Zebre 6 Connacht 33

Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam has made a number of changes to the team for their second away trip of the season.

Connacht trio Frank Murphy, Mata Fifita and Brian Murphy have committed to the province by singing contract extensions.

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).

The longest serving player in the RaboDirect PRO12 league is hoping to play for at least another season. Michael Swift, 35, has chalked up a record 156 in the league and has also played 70 games in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge during his 14 seasons with Connacht.

Connacht look set to receive a boost ahead of their RaboDirect PRO 12 match against Newport Gwent Dragon on Saturday (5pm) with a number of players returning to training after injury.

Eric Elwood has named a side which shows only one change to the starting XV following last Friday's 22-14 win over Biarritz for the return Heineken Cup Pool 3 fixture at the Parc des Sports Aguilera on Friday (8pm).

Connacht coach Eric Elwood is hoping to boost his squad with the return of a couple of heavyweights for Friday’s crucial Heineken Cup visit to Biarritz.

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.

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).

Lock Mike McCarthy returned to his province Connacht after a impressive display with Ireland over the autumn international series but there is a question mark over his fitness ahead of Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Scottish side Edinburgh at the Sportsground (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).

Darragh Leader, 19, will earn his first competitive start for Connacht in tomorrow afternoon’s meeting with defending RaboDirect PRO12 champions the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium (2.30pm).

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 this afternoon ahead of Saturday’s opening Heineken Cup clash with Zebre in Italy (2.45pm) with the medical team reporting a number of injury concerns arising from Friday night’s 25-0 defeat at Ravenhill.

Connacht have been forced to make a host of changes, including a new backrow, for today’s visit of the Scarlets to the Galway Sportsground.

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).

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).