Connacht welcome back experienced trio

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has named his side for tomorrow night’s Magners League game against Ulster at Ravenhill, kick-off 7.05pm.

Three Connacht centurions make their return to the starting line-up.

Loosehead Brett Wilkinson returns to the front row and partners Sean Cronin and Jamie Hagan in the frontrow.

Michael Swift returns following a hand injury which saw him miss Connacht’s last two matches, and he is partnered by former Junior All Black Bernie Upton in the engine room with the versatile Mike McCarthy moving to blindside flanker.

Johnny O’Connor continues to captain the side at openside flanker and John Muldoon makes his first full start at number eight since returning from a broken arm.

The backline remains largely unchanged from last week’s game against Cardiff Blues with Frank Murphy joining Ian Keatley in the halfbacks.

Kiwi Troy Nathan and former Samoan U21 Niva Ta’auso make up the centre pairing with Fionn Carr, Eoin Griffin and Gavin Duffy forming the back three.

Connacht: Gavin Duffy; Eoin Griffin, Niva Ta’auso, Troy Nathan, Fionn Carr, Ian Keatley, Frank Murphy; Brett Wilkinson, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan; Michael Swift, Bernie Upton, Mike McCarthy, Johnny O’Connor (C), John Muldoon

Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Ronan Loughney, Rodney Ah You, Andrew Browne, Mike McComish, Cillian Willis, Miah Nikora, Tiernan O’Halloran