Connacht ‘confident’ straw will bail them out for Stephen’s Day

CONNACHT are confident their St Stephen’s Day clash with Munster will beat the big freeze and go ahead as planned at the Sportsground.

A thaw is expected towards the end of the week and straw which has being put down to protect the pitch appears to be working successfully.

Connacht chief executive Gerry Kelly said: “We looked at the ground under the straw and there is no frost on the ground. We’d be very confident that the straw will continue to prevent the frost getting into the ground this week, and with a more favourable forecast for the weekend, we’re confident it will go ahead.”

On the playing side however, head coach Eric Elwood has plenty of injury concerns. John Muldoon (arm) and Brett Wilkinson (head) are both definitely out. Muldoon’s injury will be assessed today but it’s thought to be a fractured forearm and he’s likely to be out for a number of weeks.

Johnny O’Connor and Gavin Duffy are bidding to recover from back injuries while Michael Swift’s head injury and Niva Ta’auso’s ankle complaint will be monitored this week.

Elwood feels it’s the ideal game for the team to lift the spirits after recent defeats.

“We would like to be coming into this off the back of a couple of wins but there is no doubt these are the games that lads love to play in, and I have no doubt that they will respond to the recent defeats against Harlequins with a big game,” said Elwood.

Elwood is expecting a forward battle against Munster, a side they have defeated in the past at home.

“We will have to take them on up front to beat them, I don’t think the game this weekend will be any different from recent encounters, they’ll be strong at the breakdown. Their scrum is a talking point but I have no doubt they’ll ask us questions there and it is always an area where you have to challenge them.”

Connacht are one place off the bottom in the Magners League table but a win could push them up to eighth. They face Leinster on New Year’s Day.