CENTRE PETER ROBB is in line to play his first match for Connacht since April when the western province meet Glasgow in Scotstoun tomorrow evening (kick-off 19.35).
One of the 2016 title-winning squad, Robb’s last senior competitive appearance for Connacht came against Glasgow last April, with neck and knee injuries keeping him out of action until earning a place on the bench this week.
Tom Daly and Kyle Godwin form the starting midfield partnership with Bundee Aki and Tom Farrell in camp with Ireland. 21-year-old Conor Fitzgerald deputises for Jack Carty at out-half and his brother Stephen retains his place on the wing to form a back three with Tiernan O’Halloran and Matt Healy.
Omitted from the Ireland squad despite his return from injury, Kieran Marmion will console himself with a 150th Connacht cap.
Jarrad Butler captains the side from number eight, with 21-year-old Cillian Gallagher in the second row beside James Cannon.
“It is extremely tight in our conference,” said head coach Andy Friend, eyeing the nine-point gap between his team in third and second-place Warriors, “so every game takes on an even greater importance now.
“We have picked a side with a good blend of youth and experience and I have full confidence in them to get a result on Friday night.”
Connacht (v Glasgow):
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Stephen Fitzgerald
13. Kyle Godwin
12. Tom Daly
11. Matt Healy
10. Conor Fitzgerald
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Denis Buckley
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Cillian Gallagher
5. James Cannon
6. Eoin McKeon
7. Colby Fainga’a
8. Jarrad Butler (Captain)
Replacements:
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Peter McCabe
18. Conor Carey
19. Joe Maksymiw
20. Paul Boyle
21. Caolin Blade
22. Peter Robb
23. Cian Kelleher
Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look ahead to Ireland’s Six Nations meeting with Italy and discuss the week’s biggest stories in the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly.
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Fitzgerald’s kicking when he came on for Horwitz in his last game was top drawer. Interesting to see how he goes from the start in such a big game. A result for Connacht would be massive.
Was Blade released from the Irish squad, or did he just not return after last week? I thought he was in the extended squad announced on Tuesday?
@Darragh Murray: He was in the extended squad but got released.. so looks like Murray and Cooney for Italy game.. let’s home Cooney starts
@Tom Kenny: didn’t see that announced anywhere, thanks Tom!
Ok maybe I’m missing something here , but I don’t see a back up out half anywhere unless you count TOH or MH having to slot in !! Also where’s Horwitz and Copeland !!! Both seem to have gone MIA !!
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: Godwin at centre is also a fly half at times.
Horwitz has been quite unimpressive at 10 this year.
@David Hickey: I think he’s been solid most of the time but he had an absolute mare in his last game. I wouldn’t write him off just yet, but I can see why he’s not in the team atm.
@ScewMadd: For me he has been a 6 out of 10 player. Unimpressive. By no means bad. (Although a fortnight ago was a travesty).
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: Copeland has fairly significant hip surgery before Christmas!! Probably be another few weeks before we see him again!!
He hasn’t settled in I think , the weather is a big factor for a 10 and well Sportsground weather is a real Ripley’s believe it or not, time to give up on SH tens and get them from nearer home in future me thinks
@©️⚙️NNA©️HT6️⃣6️⃣: he was always an odd choice, in as much as he wasn’t an out and out 10, or at least he had filled in at twelve a good bit in his career, kind of the opposite of Godwin. He left Tahs to get game time at Rebels and then promptly couldn’t get in their match day squad – announcing half way into the season he was off to Connacht might not have helped. To be fair Western Force being disbanded meant there suddenly was a lot more availability and competition for slots in the remaining Aussie team’s squads. I thought it was strange the clamour on here that he would unseat Carty considering no one had seen him kick. As it turned out in a positive sense it hasn’t been so much a case of Horwitz failing as Carty succeeding. With Jack’s form we may need Horwitz next autumn anyway!
Ronaldson will be back in the picture another questionable 10, FITZGERALD looks the part,