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 suffered a setback in their preparations for Friday’s Heineken Cup game against Biarritz with the news that captain Gavin Duffy has been ruled out of action for four to five weeks with a hamstring injury.

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

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made three personnel changes up front for Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO 12 meeting with Edinburgh at the Sportsground (5pm).

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).

Connacht hooker Ethienne Reynecke has returned from a recent calf injury and is available for Friday's PRO12 trip to face Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade (KO: 7pm).

Following Saturday's physical Heineken Cup clash with Harlequins, the Connacht Rugby medical team have reported several fresh injury concerns.

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).

The Connacht squad trained in Galway yesterday ahead of Saturday’s round 2 Heineken Cup clash with Harlequins (6pm), with the medical team reporting some injury concerns arising from last Saturday’s away win in Italy.

Connacht open their second Heineken Cup campaign full of expectation when they face Italian newcomers Zebre in Parma this afternoon.

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 coach Eric Elwood is expected to shuffle his pack for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup opener against Zebre in Italy.

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.

Connacht 11 Scarlets 24

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood has made six changes to the starting team for the Scarlets visit to the Sportsground tomorrow afternoon (3pm).

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

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).

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).

Connacht have announced an extended squad to face Glasgow Warriors this weekend for the season finale at Firhill (kick off: 7.30pm).

A calf injury sustained against Ulster has ruled Brett Wilkinson out of Connacht's RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Aironi in The Sportsground on Saturday (5pm).

Experienced duo Johnny O’Connor and George Naoupu have today been named in Connacht’s 26-man squad to face Ulster in the Sportsground on Saturday (5.15pm).

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).

It will be small compensation to Connacht’s Eric Elwood following yet another narrow defeat but Declan Kidney left the Sportsgrounds on Saturday night with an encouraging glimpse of Ireland’s front-row future.

Connacht 16 Munster 20

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).

Scarlets 38 Connacht 10

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood highlighted his side’s poor goal-kicking display as the main contributing factor to Sunday’s 15-13 defeat to Leinster at the Sportsground.

LEINSTER scraped through as Connacht once again came up short at the Galway Sportsground last night.

Connacht 13 Leinster 15

A competitive debut for Mick Kearney represents one of five changes Eric Elwood has made to the Connacht starting XV for the visit of Leinster to the Sportsground this New Year's Day (5pm).

LEINSTER manager Guy Easterby has joined the chorus of criticism directed at the IRFU’s new policy on player succession.

Munster 24 Connacht 9

CONNACHT hooker Ethienne Reynecke has poured his heart out to the province’s supporters — pleading with them to stay behind the players amid a nine-game losing streak.

Connacht 10 Gloucester 14

Eric Elwood has made two changes to the matchday 23 for Gloucester’s visit to the Sportsground on Saturday (1.30pm), with just one change in the starting lineup.

The Connacht side that will face Benetton Treviso on Friday night at the Sportsground (kick off: 7.30pm) shows seven changes from the team that lost 6-17 to the Ospreys last weekend.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has made three changes for the team to face the Ospreys in tomorrows RaboDirect Pro12 clash at the Sportsground (k.o. 6.30pm).

Connacht 10 Toulouse 36

Connacht’s starting XV to face Harlequins in their first ever Heineken Cup Clash sees three changes from the side that were defeated by Ulster in Ravenhill last Saturday.

Connacht Rugby have announced a 27-man squad ahead of this Saturday's inter-Provincial clash with Ulster.

Connacht Rugby have announced an extended squad ahead of this weekend's RaboDirect PRO12 clash against Cardiff Blues.

After a mounting injury list during the week sparked suggestions of calling up U20 players to the Connacht team to face Leinster in the RDS this Saturday (5pm) Eric Elwood will be relieved he’s only had to make three changes to his starting team.

Connacht 17 Newport Gwent Dragons 13

CONNACHT travel to the Scottish capital buoyed by two wins on the trot, but this evening (7.30pm) they will come up against an Edinburgh outfit determined to get their first victory in this season’s RaboDirect Pro12.