Hansen back as Wilkins targets Connacht festive double
RETURN OF THE...: Mack Hansen. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Connacht coach Pete Wilkins says the schedule of games for his side this Christmas is the most favourable he has ever encountered but it is now up to his men to make the most of the festive calendar.
Connacht will travel home from Belfast on Friday night after their URC derby clash with Ulster and then enjoy four days off before re-assembling at the Sportsground on the 27th.
“Coming back then will be like a normal Monday to Saturday routine leading into the Munster game on January 1st. We are really fortunate with the dates we have got with Ulster on the 22nd, it means we can have a good four-day break over Christmas and still have a full lead into the Munster game as if it was a normal week.
“It’s the best flow of training days and rest days that I have experienced over a Christmas break.
“But that’s the easy bit — now we need to go and use that schedule!”
He has made seven changes from the side that scored five tries away to Saracens at the weekend but still suffered a 55-36 defeat, and at the Kingspan Stadium they will be trying to prevent a fifth loss in a row against a side they pipped 22-20 in Galway last month.
As expected, Mack Hansen returns from injury as all three of Connacht’s World Cup players starting with Bundee Aki in the centre and Finlay Bealham at tighthead in a new front row.
Hansen’s return in place of John Porch at full-back is the only change at the back, with half a dozen switches up front.
Denis Buckley, Tadhg McElroy and Bealham replace Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan and Jack Aungier in the front row.
Darragh Murray is retained in the second row where Joe Joyce takes over from Gavin Thornbury.
There are two changes in the back row. Cian Prendergast is retained with Shamus Hurley-Langton and Sean O’Brien coming in for Conor Oliver and the injured Paul Boyle.
Five of the players replaced are included in the replacements as Wilkins switches his resources with an eye on the home clash against Munster at the Sportsground on New Year’s Day.
“Both of these games are really important to us in terms that they will really shape how we reflect on this first block of eleven games,” added Wilkins.
“Obviously you go out trying to win all your games but with the flow of the season and the flow of results we have had, both games are tremendously important for us.
“There is some rotation because there has been all season for us but the first thing this week was how to load up with the best 23 to win this game against Ulster.”
M Lowry; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Flannery, J Cooney; A Warwick, T Stewart, M Moore; K Treadwell, I Henderson; M Rea, S Reffell, N Timoney.
J Andrew, S Kitshoff, T O’Toole, A O’Connor, D Ewers, N Doak, J Postlethwaite, W Addison.
M Hansen; S Bolton, T Farrell, B Aki, B Ralston; J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, T McElroy, F Bealham; D Murray, J Joyce, C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, Sean O'Brien.
D Heffernan, P Dooley, J Aungier, G Thornbury, C Oliver, M McDonald, JJ Hanrahan, S Jennings.
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