Connacht braced for Blue tide

AS THE gap widens between Connacht and those above them in the Magners League, every game is becoming more critical, and few more so than a home fixture against the Welsh team immediately above them.

Cardiff Blues are the visitors to the Galway Sportsground this evening (6.30pm), and Connacht cannot afford another slip up against Welsh opposition, particularly having lost at home to the Scarlets and two weeks ago to the Ospreys.

Connacht do have injury problems, and resources are stretched, particularly in the backrow and front row. All remaining backrow players have been named in the squad, including Johnny O’Connor who returns from injury. But with just 25 minutes under his belt in an A game last week against Ulster — his first since December — he will start from the bench, with David Gannon regulars Ray Ofisa and captain John Muldoon.

The only other change, is in the backline where Troy Nathan is selected at fullback. As a result Gavin Duffy reverts to the position he occupied earlier in the season alongside Keith Matthews in the centre.

This is another for the Irish province to play a side short of its internationals, and Cardiff arrive without eight. Robin Sowden-Taylor has been released from the national side to play, and he joins an experienced backrow of former All Black Xavier Rush, and Tongan Maama Molitika. With another former All Black Ben Blair at fullback and fellow Kiwi, scrumhalf Jason Spice, centre Jamie Robinson, Tom James, Deiniol Jones and Scott Morgan, Cardiff are brimming with experience, which coach Dai Young says will be enough to see his side take the points.

“You win or lose tournaments with your squads, not your teams, and this match will be a test of our squad.”

CARDIFF: B Blair, R Mustoe, J Robinson, C Sweeney, T James, N

Robinson, J Spice, R Gill, T Rhys Thomas, G Powell, D Jones, S Morgan, M Molitika, R Sowden-Taylor, X Rush. Replacements, T Filise, G Williams, J Down, B White, R Rees, D Flannigan, C Czekaj.

CONNACHT: T Nathan, F Carr, G Duffy, K Matthews, L Bibo, I Keatley, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris, A Browne, A Farley, D Gannon, R Ofisa, J Muldoon (cpt).Replacements: C O’Loughlin, A Dunne, M Deane, C Muldoon, R Loughney, M Swift, J O’Connor.