Connacht coach Eric Elwood must remain resolute in adversity because it’s an attitude he will demand of his dwindling playing resources. There is a temptation to describe Connacht’s medical plight as an epidemic but it’s probably fairer to label it as excessively unfortunate.
The province are missing 13 players including officer material in Nathan White, John Muldoon, Michael Swift, George Naoupu, Frank Murphy and Gavin Duffy. It’s a significant body of experience to be written out of any matchday script.
One person’s injury is an opportunity for another and in that respect Elwood has singled out the contributions of young forwards like Mick Kearney and Eoin McKeon.
One-time Leinster academy hooker Jason Harris-Wright excelled in the narrow defeat to Edinburgh last weekend to remind everyone he is a player of ability. He is retained in the starting line-up with Ethienne Reynecke sufficiently rehabilitated to join the replacements.
The Connacht coach praised the manner in which Andrew Browne has coped with the responsibility of running the lineout. Tonight will be the toughest benchmarking process he’ll have encountered.
Browne switches to the backrow to accommodate the return of Ireland international Mike McCarthy. It’s an alteration that will give the home pack the ballast it requires for what promises to be a hugely physical encounter.
Biarritz can afford to leave the excellent Imanol Harinordoquy on the bench, as the French international eases his way back from injury, and still possess a very accomplished unit in the set pieces.
Connacht are going to have to find a way of locking down the scrum, a difficult process against Fabien Barcella and Argentine Francisco Gomez Kodela.
Biarritz possess a surfeit of pace out wide in the form of Iain Balshaw, Takudzwa Ngwenya and Aled Brew so there is an issue with regard to the creativity and decision making closer to the hub of affairs.
Dimitri Yachvili encourages his forwards to carry ball and possesses a wonderful kicking game from the tee and out of hand.
If the visitors can’t find a way through their hosts then they’re going to have to explore ways of getting around them and in that regard former Leinster player Matt Berquist will be a key figure.
Gavin Duffy’s injury means that Fetu’u Vainikolo returns to the left wing. There’s no doubting his pace so it’s a question of getting the right sort of ball to him.
Dan Parks takes over the captaincy from Duffy and much will depend on the nuances the Australian-born, former Scottish international outhalf can inject into his team’s attacking patterns.
Connacht will need to mix territory with the courage to play when the opportunities arise. This is a winnable game for the Irish province but they must play with hard-nosed conviction for 80-plus minutes.
