Connacht v Ospreys: PRO12 preview
Last Updated: 26/02/16 5:08pm
Connacht coach Pat Lam has called on his team to maintain standards of performances ahead of their PRO12 clash with Ospreys on Saturday.
Connacht have won their last four first team fixtures with their 51-34 victory over Zebre last Saturday returning them to the top of the table for the first time since November.
Connacht's only defeat in their last 10 contests at The Sportsground in all competitions came when Ulster were the visitors in the PRO12 on Boxing Day.
Lam has made four changes to the team that lined up in the bonus point win over Zebre six days ago.
Caolin Blade and Rodney Ah You are both named to start while Ireland squad members Kieran Marmion and Finlay Bealham were released to join up with Connacht on Thursday and so take places on the bench.
George Naoupu is another change to the pack, starting with Aly Muldowney in the second row, while Academy player Sean O'Brien comes in to start at openside flanker, shifting his fellow Galway-born team mate and captain John Muldoon to No 8.
"Although we're playing at home, we are under no illusions as to the quality of the team we're playing and the challenge we face," said Lam.
"We respect what Ospreys have done as a team. They have won this competition on two occasions already and have consistently been in the top four over the years with quality squad depth. They're certainly in form, having lost just one game in their last nine and we know they will be hungry to continue their climb up the table.
"For us, there was a big focus in training on tidying up the areas that let us down against Zebre last week and this should go a long way in ensuring an improvement in our overall performance to get the points on offer in front of our supporters at home."
"Last week's win over Edinburgh means that we are still well in contention for a Champions Cup spot, but we realise that it was just one battle won and there are seven more to go," said Tandy
"With the next three games all against teams above us in the league, we know that it's a great opportunity for us to keep climbing the table if we can hit the required performance levels consistently.
"There aren't many tougher places to go in European rugby this season than Connacht, they are at the top of the PRO12 for a reason and, rightly so, their confidence will be sky high at the moment.
Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb will make his first Ospreys start of the season as head coach Steve Tandy makes six changes for their trip to Galway.
Josh Matavesi joins Webb in the backline, while in the pack there are starts for skipper Paul James, Dmitri Arhip, Joe Bearman and Olly Cracknell.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Bundee Aki, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Caolin Blade; 1 Denis Buckley, 2 Tom McCartney, 3 Rodney Ah You, 4 George Naoupu, 5 Aly Muldowney, 6 Sean O'Brien, 7 Jake Heenan, 8 John Muldoon (c).
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Ben Marshall, 20 James Connolly, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Peter Robb, 23 Danie Poolman.
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Ben John, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Paul James (c), 2 Sam Parry, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 4 James King, 5 Rory Thornton, 6 Joe Bearman, 7 Olly Cracknell, 8 Dan Baker
Replacements: 16 Scott Otten, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Jordan Collier, 21 Brendon Leonard, 22 Owen Watkin, 23 Eli Walker
