McCarthy returns for Connacht’s meeting with Gloucester

Eric Elwood has made two changes to the matchday 23 for Gloucester’s visit to the Sportsground on Saturday (1.30pm), with just one change in the starting lineup.

Lock Mike McCarthy returns from suspension to replace the injured Michael Swift in the secondrow. He will be partnered by big George Naoupu whilst the athletic backrow of Dave Gannon, John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa will continue the hard graft of the loose forwards. An uncompromising front row of Brett Wilkinson, Ethienne Reynecke and Ronan Loughney complete the pack.

Frank Murphy and Niall O'Connor resume their halfback partnership while Elwood shows faith in last week's backs naming an unchanged backline with Dave McSharry and Kyle Tonetti in the centre and Mark McCrea, Tiernan O'Halloran and captain Gavin Duffy making up the back three.

There's plenty of talent waiting on the bench with Adrian Flavin, Denis Buckley and Rodney Ah You providing frontrow cover and Mick Kearney and Eoin McKeon covering the loose forwards. Paul O'Donohoe, Matthew Jarvis and Fetu'u Vainikolo add the extra options in the backs.

Connacht (v Gloucester): G Duffy; M McCrea, K Tonetti, D McSharry, T O’Halloran; N O’Connor, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney; M McCarthy, G Naoupu, D Gannon, J Muldoon, R Ofisa.

Replacements: A Flavin, D Buckley, R Ah You, M Kearney, E McKeon, P O’Donohoe, M Jarvis, F Vainikolo.