Ross expects barren spell to end

It is symptomatic of Connacht's problems this season that, having recruited flanker Junior Charlie to strengthen the back row last weekend, the New Zealander was unavailable to travel to Bucharest for today's fixture.

As a result, Connacht coach Glenn Ross has been forced to make further changes to a side that is struggling to pick up the pieces of a poor season. Ross finalised his team after yesterday's training session at the gloomy Ghencea Stadium - home of the Romanian army team, Steaua Bucharest.

Prop Jimmy Screene is named in the starting 15, being preferred over John Maher, while scrumhalf James Ferris, number eight Ultan O'Callaghan and hooker Bernard Jackman are all called up to a side that shows four changes and one positional switch from that which lost to Ebbw Vale.

Yet against that backdrop, and a full day's travel and the icy Romanian climate, Ross is confident the team is inching closer to the end of its barren spell.

Last weekend, against the Welsh side, Connacht, after leading at half-time, succumbed to an error-ridden second half, and Ross has concentrated the week's training on improving discipline and getting greater percentage tackles from the tight five in the hope of capitalising on the new back row power.

Yet as desperate as Connacht are to win, so are Bucharest, who fell to Toulon, also after leading at half-time. They have named a side with six internationals, of whom three played in the World Cup, including captain and lock Draguceanu Catalin.

Team manager Vladmir Dimitreseu has kept pace with Connacht interprovincial results via the internet and as a result his team is targeting Connacht as the one to beat, giving them their first points in their first European competition.

Winners of the Romanian premier division, Steaua Bucharest are physically strong and hope to use the pace of their four international backs, including World Cup centres Tofan Ionut and Brezoianu Gabriel.

It is a big occasion for the Bucharest side, playing only their second fixture against a foreign side in five years.

CONNACHT: S Allnutt; P Duignan, M Mostyn, M Deane, N Carolan; E Elwood, J Ferris; J Screene, B Jackman, M Cahill, G Webster, M McConnell, B Gavin, I Dillon, U O'Callaghan. Replacements: D Mescal, C Kilroy, M Murphy, J Maher, J McVeigh, E Brennan, M Steffert.

Moyne Community School advanced to the quarterfinal of the Section A Junior Schools Cup with a hard earned win over newcomers St.Oliver's Drogheda in Mullingar RFC on Thursday.