Castlebar set to host historic Rugby clash between Connacht and Munster
There is great excitement in the air as Hastings Insurance MacHale Park is set to host a Rugby clash, the first of its kind, this coming Saturday afternoon. This United Rugby Championship affair is set to take place in front of a much larger crowd than what Connacht would be familiar with. The venue in County Mayo will welcome 26,000 spectators in what will no doubt bring an epic atmosphere to Mayo’s County town. Tickets for this match were sold out in a matter of hours, with keen sports fans eager to witness the historic clash.
As the Dexcom Stadium only caters for 4,000 spectators, this venue represents a massive increase in attendance, which Connacht Rugby, Mayo GAA, and the surrounding towns will welcome with significant economic benefits evident.
The game itself is also a huge one, with both teams having their eyes on a top eight finish in the Championship. The men in green are coming into this clash with a narrow defeat last time out, where they fell short against Ospreys in a high-scoring affair. The visitors have also been struggling of late, with them coming up short against Edinburgh and also Glasgow Warriors most recently. It’s worth noting that in the past seven clashes between these two teams, the home side has come out victorious on every occasion. Could this be an omen for Connacht? Although they are technically playing outside their regular stadium, the local crowd will surely have a part to play.
With the Six Nations coming to an end recently, both provinces will welcome back some key players, who they will be hoping to give their side a significant boost. Connacht will have Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Finlay Bealham, and captain Cian Prendergast raring to go, while Munster will have Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Peter O’Mahony, Craig Casey, and Oli Jager available for this “Test in the West.”
“Top eight is everything. We’ve got a massive five games left, and if we’re being realistic, we need to win all five, so we will be taking each day as it comes, and our focus has just been on Connacht on Saturday,” Munster skills coach Mossy Lawlor stated. The former Connacht attack and skills coach spent eight seasons working with the men in green, so he will know what to expect come Saturday. Lawlor also touched on the occasion by saying, “You always try to dig into the emotional or passionate side of things. Connacht is a real community club with massive buy-in from their supporters from all over the province. So, to get an opportunity to move the game away from the Sportsground, which at the moment is only holding 4,000, to go to a stadium to play against Munster, where you’re going to get the bones of 26,000, I think is a no-brainer. The occasion is just going to be huge for the province as a whole.”
It’s sure to be an amazing spectacle, with history awaiting; a competitive game is expected.
Verdict: Munster to win in a close game, with their returning players sure to give them a massive boost.
Players to watch:
Connacht: Caolan Blade, Ben Murphy and Bundee Aki
Munster: Gavin Coombes, Calvin Nash, Sean O’Brien
Where can you watch the game? The game will be televised on both TG4 and Premier Sports
Kick-Off Time: 14:30
Referee: Andrew Brace
Match Odds: Connacht 7/5, Munster 4/7
