| Connacht go for win against former Heineken Cup winners |
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| Written by John Fallon | |
| Wednesday, 10 January 2007 | |
Connacht coach Michael Bradley says that victory over Bath next Friday
night at the Sportsground (7 pm) would be an important win for his side
even though they are out of contention in the European Challenge Cup.
Last gasp defeats at home to Harlequins and away to Bath left Connacht
hanging by a thread as they tried to reach the quarter-finals of the
competition for the fifth year in a row.But defeat away to Montpellier last time out has left them with little to play for against Bath and then away to Harlequins the following week. "These two games are important to us. We have come out the wrong side of several tight results this season and we need to get back to a winning habit. "The top spot in the pool is a battle between Bath and Harlequins and that means they will be going with full throttle against us. "That is a good opportunity for us to measure where we are and to get back to winning ways. "Both Bath and Harlequins are quality sides but we should have beaten both of them. It was a bad blow getting caught at the death both times. "In many ways we could be top of the pool but we aren't and what we must now do is make these matches count for something. "We might not be going to the quarter-finals or beyond this season but it would compensate to get a couple of performances and results from these games. "After all Bath were in the Heineken Cup semi-finals last year and are former winners of the competition, while Harlequins have twice won the European Challenge Cup," said Bradley. Fans have been asked to purchase tickets in advance of the clash with 400 Bath supporters travelling over for their first ever game in Connacht. Connacht will have to do without three regulars with Keith Matthews out for the season after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury against Munster. Teak-tough flanker John Muldoon played on despite cracking his cheek bone but he will now face four to six weeks on the sideline. Lock forward David Gannon will be out for a similar period after damaging ankle ligaments early in the same game. "Injuries are part and parcel of rugby and it is just a matter of dealing with them. They are three key players and they will bounce back. "An opportunity has now arisen for others to stake their claim and I am sure they will over the coming weeks," added Bradley. |
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