By Sea_point
December 15 2006

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made four changes to the side, which beat Montpellier 26-13 at the Sportsground last Friday, for the rematch at the Stade Sabathé tonight. Coverage of the game is available live on Galway Bay FM with the inimitable Rob Murphy.

Montpellier v Connacht - Le Retour

 

European Challenge Cup - Round 4

15/12/06 - Stade Sabathé, Montpellier

K.O. 19:30 (18.30 GMT)

 

Broadcast:

Coverage of the game is available live on Galway Bay FM with the inimitable Rob Murphy (you can link to the broadcast – Here) 

 

Quins almost stop Colm Rigney from saying howya to Gav Duffy...

 

Current Group 4 Table (after Rnd3)

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	BP	PTS
1	Bath	3	3	0	0	66	51	0	12
2	Harlequins	3	2	0	1	94	52	2	10
3	Connacht	3	1	0	2	63	53	3	7
4	Montpellier	3	0	0	3	37	104	1	1

 

Mark McHugh and John Fogarty come into the side and Ryan Strudwick is handed his first start for the province in the second row as he is now eligible for the side in European competition. Fogarty rather surpisingly starts ahead of two try hero from last week the in form Adrian Flavin. Darren Yapp and Conor McPhillips are also in the squad this week and are named among the replacements while Matt Lacey comes into the side for another form player Ray Ofisa, who is being given a well earned rest this week with some hugely important Magners League Interprovicial games coming up for Connacht at the end of the month (Munster & Ulster).

 

This is Connacht’s fourth match in Pool 4 and will looking to add to last week's win to keep alive their hopes of making the quarter-finals for the fifth year running.

 

Good news for Connacht supporters is that Montpellier have named a virtual academy team for the match, and so Connacht should not have too many problems in earning the win with hopefully a bonus point being earnt as well (a word of warning though lads – Catania). However, the Heraults also welcome back Argentinean Olivier Sarramea from a long break due to injury, for a gentle return to action. Montpellier wing Ali Koko faces a late fitness test. If he is ruled out his place at No 14 will be taken by Sebastien Logerot with Sebastien Mercier takin Logerot's place at No 22 on the replacements bench.

 

Previous Form:

 

Previous Challenge Cup meetings
Date	Stage	Home	H	-	A	Away
Fri 8th Dec 06	Pool 4	Connacht	26	-	13	Montpellier
Sat 14th Jan 06	Pool 5	Connacht	43	-	10	Montpellier
Fri 28th Oct 05	Pool 5	Montpellier	13	-	19	Connacht
Fri 10th Dec 04	Round 2	Montpellier	19	-	14	Connacht
Sat 4th Dec 04	Round 2	Connacht	56	-	3	Montpellier

 

P	W	D	L	Pts F Avg	Pts L Avg
5	4	0	1	32	15

 

Montpellier: Olivier Sarramea; Aliinu'u Koko, Regis Lespinas, Alessandro Stoica, Jacques Boussuge; Francois Trinh Duc, Julien Tomas; Philemon Toleafoa, Joan Caudullo, Nicolas Descamps, Goncalo Uva, Mamuka Gorgodze, Michel Macurdy, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Jharay Russell.

Replacements: Nicolas Grelon, Sebastien Petit, Clement Baiocco, Louis Picamoles, Cedric Mathieu, Harley Crane, Sebastien Logerot. 

 

Connacht: Daniel Riordan; Keith Matthews, Paul Warwick, Gavin Williams, Ted Robinson; Mark McHugh, Conor O'Loughlin; Brett Wilkinson, John Fogarty(C), Stephen Knoop; Ryan Strudwick, Andrew Farley; Michael Swift, Matt Lacey, John Muldoon.

 

Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Brett Sturgess, David Gannon, Colm Rigney, Chris Keane, Darren Yapp, Conor McPhillips.

 

Referee: Rob Debney (England)