Border Reivers v Connacht: Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made four changes to the team that lost narrowly to Leinster last time out. Top try scorer Conor McPhillips has recovered from a groin injury that forced him to miss the Leinster game and replaces the injured John Hearty, who broke a jaw in that match.
Andrew Mailei comes into the side at outside centre as former Ireland Under 21 international Keith Matthews has not shaken off an injury. A third change behind the scrum sees David Slemen preferred to top points scorer Paul Warwick at outhalf. Another change sees Matt Lacey replace the injured Brendan O'Connor in the backrow.
Border Reivers coach Steve Bates said his team will relish a first home match following a nine-week layoff.
"We are really looking forward to this challenge having only played three games since our last home game in January against L'Aquila in the European Challenge Cup.
"Connacht are a very good side and have been well rested throughout the international period so they should be in top form coming into this game."
Scottish internationals Scott MacLeod and Bruce Douglas return to Reivers duty along with seven others involved with the Scotland squad throughout the Six Nations Championship.
Simon Danielli and Semo Sititi also return to Netherdale after they turned out for the Barbarians last Friday at Welford Road, when Danielli scored two spectacular solo efforts from halfway in a 52-42 win over Leicester Tigers.
Connacht were unfortunate not to take more from a spirited display that saw them push Leinster to the limit before losing 16-13. They may be 10 points adrift at the bottom of the table but are a better team than that statistic suggests.
Bradley will have stressed not alone the importance of this match but the importance of producing back-to-back performances. The Irish province take on Newcastle in the European Challenge Cup the following weekend and will want to lay down a marker this week. Connacht have won twice in three previous visits to Netherdale.
To maintain a winning sequence they will require a decent team performance where more will be expected of players like Ray Hogan, John Fogarty and Chris Keane all of whom played a part in the recent Ireland A victory over England.
Connacht have got to make that pronounced step between being competitive and winning.
BORDER REIVERS: S Moffat; S Danielli, B MacDougall, C MacRae, N Walker; G Townsend, B McKerchar; P Thomson (capt), S Scott, B Douglas; S MacLeod, O Palepoi; K Brown, A Miller, S Sititi. Replacements: W Kay, T McGee, G Cross, J Dalziel, J Weston, S Gray, J King.
CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, A Mailei, M McHugh, D Yapp; D Slemen, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, A Clarke; D Gannon, A Farley; J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: J Merrigan, S Knoop, C Short, M Swift, C O'Loughlin, P Warwick, G Williams.
Referee: J Jones (Wales).
Recent meetings - March 2004 (CL) at Netherdale: Border Reivers 40 Connacht 29; October 2004 (CL) at Sportsground: Connacht 29 Border Reivers 27; January 2005 (CL) at Netherdale: Border Reivers 9 Connacht 18; September 2005 (CL) at Sportsground: Connacht 15 Border Reivers 17.
Top points scorers: Borders - Charlie Hore 116. Connacht - Paul Warwick 93. Leading try scorers: Borders - Nikki Walker 5. Connacht - Conor McPhillips 4. Forecast: Connacht to win.
Border Reivers v Connacht
Netherdale, 7.30
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