Elwood hoping Muldoon will be fit for trip to Italy

AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP:CONNACHT COACH Eric Elwood is hoping his skipper John Muldoon will finally make his first start of the season in the Amlin Challenge Cup against I Cavalieri Estra at the Stadio Lungobisenzio on Saturday – and make as big an impact as Johnny O'Connor did when he returned last week.

O’Connor was injured during pre-season but made a huge impression in Cardiff last Thursday night when he was introduced at the break. And while Connacht went down to a 22-6 defeat, the performance of the former Irish flanker gave Elwood plenty to be optimistic about.

The Connacht coach is hoping Muldoon, out since breaking his arm against the All-Blacks in the summer, will make as big an impression when he returns. “It’s touch and go as to whether he will make it for this Saturday’s game. He’s nearly there and mad keen to come back but we will have to monitor him during the week.

“It was great to get Johnny O’Connor back last week and hopefully John Muldoon will be chomping at the bit the same way. We have had to deal with a lot of injuries so it would be great to get as many back as possible,” said Elwood.

The Connacht coach is likely to rest some of his front-runners for the trip to the Italian part-timers with fullback Gavin Duffy and centre Keith Matthews nursing niggling injuries.

Connacht reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year after winning all six pool games – the only team to do so in either of the European competitions – and Elwood is confident they will get off to a winning start.

The Italian club will be making their European debut on Saturday.

“We have had a look at them and know what to expect but we will head there knowing we have a job to do and take nothing for granted,” he said. “We sent a guy over to Italy the weekend before last when they were playing Lazio in the Super 10 and video of that game is what we will be working off in preparation for Saturday.

“That was the best we could do so we have to take our chances from that one game and hope there are not too many changes in their team.

“However, what it has told us is they have a couple of big, good ball carriers, big centres and a solid goal kicker. We will have to keep our discipline, not give away any silly penalties and easy points and, if we play to our full capabilities, we should be okay.

“But because it is their first game in Europe they will want to put on a good performance in front of their own fans and we expect them to be very competitive. With just the pool winner going through to the quarter-finals we know we must get off to a winning start.”