Elwood's men can survive but Italians can almost taste breakthrough

RUGBY:ERIC ELWOOD said it best earlier this week: "I spoke to Joe Schmidt and David Humphreys at a meeting in Dublin – everyone realises that Aironi are making gains. It is only a matter of time and nobody wants to be the team that loses to them first."

Unfortunately, it seems perfectly set up for Connacht to be that team.

On St Patrick’s Day the winless Italian franchise made their first visit to the western rugby outpost known as the Sportground in Galway where pockets of snowfall greeted them.

The conditions dictated a messy encounter with Ian Keatley’s boot and a try earning a scrappy 11-6 win. It was Connacht’s fourth victory in five outings and leaves them snapping at the heals of seventh-placed Dragons.

It also leaves them poised for a hugely successful first season under Eric Elwood’s guidance.

The exodus of talent this summer is already well noted, but during the past few weeks a steady trickle of re-signings and captures, like former Shannon flanker Eoin Grace from the Exeter Chiefs, have been announced.

Seán Cronin returns to the starting XV after a meagre rationing of minutes off the Irish bench, while the under-20s campaign took its toll on promising backrowers Eoin Griffin and Shane Connelly. Johnny O’Connor continues to lead the side, although John Muldoon is straining to be released from the replacements.

Considering Aironi will be launching big Nick Williams at every opportunity, Muldoon may be needed to deny the Italians a historic first Magners League win.

Italian internationals Pablo Canavosio and Fabio Ongaro are also held in reserve for a big finish.

But Connacht are used to all this. They know it will take years to be seen as anything other than an easy scalp. They can squeeze out of this one, but it will be brutal.

AIRONI: G Rubini; K Robertson, M Pratichetti, G Pizarro, D Demas; J Marshall, T Tebaldi; J Furno, M Bortolami (capt); A De Marchi, R Santamaria, F Staibano; J Sole, G Krause, N Williams. Replacements: F Ongaro, A De Marchi, L Redolfini, G Biagi, N Cattina, P Canavosio, R Bocchino, H San Martin.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, T Nathan, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, M McCarthy; A Browne, J O’Connor (capt), R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, R Ah You, B Upton, J Muldoon, C Willis, K Matthews, S Monahan.

Referee: N Hennessy (WRU).

Verdict: Connacht to win.