Connacht set-pieces key to leapfrogging visitors

RUGBY:CONNACHT HAVE a chance to leapfrog the Italian visitors to Galway in the table if they win tonight. Benetton Treviso return to Ireland for the second time in a week having lost 30-5 to Leinster at the RDS last time out.

The Italians didn’t concede a bonus point, though, and will be a tougher proposition with the five changes Franco Smith has made. Fijian Manoa Vosawai returns at flanker, while Franco Sbaraglini (hooker) and Lorenzo Cittadini (tighthead) start alongside the hard-scrummaging Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet. Behind the scrum Andrea Pratichetti and Brendan Williams are back, while Joe Maddock shifts to the left wing.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood has been able to call upon Ireland hooker Seán Cronin, with Adrian Flavin dropping to the bench.

There was one late alteration to the squad with the injured Mike McComish replaced by David Nolan. Connacht’s set-pieces will have to be accurate, coupled with fluency, dynamism and shrewd option-taking. If they can replicate that game plan they can win.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, T Nathan; F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, M McCarthy; A Browne, J O’Connor (capt), R Ofisa. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, R Ah You, B Upton, D Nolan, C Willis, M Nikora, M Matthews.

BENETTON TREVISO: B Williams; M Sepe, E Galon, A Pratichetti, J Maddock; W De Waal, L Nitoglia; I Fernandez Rouyet, F Sbaraglini, L Cittadini; A Pavanello (capt), C van Zyl; B Vermaak, M Vosawai, M Filippucci. Replacements: E Ceccato, M Rizzo, P Di Santo, E Pavanello, G Padrò, P Derbyshire, G Garcia, A Marcato.

Referee: Graham Knox (Scotland).