| Connacht to renew Northampton rivalry | |||||
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 The date and time of the game at Franklin’s Garden will be decided shortly — the tie will go ahead on the weekend starting on April 10. This will be the third time that Connacht and Northampton have locked horns in the competition — and the tie will rekindle happy memories for Connacht fans follow a superb double success in 1997-98. The sides first met in the 1996-97 season when Northampton were successful on a 31-11 scoreline at the Sportsground. But the following season Connacht, coached by Warren Gatland, scored magnificent wins at the Sportsground (43-13) and at Franklin’s Garden (20-15) to qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time. Northampton were the first English team that Connacht played in European competition and since that meeting in the inaugural season of what is now the European Challenge Cup, Connacht have played English sides many times — Orrell (once), Sale Sharks (4 times), Harlequins (4), Worcester Warriors (2), Newcastle Falcons (3), Bath (2) and London Irish (2). |
| Last Updated ( Sunday, 25 January 2009 23:49 ) |  |
