Grenoble v Connacht: Challenge Cup quarter-final preview
Sunday 10 April 2016 09:32, UK
Pat Lam says the prize of a home Challenge Cup semi-final is a huge motivation for his Connacht side ahead of their trip to Grenoble.
The victors of Saturday's contest at Stade des Alpes will have home advantage against the winners of Harlequins and London Irish.
Connacht's seven-game winning streak was ended by Ulster last weekend but Lam says confidence remains high in the camp as they seek an eighth win in nine games against Top 14 opposition.
The Connacht head coach said: "We understand the challenge we face traveling to play a confident Grenoble side in their home ground, but this is knockout rugby and we are determined to bring a semi-final home to the Sportsground for our supporters.
"With two teams looking to play an attacking style of rugby, it will come down to the small margins in defence and who can take their opportunities. It's set up to be a really entertaining game and we're really looking forward to it."
We have a few changes to the squad from last week but we are confident that we have a strong team to go over and execute our game plan against Grenoble.
Lam welcomes back scrum-half Kieran Marmion from injury while fellow Ireland internationals Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane make their first starts since returning from Six Nations duty.
However, former New Zealand U20 captain Jake Heenan misses out after rolling his ankle in training. That forces Lam to shuffle his back row, with Eoin McKeon named at blindside flanker and captain John Muldoon at No 8.
Robbie Henshaw switches from full-back to outside centre as he resumes his partnership with Bundee Aki, with Matt Healy handed the No 15 jersey.
Shane O'Leary, who spent the 2013/14 season with Grenoble, makes his third start for Connacht at fly-half.
Grenoble are coached by former Connacht, Leinster and Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman and ex-Ulster centre Chris Farrell is named in the French side's starting XV.
Gio Aplon starts at full-back with fellow Springbok Charl McLeod named alongside Jonathan Wisniewski at half-back. Former Wallaby Peter Kimlin partners skipper Ben Hand in the second row.
Grenoble won all three home games in the pool stages for the first time in their history but they conceded 154 points, the most of any team that made it through to the knockout stages.
Grenoble: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tino Nemani, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Nigel Hunt, 11 Lucas Dupont, 10 Jonathan Wisniewski, 9 Charl McLeod; 1 Sona Taumalolo, 2 Loick Jammes, 3 Dayna Edwards, 4 Ben Hand (c), 5 Peter Kimlin, 6 Steven Setephano, 7 Mahamadou Diaby, 8 Rory Grice.
Replacements: 16 Paulin Mas, 17 Fabien Barcella, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Mathias Marie, 20 Fabien Alexandre, 21 Lilian Saseras, 22 Fabrice Estebanez, 23 Fabien Gengenbacher.
Connacht: 15 Matt Healy, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Danie Poolman, 10 Shane O'Leary, 9 Kieran Marmion; 1 Denis Buckley, 2 Tom McCartney, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Andrew Browne, 6 Sean O'Brien, 7 Eoin McKeon, 8 John Muldoon (c).
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 JP Cooney, 19 Quinn Roux, 20 James Connolly, 21 John Cooney, 22 Peter Robb, 23 Fionn Carr.
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