Connacht v Cardiff:  When these teams met in the Arms Park in September, Connacht were still on a learning curve with coach Michael Bradley. Since then they've toughened up and have climbed into the top half of the league table.

Back then, Bradley believed his side missed too many first-up tackles and maybe didn't finish as well as they could have.

One of only two European Cup sides in the league, Connacht have won half their matches and earned five bonus points.

Again they face their visitors in Athlone with a revised line-up, a regular feature of the squad that has given Connacht a fresh look each time they step out. There are seven changes in all, five of them up front.

"Since the start of the season we have become more co-ordinated as a unit, our team pattern has improved and we have greater confidence in our defensive system," Bradley said this week. "We are in the semi-finals of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup and it is fair to say we have had a good season."

Cardiff arrive with the whiff of controversy surrounding the club. The team manager resigned and the club then suspended him while investigations into breaches of contract continue. Not ideal for the side which is three places behind Connacht in the table and which also has four players with the Welsh team.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), T Robinson; E Elwood, C O'Loughlin; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken; D Browne, A Farley; M Swift, M Lacey, M Carroll. Replacements: A Clarke, B Jackman, M McCarthy, P Neville, C Keane, S Moore.

Verdict: Home win

Dubarry Park, 7.0