Connacht prepare for London Irish clash

Eddie O'Sullivan and the other members of the Irish rugby management will be in attendance as Connacht take on London Irish in a pre-season friendly to mark the official opening of the new Connacht Rugby headquarters at the sportsground this Tuesday evening (kick-off 6.30 pm).

Irish manager Brian O'Brien said that it was an opportunity to run the rule over both Connacht and London Irish as both sides prepare for the new season.

"We are always striving to unearth new talent and this is a very appealing match as it gives us the opportunity to watch Connacht as well as check out the Irish qualified players with London Irish.

"Several members of the Connacht side have come into Irish squad sessions and Connacht full-back Mark McHugh was honoured with his first full cap against Tonga this summer.

"Tremendous work has been carried out at the Sportsground in Galway and it will be great to see this new facility at first hand," said the Irish manager.

Four players will start in a Connacht jersey for the first time. Clontarf's David Hewitt starts at out-half in place of the injured Eric Elwood in a backline that had a familiar look to it.

Two more Clontarf clubmen are in the front row, with hooker Bernard Jackman, who moved from Connacht a few seasons ago to Sale Sharks, returning, while Adrian Clarke starts at tighthead.

Former Australian U-21 Andrew Farley, who joined Connacht in the summer from Swansea, partners Damian Browne in the second row, with Michael Carroll of Blackrock College in a back row that is completed by Michael Swift and John O¹Sullivan.

Aside from Elwood, several other Connacht players were not considered due to injury including Marnus Uijs, Peter Bracken, Shane Moore, Matt Mostyn and Mike Walls.

London Irish, who have travelled over with a squad of 34 players, will field a full strength side including Irish internationals Justin Bishop, Bob Casey and Barry Everitt.

The match will kick-off at 6.30 pm, with the official opening of the Connacht headquarters taking place prior to that.

The €1.5m headquarters, which has been developed with the help of Government and the IRFU, is part of a major redevelopment of the ground which also includes a magnificent new stand which has been developed by Bórd na gCon.

The Connacht Branch headquarters, on the opposite side to the stand, includes dressingrooms, a gym, medical room, as well as the administrative offices for the professional and development sides of the game in the West.

The official opening of the new headquarters will be performed by the Immediate Past President of the IRFU, Connacht¹s Don Crowley, at a ceremony which will also be attended by the President of the IRFU John Quilligan.

Connacht (v London Irish): M. McHugh; T. Robinson, D. Yapp, T. Allnutt (capt.), W. Munn; D. Hewitt, C. Keane; D. McFarland, B. Jackman, A. Clarke; D. Browne, A. Farley, M. Swift, M. Carroll, J. O¹Sullivan.

Replacements: W. O¹Kelly, J. Fogarty, F. Boiroux, M. McCarthy, T. Carter, M. Lacey, C. O¹Loughlin, D. Connellan, P. O¹Sullivan, C. McPhillips.