Elwood opts to experiment for Samoa visit

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has named his side to play Samoa at the Sportsground in Galway on Tuesday night (kick off 7.05pm).

The second-choice front row of Ronan Loughney, Adrian Flavin and trial player Barrry Fa’amausili will be looking to impress in the absence of Brett Wilkinson and Sean Cronin who are with the Irish training squad.

Former Ireland U-20 tight-head Jamie Hagan is also rested.

Andrew Browne forms a new look second row partnership with Bernie Upton while young prospect Eoin McKeon packs down at blindside flanker.

Ex-Queensland Reds number eight Ezra Taylor returns for the Westerners.

Cillian Willis and Miah Nikora have been given the chance to impress at half-back while the backline contains several Connacht academy graduates such as Aiden Wynne and Eoin Griffin.

Ireland will face the South Sea Islanders in the Guinness 2010 Autumn series the following Saturday.

Connacht (v Samoa)

1 Ronan Loughney

2 Adrian Flavin

3 Barry Fa’amausili

4 Andrew Browne

5 Bernie Upton

6 Eoin McKeon

7 Mike McComish

8 Ezra Taylor

9 Cillian Willis

10 Miah Nikora

11 Brian Touhy

12 Aidan Wynne

13 Eoin Griffin

14 Shane Monahan

15 Troy Nathan

Replacements

16 Dermot Murphy

17 Rob Sweeney

18 Dylan Rogers

19 Michael McCarthy

20 Shane Conneely

21 Conor O’Loughlin

22 Darragh Fanning