Connacht 14 - Dragons 9: Connacht coach Pat Lam says Kieran Marmion is fit to make his first start in the Six Nations next Saturday against France if called into action.

Pat Lam will bid to get rid of one of Connacht’s remaining hoodoos when he hopes to lead them to a first win in Belfast since 1960 this evening.

Connacht 47 Treviso 8: Pat Lam could hardly have asked for a more routine victory in his 100th game in charge as Treviso, yet again, offered only token resistance in what is turning out to be another disastrous campaign for the Italians.

Defeat in Italy on last season’s PRO12 run-in might not have cost Connacht a coveted home semi-final, but that loss registered in their minds.

Connacht will bid to make it eight wins from eight against Dragons in the Pro12 at Rodney Parade this evening and bounce back from their Leinster nightmare (kick-off 7.15pm).

This evening’s clash at the RDS will be Pat Lam’s 98th in charge of Connacht and it is safe to say that he still has little difficulty coming up with a cause for his men each time they go out.

Zebre 7 Connacht 52: Two rounds played in the Champions Cup and only three teams in Europe have chalked up two wins. No surprise that Saracens and Clermont Auvergne have begun in such stellar fashion, but Pat Lam’s men are beginning to show that their historic PRO12 win might not be a one-hit wonder.

A lot has happened on and off the field since Connacht’s match against Zebre in Parma was called off at half-time last month when a storm struck.

The loss of Charles Piutau through injury has been softened by Tommy Bowe’s return to the Ulster side for the first time this season for tonight’s derby with Connacht at the Sportsground.

Scarlets 17 Connacht 8: After a third successive loss, Connacht are in choppy waters, and Edinburgh’s impending visit to the Sportsground has taken on a must-win feeling.

Only once before have Connacht lost their opening two league matches at the Sportsground but Pat Lam appreciates they must show significant improvement to prevent that happening again when Ospreys come to Galway this evening (7.35pm).

Connacht need only one point from this evening’s PRO12 fixture in Italy to guarantee a semi-final spot. But coach Pat Lam will want more, such is the expectation on Connacht to deliver a bonus-point winning performance.

The Galway Sportsground has played host to many magnificent occasions over the past eight months but they will struggle to match the atmosphere that will be generated for tonight’s Guinness PRO12 clash of Connacht and Munster.

Garryowen 8 Young Munster 14: Young Munster took a giant step towards qualifying for the semi-finals of this season’s Ulster Bank League with a hard fought 14-8 Division 1A derby victory over local rivals Garryowen at Dooradoyle last night.

Connacht coach Pat Lam has described tonight’s Guinness Pro12 opponents, Glasgow Warriors, as “the Toulon of our competition”.

Connacht 29 Dragons 23: Connacht opened their Guinness Pro 12 season with a valuable home win, edging a lively encounter against the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Galway Sportsground last evening.

There are few surprises in Pat Lam’s Connacht squad for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 opener at the Galway Sportsground (7.30pm).

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. 

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.

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.

A first home semi-final is the prize for Connacht if they overcome this evening’s Challenge Cup quarter-final opponents Gloucester at Kingsholm.

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 welcome Munster to the Showgrounds on New Year’s Day for their PRO12 derby match and both sides have made a number of changes to their starting sides.

Shannon 17 Garryowen 34

Leinster may have lost just once in their last eight outings, but the quality of their performances continue to drive the conversation as the province turns away from Europe and into a hat-trick of domestic interpros in the Guinness PRO12.

Ireland internationals Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You have returned to the Connacht squad for match day squad for the PRO12 Round 9 clash with Scarlets tomorrow night (kick off 7:30pm).

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).

Garryowen 23 Old Belvedere 18