Swansea will strive to improve

John Connolly insists Swansea will keep striving to improve as they prepare to return to Heineken Cup action.

The All Whites coach takes his team to Leinster this week - a tough assignment on the back of a 45-23 defeat at Llanelli last Friday.

A Leinster victory would see them through to the quarter-finals as pool winners.

But Connolly is determined his side give a better account of themselves than back in October, when they crashed 51-10 at home to the Irish province.

"We were terrible in that first half but it came at a time when we were building a team. I know we have improved since then but on Friday we came up against a very good side in Llanelli. We just have to try to keep improving."

Meanwhile, Italy have announced that they are to play pre-World Cup Tests on the road against Ireland and Scotland in August, as well as a home match against Georgia in September, as part of their preparation for Australia 2003.

The Azzurri will face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday August 23, before flying across the Irish Sea to face Eddie O'Sullivan's men at Lansdowne Road on Saturday August 30.