Bradley boosted as Connacht’s injury worries ease

CONNACHT have received a huge boost with a number of injury doubts named in a 26-man squad for Saturday’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final against Bourgoin.

And coach Michael Bradley is confident that the five – skipper John Muldoon, centres Niva Ta’auso and Keith Matthews, prop Robbie Morris and No.8 George Naoupu – will be available for Saturday’s clash with the French side at the Sportsground.

However, flanker Ray Ofisa (vertigo) and winger Liam Bibo (calf) have been ruled out of the encounter.

“We will fitness test the five lads but we are confident they will be ok and that will be a big boost.

“The players who have come in over the past few weeks have done very well and that presents selection headaches but that is a great position for us to be in,” said Bradley.

He said the strength of the squad was one of the reasons they had become the only side in Europe to go through the pool stages with a 100% record.

“We are not as reliant on the injured players coming back as we might have been in other years. It is an exciting time for Connacht rugby and this is a huge match so hopefully the people of Galway and Connacht will come out and get behind the team. I know, as management, we have said it many times in the past but it is a huge boost to the team when the crowd get behind them,” he said.

CONNACHT (squad v Bourgoin): Backs: F Carr; G Duffy, I Keatley, K Matthews, F Murphy, T Nathan, M Nikora, C O’Loughlin, N Ta’auso, B Tuohy, A Wynne.

Forwards: A Browne, S Cronin, A Flavin, J Hagan, R Loughney, M McCarthy, M McComish, R Morris, J Muldoon, G Naoupu, D Nolan, J O’Connor, M Swift, B Upton, B Wilkinson.