RABODIRECT PRO12

In a night of farewells, Connacht bring the curtain down on this season’s RaboDirect Pro12 tonight when they entertain semi-finalists Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground.

Johnny O’Connor will wear the Connacht number seven jersey one last time tomorrow night.

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made four personnel changes from the team that lost to Ulster last weekend for tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Treviso at the Sadio di Monigo (8.30pm).

Andrew Trimble knows what to expect when he travels to the Sportsground this evening for the big RaboDirect Pro12 derby battle where there is more than bragging rights up for grabs.

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has rewarded the players who produced an impressive 32-24 win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield last weekend by naming an unchanged team for tomorrow’s league meeting with Ulster the Sportsground (7.45pm).

RABODIRECT PRO12: Edinburgh 24 Connacht 32

Veteran lock Michael Swift has recovered from injury to take his place alongside Mike McCarthy in the second row for Connacht’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Edinburgh at Murrayfield tomorrow (7.30pm).

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made four personnel and two positional changes to his pack for tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 encounter with Treviso.

It is 12 years since Connacht came away from Cardiff Arms Park with a win, and coach Eric Elwood says that needs to change when the sides meet this evening in the RaboDirect Pro12 (7.30pm).

After coming through 65 minutes in last weekend’s victory over Ospreys unscathed Connacht skipper Gavin Duffy will lead the province from the start in tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 showdown against Cardiff Blues at Arms Park.

Flanker John Muldoon (pictured) is thrilled to be finally starting his first match tonight for Connacht since October.

Robbie Henshaw returns to provincial duty and is one of three changes Connacht boss Eric Elwood has made to his starting XV for tomorrow night’s clash with the Ospreys at the Sportsground (7.45pm).

RaboDirect PRO12: Scarlets v Connacht

Kyle Tonetti will earn his first start for Connacht this season having been named at inside centre in Eric Elwood’s starting team to face Scarlets in tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting at Parc Y Scarlets (7.30pm).

Connacht 25 Zebre 20

Failure to manage a bonus point in last weekend’s loss to Harlequins has made it mathematically impossible to catch pool runners-up Biarritz, but pride and a third Heineken Cup win are at stake for Connacht this evening.

Flyhalf Dan Parks returns to the Connacht starting XV for their final Heineken Cup Pool 3 encounter with Zebre at the Sportsground tomorrow night (8pm).

Harlequins 47 Connacht 8

With Dan Parks unavailable through injury Eric Elwood has selected 22-year-old Matthew Jarvis at flyhalf for Saturday's Heineken Cup round 5 game against Harlequins at the Stoop (1.35pm).

Connacht 30 Newport Gwent Dragons 11

Billed as a must-win for both sides, Connacht return to the Galway Sportsground for this evening’s RaboDirect Pro 12 joust with the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Eric Elwood has made two changes to his starting XV after last weekend’s defeat to Leinster.

Leinster 17 Connacht 0

23-year-old Connacht winger Matt Healy will earn his first cap for the province when he lines out in tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 match against Leinster in the RDS (7.45pm).

Munster’s bid to close the gap on RaboDirect Pro12 leaders Ulster tomorrow at Thomond Park (5.30pm) may be enhanced by the return of an Ireland Test trio but Rob Penney is under no illusions about the size of the task.

Rob Penney might think it strange to be still working his rugby brain in the build up to a day when Santa Claus and kids are king, but he knows he better get used to it.

Connacht Head Coach Eric Elwood has made two changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s meeting with Munster at the Sportsground (5.15pm).

Biarritz Olympique 17 Connacht 0

Connacht are preparing for a massive Biarritz backlash when the two sides clash in Parc des Sports Aguiléra this evening.

Eric Elwood has named a side which shows only one change to the starting XV following last Friday's 22-14 win over Biarritz for the return Heineken Cup Pool 3 fixture at the Parc des Sports Aguilera on Friday (8pm).

A heavy list of injuries and poor weather will not help Connacht’s hopes of claiming a home victory over French heavyweights Biarritz this evening.

Ireland second-row Mike McCarthy makes his return to the Connacht starting XV for the province’s Heineken Cup Pool 3 meeting with Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque at the Sportsground on Friday (8pm).

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made just three changes to the team that beat Benetton Treviso 18-3 in round eight for the province’s visit to the Newport Gwent Dragons in Friday evening’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash at Rodney Parade (7pm).

Zebre 10 Connacht 19

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made four changes to his pack for his team’s Heineken Cup Round 1 meeting with Zebre at the Stadio XXV Aprile on Saturday (2.35pm).

Connacht 11 Scarlets 24

Connacht have been forced to make a host of changes, including a new backrow, for today’s visit of the Scarlets to the Galway Sportsground.

Eric Elwood has named an unchanged starting XV to face new club Zebre in Friday’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting at Parma (7.05pm).

Connacht 9 Cardiff Blues 13

None of Connacht’s new big-name signings feature in today’s opening RaboDirect Pro 12 clash against Cardiff at the Galway Sportsground (5pm).

Eric Elwood has named uncapped scrum-half Kieran Marmion in his starting XV for the visit of the Cardiff Blues in the opening round of the RaboDirect PRO12 tomorrow at the Sportsground (5pm).

Undeserving may be, but Connacht’s late steal at the death against Aironi on Saturday provided the Irish province with their first three-in-a-row of victories since 2002.

Connacht are determined to finish their home RaboDirect Pro 12 season on a high when they host Aironi at the Sportsground this evening. Having picked up 15 points in their last six matches, Connacht can post a third successive win and leapfrog Dragons and Treviso.

The inclusion of prop Denis Buckley, who joins the front-row in place of the injured Brett Wilkinson, is the only change Eric Elwood has made for his side’s PRO12 meeting with Aironi in the Sportsground tomorrow (5pm).

Connacht grabbed their first interprovincial win over Ulster since 2005, but Brian McLaughlin is not giving up hope just yet for a RaboDirect Pro12 top-four place.

George Naoupu returns to a Connacht starting XV that is otherwise unchanged for their RaboDirect PRO12 clash against Ulster in the Sportsground on Saturday (5.15pm).

Connacht overcame the Newport Gwent Dragons to grab only their second away Rabo Direct Pro 12 victory since their opening day visit to Treviso.

Following last weekend’s brave display against play-off hopefuls Munster Head Coach Eric Elwood has opted to make just one change to his starting XV for their RaboDirect PRO12 clash with the Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow (7.15pm).

Connacht captain Gavin Duffy says tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 home game against Munster has kept his side fully focused and motivated during the Six Nations-enforced lull in provincial action.