Our fate is in our own hands, says focused Bradley

CONNACHT coach Michael Bradley has told his men that their fate is in their own hands as they go into crucial back-to-back encounters against Worcester Warriors (Sixways, tomorrow, 3pm).

And while flanker Johnny O’Connor and lock Andrew Browne have been ruled out through injury, Connacht have been boosted by the return of winger Troy Nathan and prop Jamie Hagan.

And new signing George Naoupu is set to start at No 8 as Connacht bid to nail down a quarter-final spot in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

“The victories over Olympus Madrid and Montpellier mean that our fate is in our own hands and we are fully aware of the task we face over the next two weekends,’’ Bradley said.

“They have lost at home to Montpellier so they need to get more out of these two games than we do.

“We are happier to be away first for whatever happens over there we know we need to get something out of the return game in the Sportsground.

“It is up to us how much we achieve over these two games.

“We are ahead of Worcester at this stage and if we are still ahead of them after these two matches then we will be in a strong position,” said Bradley.

Connacht have qualified for the quarter-finals six times but a change which sees three Heineken Cup sides drop down to the Amlin Challenge Cup for the knockout stages mean that Bradley’s men will have to top their pool to qualify.

Connacht squad v Worcester: L Bibo, F Carr, S Cronin, G Duffy, A Flavin, J Hagan, I Keatley, R Loughney, M McCarthy, M McComish, R Morris, F Murphy, J Muldoon, T Nathan, G Naoupu, M Nikora, R Ofisa, C O’Loughlin, M Swift, N Ta’auso, B Upton, B Wilkinson, A Wynne.