Showdown with Scarlets is huge, insists Bradley

WITH only one win to date in the Magners League, Connacht will be desperate to utilise home advantage in tonight’s last fixture before the break for Guinness Internationals.

The Llanelli Scarlets are the visitors in a game that coach Michael Bradley says is “huge” for a side which has only claimed a single victory over the Cardiff Blues.

“It is now becoming a huge game for us. With only one win in the Magners, it is important we get another. Our backs are to the wall,” he said.

Bradley believes Connacht’s biggest problem is their lack of consistency.

“Consistency is the drum that all coaches will be beating and we don’t have it at the moment and it is causing us problems.”

Against Glasgow last weekend Connacht clawed their way back from a 24–6 deficit to come within seven points. “We are better than our results have shown in terms of championship points. Last week we had a championship point to take with a couple of minutes to go. Then we coughed up a soft try which took everything away from the night’s work.”

With the exception of Ray Ofisa, Bradley has no injury worries and has made two changes from the team that lost to Glasgow last week. Robbie Morris comes in for Jamie Hagan in the front row, while No 8 Mike McComish is named in the starting XV, having returned from injury.

This results in a move for captain John Muldoon to the blindside, with Mike McCarthy returning to the second row alongside Bernie Upton.

Llanelli, while not enjoying the best start to the league, have gained momentum with two good wins in the Heineken Cup which they followed up with a victory over the Dragons. They travel without the internationals named in Warren Gatland’s Wales squad, but they have sufficient strength in depth to cause Connacht problems, not least out-half Rhys Priestland who comes in for the injured Stephen Jones. Their pack boasts a useful front row in Iestyn Thomas, Kevn Owens and Fijian Deacon Manu, while the backrow of Simon Easterby, Richie Pugh and David Lyons will look to exploit any weaknesses up front.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; T Nathan, N Ta’auso, K Matthews, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; M McCarthy, B Upton; J Muldoon (capt), J O’Connor, M McComish.

Replacements: A Flavin, J Hagan, M Swift, A Browne, C O’Loughlin, M Nikora, L Bibo.

LLANELLI SCARLETS: D Evans, M Stoddart, S Lamont, R Higgitt, L Williams, R Priestland, T Knoyle, I Thomas, K Owens, D Manu, V Cooper, D Welch, S Easterby, R Pugh, D Lyons.

Replacements: P John, E Phillips, A Shingler, J Turbull, G Davies, D Newton, G Maule.