Struggling Connacht need a boost as French Top 14 outfit Lyon roll into town
By JOHN FALLON
CONNACHT will take a break from their URC woes and turn their attention to a Challenge Cup campaign where they have eased to two bonus point wins and will be expected to take all five points when Lyon come to Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night (8pm).
Lyon have also won both their opening games but they are involved in a relegation battle in the Top 14 and are set to send their second team to Galway.
The French club, despite having what is believed to be the fifth highest playing budget in the Top 14, moved to tenth at the weekend after scoring an invaluable 17-12 win over Perpignan in a relegation tussle but they remain just three points from safety. The sides met this time last year in the Champions Cup when Lyon scored a 34-20 win in France.
Connacht will hope to have top spot secured before they head to Cardiff next week and they are boosted for this weekend by the availability of hooker Dave Heffernan, who missed the dismal loss pre-Christmas home loss to Ulster with a calf injury, along with lock Joe Joyce (foot) and back rower Oisin McCormack (calf).
Lock Darragh Murray is out with an achilles injury while a hamstring injury rules out back rower Sean O’Brien as Connacht bid to back up their bonus point wins at home to Zebre and away to Perpignan against the French side.
“I think any time we play a French opponent, particularly here in Galway, we feel confident,” said head coach Pete Wilkins who acknowledged they need a response after falling to a third successive URC loss when they went down to Ulster before Christmas.
“I think that was part of my disappointment from the Ulster game as I felt we've grown past the point of not performing to our expectations. You’re not going to win every week but you want to at least get close to maximizing your potential. And we didn't. And that was at the heart of my disappointment on the night.”
Connacht's fit-again Dave Heffernan who increases their options for Saturday's European Challenge Cup tie against Lyon at Dexcom Stadium.