Dara Bradley

ALL the action may have been off field for Connacht Rugby so far this week but the attention focuses back to the pitch tonight as Michael Bradley’s men – yes, he’s still in charge regardless of Wednesday’s unveiling of new coach Eric Elwood – host Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground (8pm).

With just two wins from 10 attempts in this year’s competition, Connacht will be desperate to record a victory and get their League campaign back on track even if, in reality, their season will be judged on their European Cup record and not whether or not they finish bottom of the Magners League.

April’s Cup quarter-final home clash with Bourgoin must be the priority but in terms of gathering momentum and getting into the habit of winning again, Connacht could badly do with a win tonight.
Connacht have not beaten a Scottish side since the 15-8 win over Glasgow at the Sportsground in September 2008 and reversing that ugly statistic will be tough given at least two of Bradley’s regular starters and top players – Ray Ofisa and Niva Ta’auso – have been ruled out through injury.

The Corkman has made five changes to the team that narrowly lost to the Ospreys last month with Aidan Wynne coming in instead of Ta’auso to partner Keith Matthews in the centre and Johnny O’Connor returns to the back row for Ofisa.

Frank Murphy comes back in at scrum-half renewing his partnership with out-half Ian Keatley; with full-back Gavin Duffy and wingers Troy Nathan and Fionn Carr completing the backline.

Prop Jamie Hagan gets the nod ahead of Robbie Morris, who moves to the bench, with Brett Wilkinson and Seán Cronin completing the front-row while Mike McCarthy comes back into the second row along with Michael Swift. Conor O’Loughlin, Dermot Murphy, Liam Bibo and Andrew Browne were also not consider due to injuries.

Despite the province’s impressive European Cup record this season, Connacht’s last Magners League victory was more than four months ago when they overcame the Scarlets 16-10 at home on October 30.
Connacht have lost their last three Magners League clashes since then, away to Cardiff Blues (21-9) and Munster (35-3) in December and to the Ospreys (19-17) in Swansea in February, although the westerners should have won the latter match and can take heart from the performance in Wales, particularly their scrummaging.

The Warriors have named a weakened team with top international players Chris Cusiter, Dan Parks, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison, Alastair Kellock, John Barclay, Kelly Brown and Johnnie Beattie, all rested ahead of their country’s Six Nations tie with England at Murrayfield.

But the visitors still travel with a strong side with the likes of Dougie Hall and Tim Barker in the pack and Colin Shaw and captain Mark McMillan in the backs. The Warriors, who lie second in the table a couple of points behind leaders Ospreys, are unbeaten in their last four away encounters in the Magners League but have never before managed a sequence of five league away games without losing.
Connacht will be anxious to get back to winning ways – if for no other reason than to boost the crowd and gate receipts for their six, and possibly seven, remaining home fixtures.

The last five games between these two sides have all been won by the home side and that should remain the case tonight.
Connacht: G. Duffy, T. Nathan, K. Matthews, A. Wynne, F. Carr, I. Keatley, F. Murphy; B. Wilkinson, S. Cronin, J. Hagan, M. Swift, M. McCarthy, J. Muldoon, J. O’Connor, G. Naoupu. Replacements: A. Flavin, R. Morris, B. Upton, M. McComish, K. Campbell, M. Nikora, B. Tuohy.

Warriors: B. Stortoni, C. Shaw, P. Murchie, P. Horne, D. van der Merwe, R. Jackson, M. McMillan; J. Welsh, D. Hall, E. Kalman, T. Barker, D. Turner, J. Eddie, C. Forrester, R. Vernon.