Connacht grabbed their first interprovincial win over Ulster since 2005, but Brian McLaughlin is not giving up hope just yet for a RaboDirect Pro12 top-four place.

Ulster flanker Willie Faloon has a two-fold goal ahead of today’s RaboDirect Pro 12 derby clash against Connacht at the Sportsground.

George Naoupu returns to a Connacht starting XV that is otherwise unchanged for their RaboDirect PRO12 clash against Ulster in the Sportsground on Saturday (5.15pm).

Connacht overcame the Newport Gwent Dragons to grab only their second away Rabo Direct Pro 12 victory since their opening day visit to 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).

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).

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.

CONNACHT bid to end a miserable run of form away to Aironi this afternoon.

Eric Elwood has made a number of changes following his side’s narrow defeat to Leinster for the visit to the Stadio Zaffenella to play Aironi tomorrow (4.35pm).

CONNACHT boss Eric Elwood admitted it was “difficult to find positives” after his side were edged out by Gloucester on Saturday and remain without a win in the Heineken Cup.

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.

CONNACHT racked up their eighth loss on the trot, falling to Italian visitors Treviso in the Galway Sportsground last night, once again paying the price for a poor start.

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.

AFTER last weekend’s historic Heineken Cup fixture against Toulouse, Connacht’s desire to translate their strong European form into points in the RaboDirect Pro 12 came unstuck against league pacesetters Ospreys.

IN a return to RaboDirect action, the challenge facing Connacht does not get any easier with the visit of the Ospreys to the Galway Sportsground this evening.

THERE is a bit of a way to go yet for Connacht, who suffered stage-fright in the face of high-quality opposition at Saturday night’s historic Heineken Cup clash at the Sportsground.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has made just one change to the starting XV that narrowly lost out to Harlequins for tomorrow evening's meeting with Toulouse in the Sportsground (kick-off 6pm).

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 released a 26-man squad ahead of their first ever Heineken Cup clash away to Harlequins in the Stoop on Friday Night (8pm).

HEINEKEN CUP: Connacht have named a 26-man squad for their first Heineken Cup game — away to Harlequins at The Stoop tomorrow (8pm).

CONNACHT out-half Niall O’Connor is looking forward to playing in Ravenhill again tomorrow night when he hopes to pull one over on his former Ulster colleagues in the RaboDirect PRO12.

ANOTHER frustrating night for Connacht.

Tongan World Cup star Fetu'u Vainkolo is set to make his Connacht debut in tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 match against the Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground (6pm).

MANY of Leinster’s Irish Internationals intend to take out their World Cup frustrations on Edinburgh in the seventh round of the RaboDirect Pro 12 at the end of the month.

KEVIN McLAUGHLIN returns from injury to boost Leinster against Connacht in this evening’s RaboDirect Pro 12 clash at the RDS (5pm).

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.

Eric Elwood has made three changes to his Connacht pack for their trip to the Liberty Stadium to face the Ospreys tomorrow night (7.30pm).

CONNACHT returned to winning ways last evening, but it took a huge second-half effort to overcome a physical Dragons side at the Galway Sportsground.

Danny Barnes returns to the Munster side for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Cardiff Blues at the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow night (7.05pm).

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.

Jared Payne will make his Ulster debut in tomorrow night's RaboDirect PRO12 game versus Cardiff at Ravenhill (7.05pm).

AFTER an opening victory over Treviso, coach Eric Elwood says Connacht must raise the bar again today when they open their home season against the Scarlets in the Rabo Direct Pro12 at 3.15pm.

CONNACHT coach Eric Elwood was delighted with the opening day victory away to Benetton Treviso in Saturday’s RaboDirect Pro12 League clash at Stadio Monigo.