Coach Michael Bradley has made three changes in personnel as well as one positional switch to the Connacht team ahead of their Magners Celtic League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tonight.
Tighthead prop Stephen Knoop starts in place of Ray Hogan, while John Fogarty is recalled to captain the side in a reshuffled frontrow. Adrian Flavin loses out there but is named among the replacements.
David Gannon is recalled to start in place of Michael Swift in the secondrow, with Swift also being named among the replacements. Gavin Duffy at fullback and Daniel Riordan at outside centre change positions from how they lined up for Connacht's last game against Glasgow.
Dragons end their season with two home ties, this game and next week against Ospreys. The Dragons are hoping to end their season on a high after suffering five losses on the bounce in the league. They have received a major boost with the news Colin Charvis, Aled Brew and Paul Emerick are fit to face Connacht.
Connacht's last win in Wales was 10-9 over the Ospreys at the Gnoll on November 21st, 2004. The last five matches between the two sides have gone in favour of the home side. Connacht have not won at Rodney Parade since a 16-14 victory against Newport RFC on September 11th, 2001.
Bradley's side sit second from the bottom with no prospect of sinking further as Border Reivers are 14 points behind. But nor do they have much prospect of moving upwards as they are nine points behind Dragons.
DRAGONS:K Morgan; R Fussell, P Emerick, G Maule, A Brew; C Sweeney, A Walker; A Black, S Jones, L Harrison, I Gough, L Charteris, J Bearman, C Charvis, Ml Owen. Replacements (from): B Daly, J Corsi, A Hall, D Lydiate, G Wyatt, A Thomas, P Dollman, G Baber.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; D Yapp, D Riordan, J Hearty, C McPhillips; P Warwick, C Keane; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty (C), S Knoop; D Gannon, A Farley; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, M Swift, D McGowan, P Durcan, M McHugh, T Robinson.
Referee:M Changleng (SRU).
Verdict:Home win.
Dragons v Connacht, Rodney Parade, 7.10. On TV: Setanta
