Rugby:Connacht's re-scheduled game against Aironi is the only Magners League fixture of the weekend and the western province will hope they can keep their recent good run of form going when they host the Italians tomorrow evening (kick-off 7.35pm).
Eric Elwood’s side shows just one change from last Friday’s win over Treviso. Hooker Sean Cronin was named on the Ireland bench to take on Wales in the Six Nations on Saturday, which means Adrian Flavin returns to the Connacht frontrow with Dermot Murphy acting as cover from the bench.
Club captain John Muldoon is also named among the replacements after a three month lay-off with a broken arm. He picked up the injury against Harlequins in December’s Amlin Challenge Cup tie.
With Muldoon on the bench, the team will again be captained by Galwayman Johnny O’Connor.
The centurion has led by example since taking the skipper’s armband with Connacht coming into the game with five wins from their last six games in all competitions.
In the Aironi camp Tito Tebaldi returns at scrumhalf in the only change to the visitors’ starting line-up. Tebaldi comes in as loan player Pietro Travagli returns to Petrarca Padova to play in the Italian championship.
James Marshall will start at fullback with Riccardo Bocchino starting at outhalf. Danwel Demas and Kaine Robertson take their place on the wings, while Matteo Pratichetti and Gilberto Pavan form a centre partnership.
Nick Williams, Gareth Krause and Josh Sole for the backrow, while captain Marco Bortolami plays lock alongside Joshua Furno in the secondrow. Ulyses Gamboa, Roberto Santamaria and Alberto De Marchi are in the frontrow.
“The most positive thing from the last game was that, after the first 20 minutes, we started to play our game not only to be competitive, but to win the game,” said coach Rowland Phillips in reference to their game against Ulster last time out.
“We showed good structures both in offense and defense to dominate the second half at Ulster. If we are able to build on that performance, it could be another step toward the first win.”
Connacht find themselves eighth in the standings after defeating Treviso, while Aironi prop up the table despite a promising performance against Ulster last time out when they denied the home side a bonus point at Ravenhill.
Connacht Rugby said tickets bought by fans for the original fixture in December remain valid for tomorrow’s encounter at the Sportsground.
Connacht: Gavin Duffy, Brian Tuohy, Niva Ta'auso, Troy Nathan, Fionn Carr, Ian Keatley, Frank Murphy, Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Jamie Hagan, Michael Swift, Michael McCarthy, Andrew Browne, Johnny O'Connor, Johnny (capt), Ray Ofisa. Replacements: Dermot Murphy, Ronan Loughney, Rodney Ah You, Bernie Upton, John Muldoon, Cillian Willis, Miah Nikora, Keith Matthews
Aironi: James Marshall, Kaine Robertson, Gilberto Pavan, Matteo Pratichetti, Danwel Demas, Riccardo Bocchino, Tito Tebaldi, Nick Williams, Gareth Krause, Josh Sole, Marco Bortolami (capt), Joshua Furno, Ulyses Gamboa, Roberto Santamaria, Alberto De Marchi . Replacements: Luigi Ferraro, Andrea De Marchi, Luca Redolfini, George Biagi, Nicola Cattina, Giulio Toniolatti, Gabriel Pizarro, Giulio Rubini
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