RUGBY:CONNACHT COACH Eric Elwood has made six changes from the side beaten by Ireland for tonight's final pre-season friendly against Saracens at the HAC ground in London. Gavin Duffy returns following a calf injury to captain the side from fullback with Tiernan O'Halloran switching to the right wing in place of Mark McCrea.
There is a new halfback pairing with Welsh-born, Irish qualified Matthew Jarvis starting at outhalf in partnership with Frank Murphy.
Former Saracen, the South African Ethienne Reynecke is at hooker with Ireland’s Mike McCarthy partnering Connacht’s most capped player Mike Swift in the secondrow. Johnny O’Connor is fit enough to claim the number seven jersey.
The Irish province will be without recent signing Fetu’u Vainkolo who has been called into the Tongan World Cup squad after an impressive try scoring performance in a victory over Fiji and Elwood still has an injury list of about eight players.
Ulster complete their warm-up prior to the start of the RaboDirect Pro 12 League with a game against Harlequins at Ravenhill tomorrow night. Coach Brian McLaughlin will be without nine players, across four countries for the World Cup, but his progressive attitude to selection last season in blooding several outstanding young players should stand to the province.
Chris Henry will captain the team. Prop Paddy McAllister is a future Irish international while there are others who may be able to make similar claims if they continue to progress.
Ian Humphreys and Nevin Spence return to the backline for a first start having recovered from their respective shoulder surgeries.
Darren Cave excelled for Ireland in the game against Connacht while Craig Gilroy is another superb prospect. Dan Tuohy is named on the bench, recovered from a severe hamstring tear last May.
CONNACHT: G Duffy (capt); T O’Halloran, E Griffin, H Fa’afili, B Tuohy; M Jarvis, F Murphy; D Rogers, E Reynecke, R Ah You; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, J O’Connor, G Naoupu. Replacements: A Flavin, D Buckley, J Stephens, TJ Anderson, R Ofisa, P O’Donohoe, N O’Connor, D McSharry.
ULSTER: A D’Arcy; C Gaston, D Cave, N Spence, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall; P McAllister, A Kyriacou, J Cronin; L Stevenson, N McComb; P Wannenburg, W Faloon, C Henry (capt). Replacements: N Brady, C Black, A Macklin, T Barker, D Tuohy, R Diack, I Porter, P Jackson, I Whitten, L Marshall, P Nelson.
