Swift earns 200th cap for Connacht

Edinburgh v Connacht: EARLY DOORS as they say as Michael Bradley faces up to his old club and Ireland colleague Eric Elwood tonight at Murrayfield.

Bradley does so without a win so far with Elwood going for three from three. Not a bad start at all for Connacht who, with eight points from two games, have not begun so smartly since the 2002 season.

Connacht make only two changes to the side with Johnny O’Connor coming in at openside flanker for Ray Ofisa and Ethienne Reynecke starting at hooker in place of Adrian Flavin.

The justifiable cause for celebration this week was Michael Swift’s entry into the 200-cap club, the first player for Connacht to achieve that mark. The 6ft 5in secondrow joined the province in 2000 but knows the team travels to Edinburgh never having beaten them in Murrayfield.

Bradley has been pleased with Edinburgh’s progress but has emphasised the importance of “a W on the board” tonight. The former Connacht coach has made four personnel changes to the side that lost to Ospreys last weekend with captain Greig Laidlaw moving to outhalf to form a new partnership with Chris Leck, who earns his first competitive start.

Lee Jones lines up on the wing in place of the hamstrung Simon Webster, while prop Jack Gilding and secondrow Steven Turnbull come into the pack.

The squad also welcome the return of promising young backrow forward Stuart McInally from a foot injury.

EDINBURGH: T Brown; L Jones, J Thompson, J King, T Visser; G Laidlaw (c), C Leck; K Traynor, S Lawrie, J Gilding, G Gilchrist, S Turnbull, S Cox, R Grant, D Denton. Replacements: A Kelly, R Hislop, S Knight, E Lozada, S McInally, A Black, G Hunter, M Scott Black.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; M McCrea, E Griffen, H Fa'afili, T O'Halloran; M Jarvis, F Murphy; R Loughney, E Reynecke, R Ah You, M Swift, M McCarthy, J Muldoon, J O'Connor, G Naoupu. Replacements: A Flavin, B Wilkinson, D Rogers, D Gannon, R Ofisa, P O'Donoghue, N O'Connor, B Tuohy.

Referee: A Falzone (FIR).

Verdict: Edinburgh.