Jack Carty poised for landmark appearance in Galway but Bulls pose first challenge
Jack Carty will captain the Connacht team for this weekend's fixture against Vodacom Bulls. Picture: INPHO/Craig Watson
Captain Jack Carty is set for his 200th appearance for Connacht next weekend when they host Leinster in front of a full crowd at the Sportsground, but first priority for him and his teammates will be trying to handle the Bulls in Pretoria this Saturday.
Carty did not feature in last weekend’s 13-12 win over the Sharks but after being recalled for this one he is poised to add another layer of excitement to next weekend’s derby clash with Leinster in front of over 8,000 at the Sportsground when he joins the relatively small list of players to hit the 200-mark for the province.
He and Connacht will hope to go into that one on the back of a successful South African tour and while many would see their clash with Jake White’s men this weekend as one in the bonus category sector, head coach Pete Wilkins is having none of it.
“The outside world might be happy with one win in South Africa but we back ourselves to have a game plan and feel we have a good opportunity to beat the Bulls,” said Wilkins.
He has made six changes to the side which won in Durban as they go for their sixth win on. South African soil in 11 games and add the Bulls to their list of conquers which includes the Southern Kings (twice), Cheetahs, Lions and Sharks.
Carty is a direct replacement for man of the match JJ Hanrahan whose penalty won the game. He’s on the bench this time, while David Hawkshaw, who impressed after coming on, starts this time in the centre with Cathal Forde, as Tom Farrell drops out.
Colm Reilly gets another run at scrum-half, while Diarmuid Kilgallen returns in place of Andrew Smith, who went off injured against the Sharks, on the left wing.
The other three changes are up front. Connacht are boosted by the availability of Irish loosehead Finlay Bealham, who had a leg in a protective boot earlier this week, in an unchanged front row.
Darragh Murray comes into the second row with Oisin Dowling switching to blindside flanker in place of Cian Prendergast in a new back row where Shamus Hurley-Langton takes over from last weekend’s skipper Conor Oliver and Sean Jansen, a summer signing from Leicester Tigers, finally makes his debut instead of Sean O’Brien, who scored the only try last weekend against the Sharks.
:Both Sean Jansen and David Hawkshaw deserve their first opportunities in the starting lineup and will no doubt make significant contributions to what will need to be a relentless and physical twenty-three man performance,” added Wilkins.
Dowling, who will make his 49th Connacht appearance and could join Carty on a landmark one against his native province next weekend, said they are ready for the demands of Loftus Versfeld, having flown up on Friday morning from their base outside Durban.
“The Bulls are such a good side, it is such a challenge for us, such a good opportunity to win two games over in South Africa, not many teams do that so I think everyone is so excited with that potential.
“They have had a few tough weeks on the road in Europe and I’m sure they are delighted to be back home, so we know what’s coming from them. We just have to come prepared,” said the 26-year-old.
: T O’Halloran; B Ralston, D Hawkshaw, C Forde, D Kilgallen; J Carty, C Reilly; D Buckley, T McElroy, F Bealham; D Murray, J Joyce; O Dowling, S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen. Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, P Dooley, S Illo, N Murray, S O’Brien, C Blade, JJ Hanrahan, C Oliver.
