying
is we’re carrying with real intent and the
opposition defenders who are trying to slow
our ruck ball – which they will be – removed
with real physicality,” the Australian said.
Sticking to Connacht’s principles – which
have resulted in victories against Leinster
before – is what Friend wants from his players
and he wants to see those strategies put into
practice from the first whistle on Saturday
evening.
“We want our physicality to show, a
functioning set piece where we’re winning
our line out and defending well against their
line out,” the former Australian Sevens coach
said.
“Our kicking game being accurate and doing
what we’re meant to be doing on it and our
fundamentals, our key principles that we
talk about ad nauseam, around attack and
defence are being adhered to and we have 15
players connected on the field.
“If we see that, it should be a good afternoon.”
Meanwhile, Captain Jarrad Butler says that
Connacht are focusing on the upcoming
United Rugby Championship clash with
Leinster at the Sportsground on Saturday as
an individual game and not as part of a trilogy
of fixtures against the Eastern province.
“I think if you went into this week
you could put a lot of pressure on
yourself, but I don’t think we can
do that. We just have to focus on
the game this week and do what
we can do to put in a really good
performance at home against
really good opposition.
“I think we would be doing
ourselves a disservice if we
thought too long term, we just
have to focus on this week.”
Butler is excited by the prospect
of locking horns with Leinster,
a team and squad he rates as
among the best in Europe.
However, the 30-year-old says
that the key to any Connacht win
will be focusing on themselves
and their own game rather than
devising a plan solely based on
the strengths and weaknesses of
their opponents.
“That Leinster team is just full
of so much talent. One of their
biggest strengths is their depth,”

Pro team PROFILES
bundee
aki
Centre
sammy
arnold
Centre
jack
aungier
Prop
finlay
bealham
Prop
Caolin
blade
Scrum Half
shayne
bolton
Centre
Paul
Boyle
Back Row
denis
buckley
Prop
matthew
burke
Prop
Jarrad
Butler
Back Row
jack
Carty
Out Half
tom
daly
Centre
shane
delahunt
Hooker
Ultan
Dillane
Second Row
oisin
dowling
Back Row
jordan
duggan
Prop
Tom
Farrell
Centre
Leva
Fifita
Second Row

Pro team PROFILES
Conor
Fitzgerald
Out Half
mack
hansen
Out Half / Back
Three
Matt
healy
Back Three
dave
heffernan
Hooker
sam
illo
Prop
kieran
marmion
Scrum Half
eoghan
Masterson
Back Row
Sean
Masterson
Back Row
greg
Mcgrath
Prop
Oran
Mcnulty
Back Three
Jonny
Murphy
Hooker
Niall
Murray
Second Row
Ben
O’Donnell
Back Three
Tiernan
O’Halloran
Back Three
Conor
Oliver
Back Row
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Abraham
Papali’i
Back Row
John
Porch
Back Three
Cian
Prendergast
Back Row

Pro team PROFILES
Colm
reilly
Scrum Half
peter
robb
Centre
Dominic
Robertson-
Mccoy
Prop
Peter
Sullivan
Back Three
Gavin
Thornbury
Second Row
Dylan
Tierney-Martin
Hooker
TIETIE
TUIMAUGA
Prop
Alex
Wootton
Back Three
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