Tierney-Martin cautions Connacht against underestimating Montauban in must-win Challenge Cup clash

“They've individuals like Vaea Fafita. He's an unbelievable lineout operator, especially in defence. So there's huge threats across the park."

Sat, 17 Jan, 2026 - 06:19

John Fallon

Hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin said Connacht can take nothing for granted when they take on Top 14 basement side Montauban on Saturday in a game they need to win to ensure safe passage to the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup.

Two defeats in their three pool games, both of them suffered away to Ospreys and Montpellier when they coughed up substantial leads, have left Stuart Lancaster’s men going into their final match needing to win.

That should be easily achieved against a Montauban side who have lost all three pool games, including a home loss last weekend to Georgian selection side Black Lion who Connacht defeated 52-0, at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night but experienced hooker Tierney-Martin said they won’t under-estimate the reigning ProD2 champions who face Perpignan in a relegation clash next week.

“Look, they've got great players and they are a good team. I know it’s being said they're struggling, but there's still loads there in terms of the shape they play in. And what they've put out in the Top 14, it hasn't been as bad as maybe the table looks for them.

“They've individuals like Vaea Fafita. He's an unbelievable lineout operator, especially in defence. So there's huge threats across the park. This week, more so than anything, we're just kind of looking to build on what that was on the weekend and kind of keep that going, get some momentum back into our performances. It’s five points and we're at home. That's what we expect at home. And five points is the only thing that’s going to get us into the knockout,” said the 26-year-old.

Connacht produced some of their best rugby of the season in Montpellier but while they didn’t close out the deal, Tierney-Martin said they are heading in the right direction.

“What we see on the training pitch, it's hard for the fans to see that. We've been frustrated over the last few weeks with results and last few months even with results. But what we've seen on the weekend is what we see day in, day out here.

The effort and the drive and the will, the want to win. I think we'll start to see more performances like we did on the weekend.

“Stuart's come in, he's been unbelievable from day one since he's come in. And I think the biggest difference with him is just the standards that he demands are way higher than what, not what previously, but it's just a lot more that he wants from us. And that's going to take teething time.

“The performance on the weekend was a lot more like what you'd expect from us and what we expect from ourselves and what we see day in, day out. And the guys that are younger come in and they just have a fresh energy because sometimes it is hard to shake those kind of déjà vu moments, I guess, from the scars of before.

“But, definitely, it is more like what we expect. Now, it's not the end result of what we expect, but there was definitely the intangibles, I'd call them, was more what we'd expect, just the fight, the will, something goes wrong. Like there was a stage there in the first half where I think we had three maul defences and we gave away a penalty. But everyone just stuck to plan and there was just that heart, that willingness to not let them pass. And then we get that turnover and you can see the energy that that brings throughout the team. And that's a bit more like what we're looking for,” added Tierney-Martin.

Connacht have made three changes to the side that narrowly lost to Montpellier with Dave Heffernan, Matthew Devine and Jack Carty returning from injury to come into the starting XV.

Heffernan joins Billy Bohan and Sam Illo in the front row with Darragh Murray and Josh Murphy continuing in the engine room. Captain Cian Prendergast, Paul Boyle and Sean Jansen complete the pack.

Carty and Devine partner at half-back with Harry West and Cathal Forde partnering again in centre field. Sam Gilbert, Shane Jennings and Finn Treacy complete the starting line-up.

Elsewhere, Richie Murphy has a new look Ulster side to that which was due to play against the Cheetahs last weekend. Iain Henderson returns to captain the side with Harry Sheridan, David McCann, Nathan Doak, Zac Ward and James Hume all named to start again this weekend. Angus Bell, Tom Stewart and Tom O'Toole make up the front row with Sheridan and Henderson in the engine room. Nick Timoney and Bryn Ward join McCann in the back row.

Doak parters Jack Murphy with Stuart McCloskey and Hume in midfield. Zack Ward, Robert Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale complete the starting XV.

CONNACHT: S Gilbert; S Jennings, H West, C Forde, F Treacy; J Carty, M Devine; B Bohan, D Heffernan, S Illo; D Murray, J Murphy; C Prendergast (C), P Boyle, S Jansen.

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, D Buckley, J Aungier, J Joyce, S O’Brien, B Murphy, S Naughton, S Walsh.

MONTAUBAN: J Seux, G Asaeli, S Renda, M Mathy, P Vallee, J Bosviel, H Zabalza, L Seyrolle, M da Costa, S Mafileo, C Bitz, L Bean, F Quercy (c), T Uanivi, N Ma'afu.

Replacements: R-H Greyling, L Aouf, N Kanika, K Wilkins, M Castel, T Fortunel, G Popoali'i, F Pomponio.

ULSTER: J Stockdale; R Baloucoune, J Hume, S McCloskey, Z Ward; J Murphy, N Doak; A Bell, T Stewart, T O’Toole; I Henderson (C), H Sheridan; D McCann, N Timoney, B Ward.

Replacements: R Herring, E O’Sullivan, S Wilson, M Dalton, S Reffell, C McKee, J Flannery, J Postlethwaite.

STADE FRANÇAIS: M Ibo, C Laloi, J Ward (c), T Vili, L Etien, Z Henry, P Abadie, J Iscaro, A Garcia Albo, G Melikidze, P-H Azagoh, J Botha, J-M Scelzo, M Hirigoyen, Y Tanga.

Replacements: L Peyresblanques, Y Lux, S Abramishvili, S Turagacoke, T Halaifonua, T Motassi, L Foursans-Bourdette, S Ezeala.