Pat Lam said an effort to bring his own son in for three weeks to help offset an injury crisis in Connacht was shot down by the IRFU because he is a foreign player.

Connacht will divvy up the role of skills coach Dave Ellis among the existing management until a replacement is found.

It is believed that an escape clause which required Pat Lam to give six months notice was the primary reason why the Connacht coach made the announcement yesterday that he was departing the Sportsground at the end of the season.

Ulster Bank All-Ireland League Division 1A

ANYONE who doubted Michael Swift’s ability to last the pace and stay the course with Connacht would be red-faced as the big lock forward gets ready to square up to European heavyweights Toulouse at the Sportsgrounds on Saturday.

WITH only their second try bonus point this season, Connacht produced a five-try blitz to dispose of the Glasgow Warriors at the Galway Sportsground last night.

CONNACHT could be set for a showdown with IRFU bosses just weeks after it emerged that four first-team players have been targeted by Leinster and Munster.

THE SENSE of expectation and confidence in the Connacht camp was palpable last night as coach Eric Elwood and his new backroom team were unveiled at a press conference at the Galway Sportsground.

CONNACHT look set to complete their biggest coup of the season by signing Queensland Reds back-row player Ezra Taylor.

Connacht Rugby has appointed Australian Brian Melrose as their backs coach.

AIB LEAGUE: DIVISION 1 FINAL:

Ireland U20 wing Simon Zebo will start at full-back for Cork Constitution in the AIL Division One final against St Mary's College at Dubarry Park tomorrow.

AIB LEAGUE DIVISION 1A:

St. Mary's College 24 Cork Constitution 20

St Mary's College 24 UCD 17

St. Mary's College 18 Blackrock College 8, Templeville Road

Shannon 26 St Mary's College 20

Division One top scorer Tadhg Bennett took his season's tally to 109 points as Shannon edged out St. Mary's College at Coonagh.

St Mary's College 13 Cork Constitution 15

St. Mary's College 16 Cork Constitution 9

St. Mary's College 31 Ballymena 20, Templeville Road

Dungannon 10 St. Mary's College 27

Michael Bradley has named a 26-man squad ahead of Connacht's final match of the season at the Sportsground against the Ospreys on Friday (kick off: 6.30pm).

Connacht have announced a 27-man squad ahead of their Magners League clash against the Cardiff Blues on Friday (kick off: 6.30pm).

Connacht coach Michael Bradley is looking at Friday's Magners League clash with Cardiff as being a prime opportunity to gain some ground on Ulster and still qualify for next seasons Heineken Cup.

Michael Bradley must know that qualification for the Heineken Cup is gone now and the Magner's League tie against The Dragons will test his motivational skills of the 26-man squad he has named for Rodney Parade on Friday (kick off: 7.10pm).

Michael Bradley has announced a 27-man squad ahead of his side's Magners League clash with Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday (kick off: 6.30pm).

Connacht 5 Munster 16

Conor McPhillips will start for the first time since November on the Connacht side to play The Ospreys in the Magners League at The Liberty Stadium on Saturday, kick-off at 5.30pm.

Connacht 15 Brive 22

Connacht have announced a 26-man squad ahead of their vital European Challenge Cup Pool Three clash with Brive at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off 6.30pm).

Cetransa El Salvador 0 Connacht 60

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has announced a 24-man squad ahead of Friday night's Magners League encounter with the Llanelli Scarlets at the Sportsground (kick off 6.30pm).

Michael Bradley has named the same 22 which beat Newcastle last Friday night at the Sportsground for his sides return clash with the English Premiership outfit at Kingston Park on Sunday, kick-off at 3pm.

CONNACHT kept their European hopes alive with a last-gasp victory over the Newcastle Falcons at the Galway Sportsground last night.

Connacht have announced a 23-man squad ahead of their European Challenge Cup round three clash with Newcastle Falcons at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off 6.30pm).

John Fogarty and David Gannon will undergo fitness tests before Michael Bradley announces his team for Connacht's Warriors clash on Friday (kick off 6.30pm).

Michael Bradley has made three changes to his side from that which produced a record win last week in the European Challenge Cup, for the visit of Ulster to the Sportsground on Friday (kick off: 7.30pm).

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has been able to select Andrew Dunne, Matt Mostyn and Mel Deane in his 27-man squad ahead of the Magners League match against Ulster at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off 7.30pm).

Connacht have made four changes to their 22-man squad for their European Challenge Cup second round clash with Cetransa El Salvador at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off 6.30pm).

Connacht coach Michael Bradley wants his side to get their European Challenge Cup campaign back on track when they take on Spanish side Cetransa El Salvador on Friday.

Brive 15 Connacht 6