RUGBY:CONNACHT COACH coach Eric Elwood has plumped for the majority of the side that beat Cavalieri Prato in the Amlin Challenge Cup a couple of weeks ago. Adrian Flavin replaces Seán Cronin, the latter on duty with Ireland, while Johnny O'Connor returns at flanker following injury and will captain the side. In one further change, Troy Nathan replaces Keith Matthews in the centre.
The province is bolstered by the confirmation that hooker Adrian Flavin, secondrow Michael Swift and flanker Ray Ofisa have all agreed new contracts. Connacht have a real chance to turn over the second-placed side in the Magners League table, given the Scarlets are missing nine players on international duty.
Scarlets have lost on their last eight visits to Ireland but that statistic is balanced slightly by the fact that Connacht have won only one of the teams’ last five meetings. Elwood’s team play an entertaining, expansive brand of rugby and hopefully conditions will allow them to continue in that vein in front of a television audience.
The home team are good enough to upset the formbook.
CONNACHT: G Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, T Nathan, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, J Hagan; M Swift, M McCarthy; A Browne, J O’Connor, (capt), M McComish. Replacements: D Murphy, R Ah You, B Upton, R Ofisa, C Willis, M Nikora, S Monahan.
SCARLETS: D Evans; D Daniel, R King, S Williams, G Maule; D Newton, M Roberts; I Thomas (capt), E Phillips, R Thomas; V Cooper, L Reed; R McCusker, J Edwards, B Morgan. Replacements: R Lawrence, S Gardiner, O Evans, J Fa’amatuainu, N Cudd, G Davies, O Williams, N Reynolds.
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
