Muldoon to return as Elwood set to shuffle pack for Italian job

Connacht coach Eric Elwood is expected to shuffle his pack for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup opener against Zebre in Italy.

Connacht will face the new Italian franchise for the second time in five weeks before hosting English Premiership champions and old rivals Harlequins the following week. Their third opponents in pool 3 are Europe’s third-ranked side, Biarritz, in the pre-Christmas back-to-back fixtures.

As Connacht head into their second season of Heineken Cup rugby, Elwood is expected to welcome back former captain and blindside flanker John Muldoon to his starting XV, the Portumna man having made a return from injury as a replacement against Ulster last weekend.

Props Denis Buckley and Nathan White are tipped to get the nod in the front row ahead of the two Irish squad members, Brett Wilkinson and Ronan Loughney. Buckley and White made second-half introductions last week against Ulster, steadying what had been a struggling scrum, while hooker Ethienne Reynecke is likely to be named in the matchday squad.

It is unlikely Elwood will make any unnecessary changes to his backline with Dave McSharry having recovered from a shoulder injury. Definitely out are captain Gavin Duffy, Andrew Browne, Dave Nolan, scum-halves Paul O’Donohoe and Frank Murphy, and centres Kyle Tonetti and Danie Poolman.

Eoin McKeown must undergo further fitness testing.

Robbie Henshaw, who last year was playing Connacht schools rugby, is expected to make his Heineken Cup debut at full-back, as is Ireland U20 scrum-half Kieran Marmion.

Connacht are expecting a tough joust with the Italian newcomers Zebre in the Stadio XXV Aprile, despite having overcome the Italians 30- 17 five weeks ago in the Pro 12. While that was Zebre’s first home match in the league, tomorrow’s game is the Parma side’s first ever Heineken Cup fixture, and Connacht assistant coach Dan McFarland says there is a huge expectation as a result.

“Having already beaten them in Parma, and with them having not won a game yet, there is a huge expectation, but we think we have the game plan and the armoury to win a match over there — it is a question of putting it into practice.”