THE loss of Ireland international Kevin McLaughlin and openside Dominic Ryan to ankle injuries leaves Joe Schmidt without 23 first choice players for Saturday’s trip to The Scarlets in the PRO12 League.

LEINSTER back rower Dominic Ryan is looking forward to inflicting more torture on Glasgow Warriors at the RDS tonight (6pm) in the first of at least four encounters between the sides this season.

A TRY either side of half time paved the way for Munster to maintain their winning start to the Rabo-Direct Pro12 and in the process created a new league record by winning a dozen games on the spin.

MUNSTER may have found what they’ve been looking for, after signing Australian code-jumping sensation Will Chambers on a short-term contract.

LUKE FITZGERALD will seek to put his World Cup disappointment behind him tonight when he takes his place in an unfamiliar and inexperienced Leinster side which begins its RaboDirect Pro12 campaign away to the Ospreys (7.05pm).

Munster 22 Connacht 6

RONAN O’GARA has warned his Munster team-mates to expect another series of tough challenges tonight against Connacht as the province tries to rebound from the trauma of last weekend’s European defeat to Harlequins.

A RIP-ROARING contest that could have gone either way before Connacht atoned for their slip-up in Italy to record their sixth home win on the trot.

IT is redemption week for Connacht, according to coach Eric Elwood. After a disappointing loss to Aironi in Italy, Elwood is banking on home advantage to help the province record their sixth win on the trot at home to Edinburgh this evening.

Keith Matthews will celebrate his 100th cap when he lines out for Connacht for tomorrow night’s Magners League against Edinburgh at the Sportground (kick-off 7.45pm).

IT was the Italian hoodoo all over again as Connacht slumped to a 25-13 defeat away to Aironi on Saturday evening for their third Magners League defeat on Italian soil.

ERIC ELWOOD has kept faith with the squad that has racked up five wins on the trot at home as Connacht look to record an away victory over Aironi this afternoon.

CONNACHT are targeting five home wins in a row for the first time since 2005 against Aironi in the Sportsgrounds tonight (7.45pm).

CONNACHT climbed into eighth place in the Magners League table after securing a third successive win at the Galway Sportsground last night.

CONNACHT will be looking to grab this evening’s opportunity at the Galway Sportsground (7.05pm) to again leapfrog Magners League opponents.

WITH only their second try bonus point this season, Connacht produced a five-try blitz to dispose of the Glasgow Warriors at the Galway Sportsground last night.

CONNACHT received a much needed boost with this victory on Saturday night, their first Magners League win since mid-September.

CONNACHT face second-placed Scarlets in tonight’s Magners League tie at the Sportgrounds (7.35pm).

CONNACHT bid to end their worst losing run since the game went professional over a decade and a half ago when they take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade this evening. (7.35pm).

CONNACHT have suffered another serious injury blow with number eight Ezra Taylor ruled out until at least February after breaking a bone in his hand.

CONNACHT coach Eric Elwood is hoping there will be no repeat of last year’s hammering at the hands of Edinburgh when the two sides meet this evening in Murrayfield (7.05pm).

CONNACHT were denied their second home victory of the Magners League season when the Ospreys struck for a match-winning try in the 78th minute at the Galway Sportsground last night.

CONNACHT’S young guns denied Manu Samoa a first win on their Northern Hemisphere tour at the Galway Sportsground last evening.

CONNACHT’S proud tradition in Europe took a beating in Italy on Saturday night, falling to tournament newcomers and underdogs I Cavalieri Estra.

CARDIFF BLUES knocked Munster off their perch at the top of the Magners League table with a comfortable victory over Connacht.

CONNACHT coach Eric Elwood has slammed the “ridiculous” scheduling of their Magners League clash away to Cardiff Blues.

IN a derby fixture in which no side forged ahead by more than three points, a 15-15 draw appeared a satisfactory result.

GAME lost, but another goal achieved.

CONNACHT head coach Eric Elwood is expecting the Scarlets to be smarting tomorrow after an opening-day Magners League loss against Benetton Treviso last weekend.

ERIC ELWOOD had every reason to be “chuffed” about his side’s unexpected demolition of the Dragons on opening day.

CONNACHT’S new coaching director Eric Elwood is sweating on the availability of players before a ball has been kicked in this season’s Magners League.

ERIC ELWOOD will have a final chance to see some of the new signings in action before the real work begins as his Connacht side take on Saracens tomorrow at the Sportsground, Galway (6.30pm).

Coach Michael Bradley has made four changes to his final Connacht team to play Ulster in the final Magners League at Ravenhill on Friday evening.

MICHAEL BRADLEY will hope to end his seven-year stint as Connacht coach by guiding the province to their first win at Ravenhill for four decades tomorrow night.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has named a 22-man squad for what is effectively a dead rubber against Ulster in the Magner's League at Ravenhill on Friday night.

Ian Keatley has won the battle with Miah Nikora for the out-half slot on the Connacht team to play Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at the Sportsground tomorrow evening (kick off: 7.45pm).

Captain John Muldoon, centre Niva Ta’auso, scrum-half Frank Murphy and prop Jamie Hagan have all recovered from injury to take their places in Connacht’s 24-man squad for Friday’s Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against Toulon at the Sportsground.

CONNACHT are set to be with-out Ray Ofisa for their mam-moth Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against Toulon on Friday.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley will give Ireland U20s Tiernan O’Halloran and Eoin Griffin a chance to show what they can do in the Magner’s League against The Scarlets in Wales on Sunday.

ULSTER could face a Hellor to Connacht situation as the battle to secure Ireland’s third place in the 2010/2011 Heineken Cup in tensifies, with former Irish international heroes Michael Bradley and Eric Elwood fronting the challenge.