URC LIVE scores: Connacht vs Sharks

Connacht vs Sharks: URC LIVE scores.

The Sharks are out to back up their recent good results in Durban on the road albeit with a much-changed matchday squad.

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Connacht vs Sharks: URC LIVE scores

Defending the changes

The Sharks have made a number of big changes suggesting they are prepared to sacrifice this fixture.

Director of Rugby Neill Powell had his say.

“It is important for us to manage our squad well and it is part of our rotational policy,” said the Sharks boss.

“If you look at our travelling schedule over the next few weeks, we play Connacht away, then Bordeaux back here in Durban and then Harlequins away.

“I can’t imagine one team having to travel and play all those games.

“We are in an 11-game block where we only played six and we got another five left.

“For us to get the team and the coaching staff to have energy when we reach games 10 and 11 we needed to rotate and we needed to manage the squad a little bit.

“We identified this trip to Connacht as one of the weeks where we can use the rotational policy and create a bit of squad depth and also coaching experience.”

Connacht vs Sharks: Teams

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran. 14 John Porch. 13 Tom Farrell. 12 Cathal Forde. 11 Mack Hansen. 10 Jack Carty (captain). 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Darragh Murray, 4 Oisín Dowling, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Shane Delahunt, 1 Denis Buckley.

Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin. 17 Jordan Duggan. 18 Dominic Robertson-McCoy. 19 Leva Fifita, 20 Cian Prendergast, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Conor Fitzgerald, 23 Byron Ralston.

Sharks: 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Murray Koster, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Marnus Potgieter, 10 Nevaldo Fleurs, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Celimpilo Gumede, 7 Henco Venter, 6 James Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo (captain), 4 Thembelani Bholi, 3 Carlü Sadie, 2 Fezo Mbatha, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Ockie Barnard, 20 Corne Rahl, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Lionel Cronje, 23 Ethan Hooker.

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)

Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)

TMO: Wayne Davies (Wales)