As Andrew Farley was announced as Connacht team captain for the second successive year yesterday, the province also confirmed the arrival of a new frontrow for the season with the signing of the Irish-qualified prop, Hamish Mitchell, from Taranaki in New Zealand.
Mitchell (24), who played for Taranaki against the Lions during the summer, signed for Michael Bradley's side this week but will see out the NPC campaign in New Zealand before heading to Ireland. He qualifies for Ireland through grandparents and will link up with Connacht in a few weeks' time having signed a two-year deal.
Taranaki will not be eligible for Connacht's pool stages of the European Challenge Cup as the ERC registration deadline will have passed. However, he will be eligible if Connacht, as expected, advance to the knockout stages of the competition after Christmas. The 18st, 6ft 5ins prop will be eligible to play in the Celtic League for Connacht once he arrives in Ireland.
"We are taking a long-term view on this signing," said Connacht manager Tim Allnutt. "Hamish is a quality prop who will be a big addition to our squad. He is coming here to further his career and he knows that if everything works out for him he has an Irish place to chase down."
Irish international wing Matt Mostyn has been confirmed as vice-captain for the new campaign and both he and Farley have been named on Bradley's starting side for tomorrow's opening Celtic League clash with Cardiff Blues at the Sportsground (2.30).
Farley will be making his 60th appearance for the province at secondrow, in just his third season, while Mostyn has played 53 competitive games since his return in 2003, bringing his total caps for Connacht to 65.
On the bench Ronan Loughney, Daniel Riordan and hooker Chris Venter are all in line to make their competitive debuts.
The last time the two sides met, in January, Connacht lost 8-18, James Downey's try and Paul Warwick's penalty well short of Dean Dewdney's two tries and Nick Macleod's conversion and two penalties. In fact Connacht have not beaten the Blues in their last four meetings.
Connacht will also hope to start the season in an entirely different way to last season's conclusion when they suffered three straight losses in the closing run to Leinster, the Ospreys and the Dragons. They have also lost their last five home games in all competitions with their last win in Galway coming against Grenoble in the European Challenge Cup on January 15th. On Connacht's side is the fact they have won their opening game of the Celtic League for the past four years.
Cardiff Blues won their final two Celtic League games of the last campaign against Ulster and the Borders, but have won just once away from home in the competition in their last 13 matches.
Openside flanker Diarmuid Laffan will captain the Dublin University-dominated Leinster under-21 side which faces Connacht this evening in Donnybrook at 6.30. The squad has eight Trinity students including props Killian O'Neill and Paul Doran Jones, with five of the side on the starting team. Lansdowne's 6ft 10ins forward Devin Toner partners Greystones' Adrian Lightowler at secondrow.
Connacht also have three Dublin University players starting - prop Craig Telford, blindside flanker Richard Morrow and openside Shane Young. The under-19 teams also play today at 7pm in Naas RFC.
CONNACHT: D Slemen; C McPhillips, D Yapp, K Matthews, M Mostyn; P Warwick, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, S Knoop, C Short, A Farley, J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacement: C Venter, D McFarland, R Loughney, M Swift, B O'Connor, C O'Loughlin, DRiordan.
CARDIFF: N Macleod; C Czekaj, R Williams (capt), T Davies, C Morgan; N Robinson, Mphillips; J Yapp, G Williams, M Jones, D Jones, R Sidoli, M Molitika, A Powell R Sowden-Taylor. Replacements: R Powell, L Thomas, M Nuthall, B Evans, R Thomas, C Quinnell, M Lewis.
Referee: Andy Ireland (SRU).
LEINSTER UNDER-21: C O'Sullivan (Greystones); F Carr (Blackrock College), F McFadden (UCD), C Donohoe (Dublin University), R Ronayne (Blackrock College); A Geraghty (Lansdowne), M D'Arcy (Dublin University); K O'Neill (Dublin University), G O'Meara (Lansdowne), P Doran Jones (Dublin University), A Lightowler (Greystones), D Toner (Lansdowne), S O'Brien (UCD), D Laffan (Dublin University, capt), R Boucher (Lansdowne). Replacements: C Culleton (Dublin University), K Maloney (Blackrock College), D O'Reilly (Dublin University), L Mantle (Greystones), D Coughlan (Lansdowne), C O'Daly (Clontarf), S Hanratty (Dublin University)
CONNACHT UNDER-21: M Butler (Sligo); B Murphy (Corrib), M Aspell (Connemara), K Finane (UCG, capt), P Gillespie (Sligo); P Durcan (Ballina), P Phelan (Newcastle Falcons); M Diffley (Buccaneers), C Muldoon (Galwegians), C Telford (Dublin University), L Scahill (Buccaneers), D McGowan (Buccaneers), R Morrow (Dublin University), S Young (Dublin University), S Casserly (Galwegians). Replacements: J Hogan (Bruff), M Kelly (Corinthians), C Malone (Buccaneers), C Doyle (UCD), I Cullinane (Corinthians), S Considine (Corinthians), C O'Beirne (Corinthians).
Referee: Leo Colgan (Munster).
LEINSTER UNDER-19: Sean Quinn; C Jebb, Fjones, S Monaghan, T Corr; I Keatley, S Cranley; J Hagan, G Telford, R Sweeney, C McInerney (capt), N Cummins, B O'Flanagan, I Cordell, K Sheehan. Replacements: R Brosnan, K Cerso, R Burke-Flynn, D Whately, D Farrell, S English, K Kehoe
CONNACHT UNDER-19: S Carey; K Corcoran, R Butler, R Hurley, K Reilly; P Cuddy, R Leahy; M Blighe, G Kelly, E Ferron, C Dolphin, A Browne, P Burke, P Lewis, H Donnellan. Replacements: Ross Fitzgerald, S Henry, J Wilson, R Bluett, S Gillespie, C Sweeney, Shane Biggins.
