HARLEQUINS ARRIVE in Galway needing to beat Connacht to keep their chances of a quarterfinal alive. Toulouse, who play Gloucester, are in the pool’s driving seat and two points clear.

Conor O’Shea’s side arrive with just one change in the backline to the side that beat Gloucester last week at the Stoop. Sam Smith comes in on the left wing with Ugo Monye moving to the right. Tom Williams has been allowed to remain at home with his partner, who is due to give birth to their first child.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood also makes just one change from the team that played Toulouse last week with Ronan Loughney replacing Dylan Rogers at tighthead prop. Loughney was called into the Ireland Wolfhounds squad on Wednesday along with four other Connacht players, Brett Wilkinson, John Muldoon, Gavin Duffy and Mike McCarthy, while Tiernan O’Halloran was called in as an additional player to the senior Ireland squad.

The 27-year-old Loughney has shown great versatility this season, moving from loosehead to tighthead prop.

The 111kg Galway-man has excelled not just in the set-piece but in loose play as well and it is this form that has seen him called into the Wolfhound squad.

It’s pride for Connacht looking for their first Heineken Cup win and a possible knockout phase for O’Shea’s team. Harlequins are favourites.

Hasn’t it always been that way for Connacht in this campaign.

CONNACHT RUGBY: G Duffy (capt); F Vainikolo, K Tonetti, D McSharry, T O’Halloran; N O’Connor, P O’Donohoe; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Loughney, M Swift, M McCarthy, J Muldoon, R Ofisa, G Naoupu. Replacements: E Reynecke, D Buckley, D Rogers, M Kearney, E McKeon, D Moore, M Nikora, H Fa’afili.

HARLEQUINS: M Brown; U Monye, M Hopper, J Turner-Hall, S Smith; N Evans, D Care; J Marler, C Brooker, J Johnston, T Vallejos, G Robson, M Faasavalu, C Robshaw (capt), N Easter. Replacements: J Gray, M Lambert, T Fairbrother, O Kohn, L Wallace, R Bolt, R Clegg, T Casson.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).