Connacht v Sharks - Teams and Prediction
PREVIEW: Connacht and the Sharks square off in the Round of 16 for a place in the Challenge Cup quarterfinals in Galway.
There is a sense of deja vu with the Sharks out to repeat their Challenge Cup heroics of two seasons ago.
The script is almost identical. In 2024, the Sharks shifted their focus to the Challenge Cup after a dismal United Rugby Championship season.
They reaped the rewards to become the first South African team to lift European silverware.
This season, they still have a mathematical shot at making the URC play-offs after an underwhelming start under former head coach John Plumtree, but they showed decent form and grit under new mentor JP Pietersen.
But should they defeat Connacht, they might shift their attention towards prioritising the Challenge Cup over the URC as the weeks progress.
Connacht, on the other hand, also hit a decent run of form in the URC after a slow start, winning their last five games on the bounce, including a victory against the table-topping Glasgow Warriors.
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Gilbert 🚀#OneConnacht pic.twitter.com/vi991Xm2jw
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) April 1, 2026
They will enter this match full of confidence and use their home ground advantage to the best of their abilities, as teams historically struggled to win in Galway.
Conditions have been notoriously tough for visiting teams, and this Friday will be no different, with wind of 27 kilometres an hour and 72 percent humidity expected.
This clash marks Connacht’s 14th knockout appearance as they continue their hunt for a maiden title.
The Sharks won four out of their last six games in the URC, including a massive 45-0 victory over Munster and two dominant displays over the Stormers, which puts them in good standing to progress to the quarterfinals.
Connacht, however, hold the upper hand, having defeated the Sharks in four of their last five meetings, with the Sharks still looking for their first win in Galway.
The winner of this clash will either face Perpignan or Montpellier in the quarterfinals, with Montpellier the hot favourites.
Pietersen named a team of youth and experience, with Bok stalwart Eben Etzebeth returning after his suspension.
The Sharks mentor said he doesn’t expect Etzebeth to shoot the lights out in his first game back, but has no doubt that the most capped Bok will raise the team’s standards and put on a solid performance.
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“Eben is a highly experienced guy and will probably go down as one of the great Springbok players.
“He’s professional, does his job, leads well and helps where he can, and has a standard he holds everyone accountable to.
“You can also see the group rising to the standard he brings.
“From us as a coaching staff, there’s no pressure on him to perform.
“But as competitive as he is, he will showcase what he can bring, and we’re excited to have him back. His presence means a lot to us as a group.”
Pietersen highlighted the threats Connacht possesses and what he expects from the Sharks to combat them.
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“I know [Stuart] Lancaster a bit from my background with Leicester Tigers.
“They’re a good side in terms of their phase attack, which can put us under pressure by holding onto the ball.
“But what stands out for us is how we’re going to be disciplined in our defensive system, and also not to give penalties away and not to concede territory.
“They’re a good kicking outfit and [love] playing out wide.
“They also have a decent pack that’s good at set piece when they get into the 22.
“It will be a good challenge. If the weather is funny…it looks like it will be windy, which makes the [coin] toss important.”
Sharks loose forward, and captain Nick Hatton expressed his and the team’s excitement for this clash and conceded that it is a tough place to play, but that the Sharks are ready for the challenge.
“We’re really excited for this game, it’s knockout rugby, and we know we need to win to progress further in the tournament,” he said on arrival in Ireland.
“We’re excited for this opportunity, but we know it’s not an easy place to go play. However, we believe in our systems, and we also believe we have a good chance to do something special there.
“We know it will be tough there, but it is always tough against Connacht. However, we’re really up for this exciting challenge.
“We know it’s going to take a team and squad effort, because these two competitions demand a strong squad on both fronts,” Hatton explained.
“So we’re looking forward to what we can put out on Friday night.
“We’ll be giving everything to get the result in our favour.”
Connacht head coach Lancaster said his team is ready to go up against a highly motivated Sharks side and hopes to build on their recent winning streak.
“Tomorrow [Friday] is a change of focus for us, but one we’re really looking forward to.
“There’s always an edge to knockout rugby, especially against a South African side like the Sharks, who have x-factor quality across the pitch and a new and motivated coaching team.
“The support of the fans has played a big part in this winning run we’ve been on, so I’m sure we’ll see more of that brilliant support again tomorrow as we aim to go deep in the competition.”
Prediction
Rugby365: Connacht by 10 points
Teams
Connacht: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Shane Jennings, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Chay Mullins, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Matthew Devine, 8 Cian Prendergast, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Darragh Murray, 4 Joe Joyce, 3 Sam Illo, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Billy Bohan
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Niall Murray, 20 Paul Boyle, 21 Colm Reilly, 22 Sean Naughton, 23 John Devine
Sharks: 15 Hakeem Kunene, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Le Roux Malan, 12 Marnus Potgieter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Nick Hatton (captain), 7 Jannes Potgieter, 6 Tino Mavesere, 5 Deon Slabbert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Ethan Bester, 17 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Corné Rahl, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Ceano Everson, 22 Siya Masuku, 23 Ethan Hooker
Date: Friday, April 3
Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off: 20.00 (21.00 SAST; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ru Campbell (Scotland), Rob McDowell (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
