Zebre 34 Connacht 51: Connacht are preparing to step it up as their season becomes considerably tougher with the visit of the Ospreys next up in the Galway Sportsground.

A fifth bonus-point win is the target for Connacht in this evening’s Pro 12 fixture with Zebre in Italy (4.30 Irish time). Sitting level on 45 points with Ulster at the top of the table, Pat Lam knows every point will count in their bid for Champions Cup rugby next season.

After a brief respite, Connacht Rugby return to Pro12 action and face an improving Newport Gwent Dragons in Newport this evening (7.30pm).

Connacht 30 Scarlets 17: Connacht Rugby players take a deserved six-day break after finishing a run of 16 games with a European quarter-final in the diary and a top-four Guinness Pro 12 spot secure.

Connacht 47 Enisei-STM 5: France beckons again for Connacht in this year’s European Challenge Cup quarter-finals and a meeting with Bernard Jackman’s Grenoble in April.

Brive 21 Connacht 18: Connacht’s European hopes hang in the balance after what coach Pat Lam termed as “probably their worst game” this season.

Cardiff Blues 20 Connacht 16: Connacht’s poor record at the Arms Park continued last evening when they lost their grip on the lead of the Guinness Pro12 to a dogged Cardiff Blues.

John Muldoon becomes the first player to make 200 appearances in the Guinness Pro12 when he leads Connacht against Cardiff at Arms Park this evening (7.05pm).

Connacht 21 Brive 17: Connacht remain top of their European pool but have been left counting the cost of injuries ahead of their meeting with Munster on Saturday, having taken a heavy hit on personnel during their victory over French visitors Brive in the Sportsground on Saturday.

Munster 12 Connacht 28: Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion could hardly be blamed for feeling more than a little aggrieved last week when he was released back to Connacht by Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt without having had a reasonable chance to press his claims for a place in Ireland’s World Cup squad.

Last week, Tyler Bleyendaal, Munster’s major signing from New Zealand, made his first appearance in the red jersey after dealing with 12 months of deep frustration because of a career-threatening injury. He came through in style.

Connacht 19 Grenoble 52: Bernard Jackman returned to Connacht with his Grenoble troops and blitzed the westerners for eight tries at the Sportsground. 

Gloucester 40 Connacht 32 (AET): It had all the hallmarks of past heartbreaks. Connacht, punching above their weight, looked set to close in on the ultimate prize, only to be denied at the bitter end, whether by their own hand, or by questionable refereeing decisions.

In a return to Kingsholm, injury-hit Connacht go head to head with English Premiership side Gloucester for the chance to play Champions Cup rugby next season.

GUINNESS PRO12

In a big day for Irish teams in the Guinness Pro12, Connacht’s needs are probably greater than the rest.

Zebre 10 Connacht 40: It has been a season like no others. With a new record of 10 wins and currently leaders in the disciplinary stakes, Connacht will still be fighting on the last day of the Guinness Pro12 season for Champions Cup rugby.

Connacht 13 Glasgow 31 :Pat Lam promises his under-pressure Connacht can rescue their sixth place promotion spot after Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 setback against Glasgow.

Connacht 20 Ulster 27: Ulster’s title hopes and Connacht’s less ambitious but equally important Champions Cup qualification dreams both remain on target after a seven-try Pro 12 thriller at the Galway Sportsground.

A Pro 12 title and a top six qualification are on the line in today’s meeting of Ulster and Connacht in the Galway Sportsground (2.40pm).

Guinness Pro12

Munster 42 Connacht 20: Munster moved closer to a home Guinness Pro12 semi-final in some style at Thomond Park on Saturday evening, running in six tries to thump derby rivals Connacht.

Guinness Pro12

Connacht 53 Benetton Treviso 5

Guinness Pro12

Guinness Pro12: Scarlets 32 Connacht Rugby 14: Connacht’s top six qualification hopes were give a shake-up when they were outgunned by fellow hopefuls Scarlets in yesterday’s lunchtime Pro12 clash.

La Rochelle 20 Connacht 30: European Chellenge Cup Pool 2: A "bit of X-factor" combined with a huge team effort is what vLam credits for Connacht’s dramatic four-try bonus win over La Rochelle, which sealed their quarter-final place as last seeds in this season’s European Challenge Cup.

European Challenge Cup Pool 2

Connacht coach Pat Lam is taking nothing for granted after victory over Munster, naming virtually an unchanged side for tonight’s visit of Edinburgh to the Galway Sportsground (7.35pm).

Connacht head to Bayonne for tonight’s return leg (Stade Jean-Dauger, 7.45pm) of the back-to-back Challenge Cup fixtures with a new starting side featuring five debutants.

GUINNESS PRO12:

Connacht’s first All Black, Mils Muliaina, makes his debut for the province tonight when Connacht host Zebre at the Galway Sportsground (7.35pm).

Rodney Ah You takes over injured Nathan White’s tighthead prop spot, having been released from the Ireland camp at Carton House, for Connacht’s Guinness Pro12 fixture with leaders Ospreys in Swansea this evening (7.35pm).

Exeter Chiefs 33 Connacht 13

Connacht Rugby 48 La Rochelle 12

Connacht Rugby 48 La Rochelle 12

Treviso 6 Connacht 9

Connacht’s seasonal ambitions could well come down to games such as this evening’s in Italy at Stadio Monigo (7pm, Irish time).

Connacht 24 Cardiff 24

Guinness Pro12:

The return of Ireland international Robbie Henshaw is one of three changes to Connacht’s starting XV for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 fixture with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.35pm).

Connacht 16 Newport 11

Connacht 11 Edinburgh 7

Saracens 64 Connacht 6

Connacht 20 Zebre 3

Connacht 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 11