Connacht and Munster battle it out for new year bragging rights in Galway

URC: Connacht v Munster, The Sportsground, Monday, 3.0 (Live on TG4 and Premier Sports)

Any temptation to raise a glass to absent friends will have to wait until after what promises to be an intriguing URC clash at a sold-out Sportsground. Injuries have depleted both teams, Munster to a greater extent, but in the circumstances, there are opportunities to be grasped for those with the aptitude to do so.

Connacht and Munster each succumbed to defeat last weekend, both tantalised by what might have been in their respective matches. The narrower the loss the more it burns in the aftermath because the result can be transformed in a moment here and there.

Pete Wilkins’s side trailed 17-7 with 20 minutes remaining in Belfast but tries from Shamus Hurley-Langton and Shayne Bolton saw them clamber back to 20-19 behind with 10 minutes to go. Ulster just about managed to fend off the visitors, Connacht left to rue a patchy first-half performance.

Wilkins makes six changes, four in the pack, where prop Peter Dooley, hooker Dave Heffernan, secondrow Joe Joyce and Jarrad Butler, who will wear the number eight jersey, are promoted to the run-on team. There are two alterations to the backline, JJ Hanrahan wins the coveted outhalf role, while a fit again Cathal Forde joins world player of the year nominee Bundee Aki in the centre.

The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times

---

Dan Sheehan refreshed and raring to go for semi-final showdown

---

Selling out Croke Park proves Leinster have broken the mould in terms of marketing their brand

---

Jack Willis relishing role in Toulouse’s relentless quest for success

---

The 22-year-old Forde’s brilliant start to the season is a huge fillip for his team and while he is playing slightly out of position, he may be able to mix and match with Aki on occasion. Forde’s footballing ability will enable him to cope. He’s up against Antoine Frisch, a key component when Munster’s attack is cohesive and fluent.

These matches are important indicators for Ireland coach Andy Farrell, especially with the announcement of an extended Six Nations squad imminent. There are a number of other duels that will be interesting to watch. Caolin Blade is another who has excelled, and the Connacht captain will carry the game management responsibility with Hanrahan.

Mack Hansen’s positioning at fullback has wider connotations while Byron Ralston and Bolton provide their team with a cutting edge in the wider channels. Head-to-heads are not always linear based on jersey number but it’ll be interesting to note whether Cian Prendergast or Tom Ahern enjoys the bigger influence on proceedings.

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree could legitimately feel cursed at this point given the injury profile in the squad, with centre Alex Nankivell, prop Dave Kilcoyne, hooker Diarmuid Barron and secondrow Edwin Edogbo the latest casualties following the 9-3 defeat to Leinster at Thomond Park.

There are seven changes and a positional switch from the last day. Eoghan Clarke makes his first start for Munster having acquitted himself well in difficult circumstances in the Leinster match. His carrying is a noted asset, a throwback to his CBC Monkstown schooldays where he played prop and number eight on occasion.

Jeremy Loughman is named at loosehead while Tadhg Beirne returns to captain the side and will be partnered by a fit-again Fineen Wycherley in the secondrow. Gavin Coombes switches to his more familiar position of number eight.

Ennis native Tony Butler gets a chance as Jack Crowley is rested following a heavy sequence of matches and the Munster academy prospect and former Irish 20s pivot will benefit from having Conor Murray alongside him at halfback.

Rory Scannell replaces the injured Nankivell at inside centre and if the need arises will cover outhalf as Rowntree has named Paddy Patterson, Seán O’Brien and Shay McCarthy on the bench. Munster, too, have plenty of firepower in the back three in Simon Zebo, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly.

The visitors know what to expect as forwards’ coach Andi Kyriacou outlined. “In terms of threats, they’ve got a very good set-piece, they’ve mauled well, and they understand the [4G] surface they play on very well and the threat they have in and around their set-piece on that surface.

“[They have] big midfield carriers, built their house on that physicality and we’ve got to be very much in the right head space to meet that.”

Munster have attacked superbly in games, been impressively resilient in others but they need to integrate those two into the one performance.

Connacht start as two-point favourites, and Wilkins’s decision to go with a 6-2 split on the bench indicates the type of game that he expects and perhaps a nod to the weather. The home side’s greater experience in a couple of key positions might just get them over the line.

CONNACHT: M Hansen; B Ralston, C Forde, B Aki, S Bolton; JJ Hanrahan, C Blade (capt); P Dooley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; D Murray, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler.

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, D Buckley, J Aungier, N Murray, O Dowling, M McDonald, J Carty, C Oliver.

MUNSTER: S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, R Scannell, S Daly; T Butler, C Murray; J Loughman, E Clarke, O Jager; F Wycherley, T Beirne (capt); T Ahern, J Hodnett, G Coombes.

Replacements: S Buckley, J Wycherley, J Ryan, J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, P Patterson, S O’Brien, S McCarthy.

Referee: C Busby (IRFU).

• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
• Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here