All you need to know: Connacht v Cardiff Challenge Cup

31 March 2025

All you need to know: Connacht v Cardiff Challenge Cup

Knockout rugby comes to Dexcom Stadium this weekend as focus turns to the Challenge Cup with Cardiff coming to town.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday's Round of 16 game.

When’s the game?

Kick-off is 20:00 at Dexcom Stadium.

How will the two teams line up?

The Connacht management team will announce their squad on Friday at midday when it will be named on connachtrugby.ie and the Connacht Rugby social channels.

State of play so far:

Connacht come into the knockout stages as the number seeds from the group stages. It was maximum points from their four games with a bonus point win in each including a 28-19 win away to Cardiff in the final pool game. The weekend gone saw Connacht play Munster at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in the URC with the southern province coming away with the win.

Cardiff travel to Galway having lost to Benetton in Treviso at the weekend. They won one of their four pool games in the Challenge Cup which was enough to see them qualify for the knockout round.

Results vs. Cardiff this season:

2024/25 - CON 24-19 CAR - URC 

2024/25 - CAR 19-28 CON - CHALLENGE CUP

Top try scorers:

8 - Ben Murphy

5 - Shamus Hurley-Langton and Paul Boyle

4 - Cathal Forde, Chay Mullins, Dave Heffernan, David Hawkshaw and Dylan Tierney-Martin

3 - Caolin Blade, Josh Murphy, Matthew Devine, Sean Jansen and Shayne Bolton

2 - Byron Ralston, Finn Treacy, Joe Joyce, Josh Ioane, Mack Hansen, Oisin Dowling, Piers O'Conor and Shane Jennings

1 - Adam McBurney, Eoin de Buitlear, Finlay Bealham, Jack Aungier, Santi Cordero and Sean O'Brien

Tickets:

Tickets available to buy here.