Connacht's dream season continued at the Sportsground where they dethroned reigning champions Glasgow Warriors 16-11 to reach their first Guinness PRO12 final.

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.

From frustrated father, watching the France game on his phone, to facing England at Twickenham a fortnight later, even a player as experienced as Mike Ross can find the fasttrack return to Test rugby a little trying.

After a brief respite, Connacht Rugby return to Pro12 action and face an improving Newport Gwent Dragons in Newport this evening (7.30pm).

Connacht 30 Scarlets 17: Connacht Rugby players take a deserved six-day break after finishing a run of 16 games with a European quarter-final in the diary and a top-four Guinness Pro 12 spot secure.

Connacht boosted their Guinness PRO12 play-off hopes with a 30-17 bonus-point win over the table-topping Scarlets at the Sportsground.

Eoin Reddan believes Ireland can be more assured about what they will bring to the table at the World Cup in England later this year than was the case in New Zealand in 2011 or France eight years ago.

Glasgow Warriors’ clinical finishing proved too much for Connacht as the Guinness PRO12 leaders ran out 31-13 bonus point winners at the Sportsground.

Connacht coach Pat Lam has laid it on the line for the 8,000 people expected through the turnstiles for this evening’s interprovincial derby, calling on the home support to serve as the team’s 16th man to overpower Munster.

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.

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).

What a difference a year makes.

Connacht have been hit with a massive blow with first-choice hooker Jason Harris-Wright set to miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

Ireland 49 Georgia 7

The visitors hold all the aces in terms of recent form, preparation, settled combinations and the confidence that stems from beating New Zealand last time out.

Joe Schmidt is “quietly confident” tighthead prop Mike Ross will be fit in time to ease Ireland’s front-row injury crisis against South Africa.

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).

Connacht prop Nathan White will miss Ireland’s autumn Test series after rupturing a tendon in his upper arm in training with Joe Schmidt’s squad.

Connacht’s seasonal ambitions could well come down to games such as this evening’s in Italy at Stadio Monigo (7pm, Irish time).

Guinness Pro12:

Watching CJ Stander give crack smiles and dish out bear hugs in Thomond Park’s renovated Dug Out Bar earlier this week was to witness a guy comfortable in his surroundings and in his own skin.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt wants to try out as many players as possible in Argentina and has therefore made seven changes for Saturday’s second Test match against the Pumas.

INTERNATIONAL TEST:

A pitch falling well short of international standards will provide the platform for about a dozen Irish hopefuls to work their way into Joe Schmidt’s World Cup plans today.

Irish coach Joe Schmidt said that tomorrow’s first Test against Argentina presents several players with an opportunity to stake claims for permanent places.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named the team for the first Test against Argentina in Resistencia on Saturday (kick-off 3.40pm local time/7.40pm Irish time).

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt will announce his team to face Argentina later this evening.

Joe Schmidt’s squad will land in Buenos Aires today with two more uncapped players hoping to give their Ireland Test careers a kick start against Argentina and a forwards coach set to finish his there.

Cardiff won in Ireland for the first time in 16 months as they came from behind to beat Connacht 22-15 at the Sportsground.

Ireland sealed the deal to claim only our second Six Nations title in dramatic fashion at Paris on Saturday night but the long-term benefits we will derive from winning a tight game will stand to this side.

Zebre 19 Connacht 27

Connacht 11 Edinburgh 7

Rory Best took one look at the X-ray and feared his goal of finding fitness for the RBS 6 Nations might be just out of reach.

Connacht 9 Toulouse 37

HEINEKEN CUP POOL THREE:

There will be three changes to the starting team facing Toulouse on the return leg for Connacht.

Pat Lam has challenged Ireland’s up and coming rugby players to display more ambition — by forgoing life in the background at Leinster, Munster and Ulster for a chance of regular rugby west of the Shannon.

Zebre v Connacht