Connacht to host Pontypridd in Cup quarter-final

CONNACHT will be at home in the first leg of their Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final clash against Pontypridd on the second weekend of January.

The date, time and venue will be confirmed in the coming days but as Welsh television station S4C have indicated their desire to televise both legs live, it is likely that the ties will take place at 5.30 pm on Saturday, January 11 and on January 18 at Sardis Road.

Pontypridd will be wary of a Connacht backlash when they travel for the first leg the tie next month.

The Welsh Cup holders won 40-0 in their Celtic League match back in October but Pontypridd coach Lynn Howells expects their next trip across the Irish Sea to provide a far tougher challenge.

"Our win over there earlier in the season will give them a big incentive," said Howells. "We will be expecting a backlash from a quality team who will pose different problems to those Leeds Tykes threw at us over the last couple of weekends.

"Connacht have a few wise old heads in Eric Elwood and Warwick Waugh but also some outstanding young talent. I am happy we will be away in the first leg of a top quality tournament just look at the teams who have won through to the quarter-finals."

Where that first tie will be played remains a mystery. At present, Connacht's home ground at the Sportsground is being refurbished with construction work on a new stand now taking place, and as a result the home leg will take place on one of the club grounds in the province.

Connacht, fresh from their thrilling 50-49 aggregate victory over Narbonne, will expect a huge crowd for the first European quarter-final to be staged by the province.

Connacht will kick off their post-Christmas campaign with a home clash against Leinster in the Guinness inter-pro series. The Westerner's victory over Leinster at Donnybrook in the Celtic League doubled up as a Guinness inter-pro fixture, as did their defeat away to Munster in the quarter-finals of the Celtic League.

Connacht will play either Munster or Ulster in the Guinness inter-pros on the weekend starting January 24th, the fixture to be decided by which of them loses their Celtic League semi-final meeting on January 3. The revived Guinness inter-pros are being run on a home and away basis.

There are four English teams left in the race for the Parker Pen Challenge Cup, with two from France and one each from Ireland and Wales. The full draw for the quarter-finals of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup is: (sides at home in first leg named first):Connacht v Pontypridd; Wasps v Stade Francais; Montauban v Bath; Saracens v Newcastle.