MAGNERS LEAGUE NEWS:CONNACHT ARE facing a fresh injury crisis – this time to the back row following knee ligament damage to number eight Ezra Taylor.
The New Zealander was forced to leave the field during last Saturday’s 40-17 victory over the Dragons at the Sportsground, his first competitive match for the province, and is still awaiting the results of a scan.
However, head coach Eric Elwood expects Taylor to be sidelined for up to six weeks. And with captain John Muldoon, Johnny O’Connor and Andrew Browne all out of action, the province has been prompted to look for a temporary replacement.
“We have made a couple of enquiries, but nothing has come out of those yet,” said Elwood. “Last week we had a problem in the frontrow, and now we have a dilemma in the backrow. Andrew Browne is not yet up to speed with his injury and it is not something we want to rush, so we are looking at a temporary replacement to get us out of a hole,” he says.
In addition centre Niva Ta’auso pulled out of training yesterday with a hamstring strain and Elwood says no decision will be made on his availability until Connacht travel to Wales for Saturday’s Magners League clash with the Scarlets.
Connacht’s poor away record will get its first test under Elwood’s stewardship and the former Connacht and Ireland outhalf says being competitive is his number one priority.
“The key for us is that we need to be in the game and we are looking to put the pressure on the Scarlets and bring our game to them.
“There is a new mentality, and we are going out to win this game, but we have to be competitive and in the game first of all. If we do that, then we would fancy our chances.
“We were all up-tight last week, being the first game and at home. We would have targeted that match, so to get the victory and the bonus point, we are ecstatic. We would have envisaged it being a much closer affair.”
However, he now expects a backlash from the Scarlets, who lost their first match to Italian newcomers Treviso. “With the record we have had over there, they would fancy themselves to win and win with five points. Conversely we are looking to improve our away form and that’s the way we are going to approach it.”
Meanwhile, Ireland internationals Rory Best and Stephen Ferris are missing from the Ulster squad for the visit to newcomers Aironi. Best picked up some soft tissue irritation to his neck in Ulster’s opener against the Ospreys but is rested, along with Ferris, as part of the IRFU’s player management programme.
Coach Brian McLaughlin is expecting a tough task: “This is Aironi’s first home game in the Magners League. They will be very aggressive and physical, they played exceptionally well against Munster last weekend.They have a good pack that is very well directed by Mercier. They have signed very well, key for them is Bortolami in the lineout.”
ULSTER (squad v Aironi): Backs:A D'Arcy, D McIlwaine, N Spence, T Seymour, J Shiels, D Cave, I Whitten, P Wallace, I Humphreys, N O'Connor, I Porter, P Marshall, J Smith. Forwards: T Court, P McAllister, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, A Macklin, N McComb, N Brady, A Kyriacou, J Muller, T Barker, C Henry, R Caldwell, W Faloon, TJ Anderson, R Diack, P Wannenburg.
