Elwood calls for reply to Aironi loss

IT is redemption week for Connacht, according to coach Eric Elwood. After a disappointing loss to Aironi in Italy, Elwood is banking on home advantage to help the province record their sixth win on the trot at home to Edinburgh this evening.

This is Connacht’s penultimate home match of the season and Elwood knows they must get points.

“These next two home games are very important to us because our final two games will be particularly difficult, away to both Ulster and Munster,” Elwood said.

“Last week was very disappointing. We knew it was an important game, but we made far too many errors that cost us. This week is all about redemption. In the past we have bounced back and (tonight) we need a good performance and a win.”

Elwood lost veteran Michael Swift with a fractured hand, joining Miah Nikora and Niva Ta’auso on the injured list. Keith Matthews, who celebrates his 100th cap, is named in the centre alongside Troy Nathan, while up front lock Bernie Upton partners Mike McCarthy.

Ronan Loughney starts in the front row, with Brett Wilkinson moving to the bench. Also in the replacements are Ireland U20 scrum-half Mark Dolan, who comes in for the injured Cillian Willis, and hooker Adrian Flavin — who could also win his 100th cap.

They have also signed former Super 14 hooker Ethienne Reynecke from Saracens to replace the departing Sean Cronin.

Edinburgh are sitting in an uncustomary position, one point below Connacht, in a congested bottom half of the table after a seven-run losing streak that ended last weekend with a victory over the Ospreys.

Connacht: G Duffy, B Tuohy, T Nathan, K Matthews, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy, R Loughney, S Cronin, J Hagan, B Upton, M McCarthy, A Browne, J O’Connor, R Ofisa.

Replacements: B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Ah You, M McComish, J Muldoon, M Dolan, E Griffin, S Monahan.

Edinburgh: J Thomson, S Webster, B Cairns, J King, T Visser, G Laidlaw, M Blair, K Traynor, A Kelly (c), G Cross, S McLeod, E Lozada, F McKenzie, S Newlands, D Denton.

Replacements: A Walker, L Niven, R Hislop, S Turnbull, R Grant, D Blair, N de Luca, L Jones.