Captain Cian Prendergast returns as Connacht make five change for Racing challenge

TEAM NEWS: Skipper Cian Prendergast has been passed fit to play and give Connacht a huge boost as they try to reach the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup for the first time in 15 years when they take on Racing 92 at Dexcom Stadium this Saturday night (8pm). Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Skipper Cian Prendergast has been passed fit to play and give Connacht a huge boost as they try to reach the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup for the first time in 15 years when they take on Racing 92 at Dexcom Stadium this Saturday night (8pm).

Prendergast has recovered from the head injury which saw him stretchered off against Munster in Castlebar two weeks ago and comes into a side showing five changes from that which ousted Cardiff 35-20 last weekend.

Connacht have played more games in Europe’s second tier competition than any other side but three semi-final appearances is as far as they have gone.

But with home advantage also in the bag against either Ospreys or Lyon if they get past a Racing 92 side struggling in the Top 14, this is a glorious opportunity for Connacht to take another step towards lifting a second trophy in their history.

Winning in the Challenge Cup is really Connacht’s best route into the Champions Cup next season when the €40m redevelopment of the Sportsground is completed, but they will have their work cut out against a Racing side who are coming with a fairly strong side.

French centre Gaël Fickou has not been included while former English captain Owen Farrell and veteran French internationals Romain Taofifenua and Henry Chavancy are on the bench.

Cullie Tucker, who has stepped up to take charge with head coach Pete Wilkins remaining on sick leave, said the key for them was to get their own game right rather than get too concerned about who will feature for the Parisians.

“I think we just have to concentrate on ourselves. Racing's squad is so big, and it's so packed with quality that they could bring any number of teams. We've got to be massively focused on the threats they bring, Le Garrec, Owen Farrell, Fickou, the list goes on and on, Tuisova, so there's loads of quality. Whatever they bring over will be stacked with quality. It's being aware of their threats but focusing on our own structures and systems.

“You're coming up against combinations you're not used to coming up against. There's that bit of an unknown to it.

“When you rattle off the names you can see the challenge that they possess, the quality they have in their squad, but also how exciting it is to play against the international quality they have and test themselves at that level,” said Tucker.

Connacht have made five changes, two of them at the back with Shane Jennings coming on to the right wing in place of Shayne Bolton, while Ben Murphy returns from a finger injury which kept him out for two months and he takes over from Matthew Devine at scrum-half.

Up front the return of Prendergast sees Josh Murphy move to the second row where Joe Joyce also returns and they take over from Oisin Dowling and Darragh Murray.

Denis Buckley gets the nod at loosehead in place of Jordan Duggan, with Peter Dooley, set for his 50th Connacht cap, providing cover on a bench which has a five-two split.

CONNACHT: M Hansen; S Jennings, H Gavin, B Aki, F Treacy; JJ Hanrahan, B Murphy; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Murphy, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen. 

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, P Dooley, J Aungier, O Dowling, P Boyle, M Devine, J Ioane, C Forde.

RACING 92: S James; W Naituvi, V Habosi, J Tuisova, M Spring (c); D Lancaster, N le Garrec; E Ben Arous, D Escobar, D Bamba; B Palu, W Rowlands; M Baudonne, J Kpoku, J Joseph. 

Replacements: R Couly, G Gogichashvili, L Leota, R Taofifenua, S Manyarara, D Taofifenua, O Farrell, H Chavancy.

Referee: Christophe Ridley (England).