Connacht, smarting after an opening round loss, will be looking to shake things up this weekend when they host Black Lion in the Challenge Cup on Saturday (kick-off 8pm).
Beaten 24-12 by Ospreys last Sunday, having led 21-5 at half-time, Connacht’s scrum and contact coach Cullie Tucker said they will use this weekend’s game at Dexcom Stadium to mix up the starting XV.
“Selections are for are for grabs again this week. So, yeah, some people played well (against Ospreys), some people didn’t. That’s the nature of the game,” said Tucker.
But the Stuart Lancaster’s side may struggle up front. Finlay Bealham is ruled out after sustaining a concussion against the Ospreys, and Jack Aungier with an elbow injury, while both Peter Dooley and Temi Lasisi are also unavailable, in addition to captain Cian Prendergast. It’s a similar picture in the backs, with Josh Ioane (groin), Sean Naughton (ankle) and Shane Jennings (quad) all out of action.
RM Block
Offering an update on longer-term absentee Mack Hansen, who’s recovering following surgery for a foot injury, Tucker said: “It was obviously an unusual and invasive surgery.”
He added the winger is in “the very early parts of recovery” and was vague as to the timeline for his expected return date.
“We are talking months for sure. But he’s out (of hospital) and at home recovering,” Tucker said.
There was some good news for the province, however, as scrumhalf Caolin Blade and backrow Shamus Hurley-Langton make their returns.
Looking back on their showing against Ospreys, Tucker highlighted poor execution and missed opportunities as the main factors in Connacht’s undoing.
“After we were 21-0 ahead, we didn’t convert. We got in numerous times in the second half as well, and then when they got into our 22, they converted most of their opportunities, so that’s probably the disappointing element for us for sure.”
However, Tucker acknowledged the loss of their two tighthead props, Bealham and Aungier, to injury didn’t help matters.
“You can’t write a story on a scoreboard, but there is a narrative behind it as well,” he said. “But the pleasing thing for us is we certainly kept fighting to get back. It’s just the execution on our part when we were there.”
