Lam rolls out Connacht's big guns for Chiefs test
Connacht head coach Pat Lam has been forced to reshuffle his side as he prepares to lose a number of starters to Joe Schmidt's camp next week. Picture credit: Barry Cregg / SPORTSFILE
Connacht face a major step up in intensity today as they look to claim just their third win on English soil in their 100th European game.
Their recent success was reflected in the increased number of players in the Ireland squad named this week and Pat Lam has been forced to reshuffle as he prepares to lose a number of starters to Joe Schmidt's camp next week.
Given the league is priority, he might have wanted to keep his powder dry on Robbie Henshaw, Nathan White and Darragh Leader, but instead all three start at Sandy Park (3.0) against an Exeter side featuring former Ireland underage fly-half Gareth Steenson and Fetu'u Vainikolo who spent part of last season with Connacht.
Having gotten off to a winning start last weekend, with Exeter losing, winger Danie Poolman says Connacht are not getting carried away by their hammering of an understrength La Rochelle.
"It was a 36-point win but our heads are not in the clouds because we could have improved a lot," the South African said.
"We showed a few clips in the review that we actually could have scored a few more tries, a few guys weren't in the right places, a few turnovers, a few missed tackles obviously we know we can improve on but when we executed and everyone did their part we did well so we are just looking to build on that.
Individual
"Everyone is just working on their skills and we are a lot more focused on individual skills as well then bringing it into team systems and it is just coming off at the moment."
Lam has made eight changes to his starting team, with prop White crowning a great week in which he was called into the Irish squad by being handed the captaincy. In all, there are five changes in the pack, Denis Buckley returns to take over from Ronan Loughney at loosehead.
Michael Swift and Mick Kearney replace Quinn Roux and former Exeter lock Aly Muldowney in the second-row.
Captain John Muldoon is rested with Andrew Browne making his first start of the campaign after returning from injury, while George Naoupu comes in for Eoin McKeon.
In the backline, Niyi Adeolokun takes over from Matt Healy on the right wing, and Dave McSharry reforms his partnership with Henshaw as Craig Ronaldson starts at No 10. A win would set them up nicely, but might be beyond them.
Verdict: Exeter Chiefs
EXETER CHIEFS - C Botha; J Nowell, H Slade, S Hill, M Jess; G Steenson, W Chudley; B Moon, J Yeandle (capt), M Low; D Armand, D Welch; D Ewers, B White, T Waldrom. Reps: E Taione, B Sturgess, T Francis, S Naqelevuki, K Horstmann, D Lewis, I Whitten, F Vainikolo.
CONNACHT - D Leader; N Adeolokun, R Henshaw, D McSharry, D Poolman; C Ronaldson, Ian Porter; D Buckley, J Harris-Wright, N White (capt); M Swift, M Kearney; A Browne, W Faloon, G Naoupu. Reps: D Heffernan, R Loughney, R Ah You, A Muldowney, D Qualter, C Blade, J Carty, F Carr.
