Roman conquest likely

While it would be tempting for Connacht to treat this weekend's trip to Rome as a holiday, the primary purpose of the exercise for Steph Nel's team is to extend their winning run to five.

Thankfully, the criteria for separating sides who finish the pool stages of the European Shield on level points is firstly results and then try tallies in matches involving the tied teams. Hence Connacht need not necessarily have to keep pace with Sale, who last week scored 14 tries in their Roman rout.

That result showed how much Roma have disimproved since last season, when they ended their inaugural European Cup campaign by extending eventual semi-finalists Gloucester to a hard-earned 38-29 win.

Cost-cutting over the close-season has left the Italians notably weaker, with the USA Eagles pair of Luke Gross and Philippe Farner having departed, along with putative heirs to Diego Dominguez's number 10 jersey Andrea Scanavacca and Ramiro Pez. Also gone are the Azzurri front-rowers Giampero de Carli and Andrea Lo Cicero; the recruitment of the 35-year-old Massimo Cuttitta is scant consolation.

Looking settled and on something of a roll, an unchanged Connacht should maintain their momentum for the forthcoming head-to-heads with in-form Sale.

ROMA (possible): A Onori; G Camardon, L Corona, N Zisti, A Ausiello; A Merlo, L Mazzi; M Cuttitta, V Esposito, A Castellani, E Matrullo, F Pennese, S-B Virgilio, D de Luca, C Caione (capt).

CONNACHT: G Duffy; P Duignan, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken, R Frost, M McConnell (capt), P Neville, J O'Connor, D Dillon.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).

Previous meetings: None.

Formguide: Roma - L 0-93 v Sale (a). Connacht _ W 18-6 v Narbonne (h).

Leading try scorers: Roma - none. Connacht - none.

Leading points scorers: Roma - none. Connacht _- Eric Elwood 18.

Odds: 11/2 Roma, 20/1 Draw, 1/10 Connacht. Handicap odds (Roma +16pts). 10/11 Roma, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Connacht.

Forecast: Connacht to win.