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.

One of the strengths of Munster rugby over the year has been the ideology that opponents must be respected at all costs, not necessarily feared but at least respected.

Having seen his team win their last three league encounters, Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has kept changes to a minimum for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Munster at Musgrave Park (5.45pm).

Injuries have robbed Connacht of a host of front-line players for the visit of Edinburgh to the Galway Sportsground today (5pm).

Former Stormer Danie Poolman makes a timely first start for Connacht against Italian visitors Benetton Treviso at the Galway Sportsground today (5pm).

Connacht’s Eric Elwood is once again putting his faith in youngsters with Ireland U20 player Darragh Leader making his debut tomorrow against the Ospreys in Liberty Stadium (2.30pm).

Connacht 22 Harlequins 30

The inclusion of Adrian Flavin at hooker represents the only change for Connacht as they prepare to welcome Harlequins back to the Sportsground for Saturday’s Heineken Cup Round 2 meeting (6pm).

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).

Eric Elwood has a lot of unfinished business before relinquishing the Connacht coaching job at the end of this season and one item on the wishlist is to help his side to victory at Ravenhill tonight, for the first time in 52 years.

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made four changes to his starting XV for Connacht’s second instalment of back-to-back interprovincial ties for as they travel to Ravenhill to take on Ulster on tomorrow (7.05pm).

Tom Denton has never been to the Sportsground before but the second row’s teammates have apparently been filling him in on what to expect tonight at a venue which Leinster have, regardless of the event, rarely found to their liking.

Connacht’s big summer signing Dan Parks will make his debut for the province in Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 interprovincial clash with Leinster in the Sportsground (8pm).

Glasgow Warriors 27 Connacht 17

For the second consecutive week Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has shuffled his team selection, with his starting XV for Friday’s RaboDirect PRO12 game against the Glasgow Warriors in Scotstoun (7.35pm) showing eight changes from the side that lost to the Scarlets last weekend.

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

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).

Harlequins drew first blood in this season’s battles with Heineken Cup opponents Connacht, but coach Eric Elwood is not unduly worried, knowing there are more significant challenges ahead.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has promised to give more young players a chance next weekend after his experimental side beat Exeter at Sandy Park on Saturday.

Connacht signed off with a best place finish in this season’s RaboDirect Pro12 League but Eric Elwood won’t be happy with this performance.

There’s a positive buzz around Connacht rugby at the moment.

Eric Elwood has made just three changes for Connacht’s final RaboDirect PRO12 game of the season against Glasgow Warriors in Firhill (kick off: 7.30pm).

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.

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.

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood is able to call on lock Mike McCarthy and prop Brett Wilkinson, who have been involved with the Irish Six Nations team, for Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Munster in the Sportsground (7.45pm).

Eric Elwood has included three academy players in Connacht’s match day squad to face the Scarlets this Friday at Parc y Scarlets (7.30pm).

Former Irish and Munster scrum-half Michael Bradley has ruled himself out of the Munster job.

Connacht Academy prop Denis Buckley will make his first competitive start for the province when they face Edinburgh at the Sportsground tomorrow night (7.30pm).

It was anything but pretty at the Galway Sportsground but there was immense relief for the 4,189 home supporters when Connacht scraped a late draw on Saturday night.

Connacht will view this evening’s Pro12 fixture against Glasgow Warriors at the Galway Sportsground (5.30pm) as a must-win if they want to improve on last season’s league finish.

Head Coach Eric Elwood has made just two changes to last week's starting XV for Connacht’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with the Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground on Saturday (5.30pm).

High hopes of Connacht repeating their famous victory of 10 years ago in Cardiff Arms Park were dashed last night when the Blues claimed victory on home soil.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood rallied his side for tonight’s clash with Cardiff Blues by urging them to show the spirit they showed in Europe this season.

Despite an injury crisis, Eric Elwood’s starting XV to face the Cardiff Blues this Friday at Cardiff Arms Park (7.30pm) shows just one change from the side that beat Harlequins in the Heineken Cup.

ECSTATIC and joyous scenes in the Galway Sportsground last night, as Connacht finally delivered on their promise to turn their poor run of results around.

CONNACHT go into this evening’s final Heineken Cup pool match knowing it could be their last in the competition for some time.

Eric Elwood has made one change to his team for Connacht’s final Heineken Cup game of the season against Harlequins at the Sportsground tomorrow night (8pm).

IN A game that was always about a performance, not the result, Connacht fulfilled their brief.

Connacht Rugby have made three changes to the team that lost to Aironi last weekend for the visit to Toulouse this Saturday (4.40pm local time).

A COUPLE of months ago Connacht were relishing the prospect of playing French aristocrats Toulouse in the Heineken Cup; this week they head there in a different frame of mind.