European Challenge Cup Preview: Pool 2

Pool  2 is very much a two-horse race as we enter into the final two weekends of games.  Exeter Chiefs lead the way with 16 points but they are closely followed by Connacht with 14 points as they meet this weekend at the Sportsground. The group is completed with French sides Bayonne and La Rochelle who are out of the running and are now playing for pride.

Connacht welcome Exeter Chiefs to the Sportsground as they look to continue their fine home form this season with a win against the Chiefs. However Connacht go into the game on the back of a defeat to Edinburgh with the Scottish side ending their unbeaten home record this season. As for the Chiefs they suffered defeat with the last kick of the game last weekend with Shane Geraghty’s drop-goal winning it for London Irish. This will be Exeter’s first visit to Ireland in the competition and will look to all but secure their place in the knockout stages with a win on Sunday. Pat Lam’s side though have beaten the likes of Leinster and Munster at home this season and will look to produce another fine performance as they look to go top of pool 2.

The other pool game is an all French affair with Bayonne at home to La Rochelle. With both these sides out of contention for a place in the last eight, it is expected that the management of both sides will not put out their strongest sides as they look to rest their best players for the league campaign. Bayonne go into this game having lost their last two games to French sides which included a defeat to La Rochelle earlier on in the competition. As for La Rochelle they have won three of their last four games against French sides in Europe with their only defeat coming against Clermont Auvergne in 2011. These side may be out of the running for a quarter-final place but neither will want to finish bottom of the pool with a competitive game of Rugby expected on Saturday.