Connacht v Dragons:CONNACHT SEEM destined to be the fourth Irish team in the Magners League again but with next week's away match against Northampton in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup in mind they will be looking for something positive from their meeting with Newport Dragons in Galway. Les Kiss, the Ireland defensive coach, was with the squad during the week to add some final detail.
Coach Michael Bradley has made four changes. Niva Ta’auso and Frank Murphy have overcome their respective hamstring and calf injuries to start in the backline, while up front, Ronan Loughney comes in at tighthead prop and Johnny O’Connor returns to the starting line-up at openside flanker.
Gavin Duffy moves from outside centre to fullback, making way for Ta’auso, and Andrew Browne moves to his more familiar position in the secondrow. Ray Ofisa starts for Connacht for the first time at number eight.
Dragons coach Paul Turner is without Dubai Sevens World Cup winner Tom Isaacs, who has a hip injury, while Aled Brew is set to make his first start since returning to the region. Brew is part of the Welsh World Cup winning trio including Tal Selley and Isaacs, who have been named in the squad. “We’ve prepared really well for this game,” said Turner. “Connacht are a very good side on their home patch . . . but (we) are buoyed by our recent form and a great spirit within the camp.”
Connacht beat Dragons twice last season in what is this season a bottom-versus-second-from-bottom clash.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; F Carr, N Ta'auso, K Matthews, L Bibo; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Loughney; A Browne, A Farley; J Muldoon (capt), J O'Connor, R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, B McGovern, M Swift, C Rigney, C O'Loughlin, A Dunne, T Nathan.
Newport:K Morgan; R Fussell, R Sidey, A Smith, A Brew; J Tovey, W Evans; H Gustafson, T Willis (capt), R Thomas, S Tomes, L Charteris, H MacDonald, R Parks, J Bearman. Replacements: S Jones, N Hall, A Jones, D Lydiate, M Thomas, S Connor, R Lewis.
Referee:Neil Paterson (Scotland).
Verdict:Connacht win.
Venue: Sportsground
Kick-off: 6.30 pm
