Elwood wants lift for Connacht after derby disasters

Billed as a must-win for both sides, Connacht return to the Galway Sportsground for this evening’s RaboDirect Pro 12 joust with the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Neither side enjoyed any seasonal cheer — Connacht losing to interprovincial rivals Munster and Leinster while the Dragons lost their Christmas derbies to Cardiff and Ospreys. And, with just two points separating 11th placed Dragons from Connacht, both sides are treating this as a cup final outing.

“We have to be honest,” said Connacht’s Eric Elwood. “Everybody knows how important this fixture is — the players and the management. What we have done all week is to focus on ourselves to ensure we get everything right.