Challenge Cup, Round Four - teams and predictions
FRIDAY PREVIEW: With the stakes high for all teams, expect fireworks in these final fixtures as teams push for the highest ranking possible to secure home knock-outs, while other scrap to continue their journeys.
Cardiff and Connacht will lock horns at the Arms Park as one of two season-defining Friday night clashes.
Having beaten Lyon with a bonus point in Round Three, the visitors secured a place in the Round of 16 and will be aiming for the highest possible rankings for a home knock-out match.
The visitors travel to Galway needing to win to secure qualification, but a bonus point win could put them in with a chance of a home play-off which will serve as extra motivation given that the Final will be held just next door at the Millennium Stadium.
At the same time Montpellier travel to England to face Newcastle Falcons, having already qualified thanks to a bonus point victory over the Lions, which effectively will see the French outfit hunt for a high ranking.
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Cardiff v Connacht
( Arms Park – Kick-off 20.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Cardiff by 4 points
Teams
Cardiff: 15 Jacob Beetham, 14 Gabe Hamer-Webb, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Ben Thomas (captain), 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Rhys Barratt
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Seb Davies, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Cam Winnett
Connacht: 15 Santiago Cordero, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Byron Ralston, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Ben Murphy, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast (captain), 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Josh Murphy, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Hefferman, 1 Peter Dooley.
Replacements: 16 Eoin de Buitlear, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Sean Jansen, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 David Hawkshaw.
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Newcastle Falcons v Montpellier
(Kingston Park – Kick-off 20.00; 21.00 French time, 20.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Montpellier by 15 points
Teams
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Louis Brown, 14 Ben Redshaw, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Oli Spencer, 11 Max Pepper, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 James Elliott, 8 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 6 Reuben Parsons, 5 John Hawkins, 4 Philip van der Walt (captain), 3 Murray McCallum, 2 Bryan Byrne, 1 Mike Rewcastle
Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Connor Hancock, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 Kiran McDonald Seran, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Max Clark
Montpellier: 15 Julien Tisseron, 14 Pierre Lucas, 13 Thomas Darmon, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Gabriel N’Gandebe, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Alexis Bernadet, 8 Sam Simmonds (captain), 7 Alex Becognee, 6 Romain Delemarle, 5 Marco Tauleigne, 4 Youssouf Soucouna, 3 Mohamed Haouas, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 1 Baptiste Erdocio
Replacements: 16 Lyam Akrab, 17 Nika Abuladze, 18 Wilfrid Hounkpatin, 19 Florian Verhaeghe, 20 Nicolas Martins, 21 Aurelien Barreau, 22 Auguste Cadot, 23 Anthony Bouthier.
Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy)
Assistant referees: Alberto Favaro (Italy), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
