MAGNERS LEAGUE:Connacht v Glasgow Warriors
FEAR AND loathing out west this week as the Cinderella of Ireland’s four professional “clubs” continue to wait for the pumpkin to transform into a carriage and whisk them off to the Ball.
Perhaps the greatest ever gift Connacht have given Irish rugby is Eric Elwood (remember when his right peg saw off the English back when we feared them?). Elwood was officially unveiled on Wednesday as head coach Michael Bradley’s replacement when the Cork man steps down this summer but a measly one-year contract left a sour taste in the mouth.
The one-year deal is the current plight of the whole squad despite assurances that an IRFU review of the development province does not mean an end to it as a professional entity. This is the backdrop to tonight’s game.
So, a local man will be in charge next season and westerners are regularly named in the starting line-up like John Muldoon, Aidan Wynne, Conor O’Loughlin, Gavin Duffy and Johnny O’Connor but what Connacht really need are foot soldiers.
They need people who love their rugby and live along the western seaboard and are willing to brave the Atlantic chill to buy into this squad.
Elwood hit the nail on the head this week: “I want to get off the bottom of that bloody table! I think it is very important that I get people walking up the road and in that gate to support Connacht.”
The Glasgow Warriors arrive without several internationals, as Scotland attempt to salvage a disastrous Six Nations campaign, and could really do with that excellent backrow trio.
Connacht’s decent resistance away to the Ospreys recently, despite a raft of changes, shows they have enough form to get the job done here.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; T Nathan, K Matthews, A Wynne, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, J Hagan; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon (capt), J OConnor, G Naoupu. Replacements: A Flavin, R Morris, B Upton, M McComish, C OLoughlin, M Nikora, B Tuohy.
GLASGOW WARRIORS:B Stortoni; C Shaw, P Murchie, P Horne, D van der Merwe; R Jackson, M McMillan (capt); J Welsh, D Hall, E Kalman; T Barker, D Turner; J Eddie, C Forrester, R Vernon. Replacements: F Thomson, K Tkachuk, R Gray, C Fusaro, C Gregor, C Kinloch, H OHare.
Referee:James Jones (WRU).
Top try scorers– Connacht: F Carr 4. Glasgow: T Evans 4.
Top points scorers– Connacht: I Keatley 82. Glasgow: D Parks 138.
Verdict:Connacht to win.
Venue:Sportsground
Kick-Off:8pm tonight
On TV:Setanta Sports
