Warwick gets Connacht chance

Former Australian Sevens captain Paul Warwick will make his competitive debut for Connacht tomorrow at the Sportsground, as coach Michael Bradley has named four of his seven summer signings as starters against Glasgow.

The 23-year-old, signed from Manly in July, will fill the number 10 shirt, with 151-cap veteran Eric Elwood benched. Centre Darren Yapp has been a late withdrawal due to a knee ligament injury, but ex-Leinster utility back Niall O’Brien has recovered from injury and is among the replacements.

New signings David Slemen, James Downey, another poach from Leinster, and former Munster and Leicester scrum-half Tom Tierney all start, and will give a new look to Bradley’s back line, with one-time Irish international Matt Mostyn shifting to outside centre.

Expectations will be high for a Connacht squad that reached two semi-finals last season, and Bradley is counting on his new arrivals.

“I expect the new players to bring an all-round improvement to our play, especially off our strike moves and at first phase,” said the 41-year-old. “Glasgow play a high-tempo game, so it will be down to us to gain control of possession and play it our way.

“We’re hoping for a top-four league finish, which will give us a home draw for the Celtic Cup.”

Connacht will be led out for the first time by Australian lock Andrew Farley, 24, against a Scottish side that have not won on Irish soil since defeating the westerners in December 2001.

Connacht (v Glasgow): D Slemen; T Robinson, M Mostyn, J Downey, C McPhillips; P Warwick, T Tierney; A Clarke, J Fogarty, P Bracken, C Short, A Farley (Capt), J Muldoon, M Lacey, J O’Sullivan.

Replacements: H Bourke, S Knoop, M Carroll, P Neville, C O’Loughlin, E Elwood, N O’Brien.