Coach Elwood fuming over quick turnaround

Date Published: 29-Sep-2010

Rob Murphy

ERIC Elwood travels to Wales this week with a squad carrying plenty of knocks and bruises but still high on confidence. A Thursday night fixture in Cardiff (7:05 live on RTE 2) has understandably left the new Connacht coach frustrated with league organizers as it comes just five days after a thundering battle with Ulster at the Sportsground.

He has questioned the wisdom of bringing his side to the Welsh capital a day before the Ryder Cup kicks off in Newport. The only available accommodation is an hour away in Swansea adding to their woes and leading to Elwood labeling the whole situation "ridiculous" on Monday.

Gavin Duffy is the main injury concern ahead of the tie with a back injury while Keith Matthews and Niva Ta’auso are also carrying knocks yet it seems likely that there will be no resting of front line players. Once more, if they’re fit, they will play.

The policy seems to be working. Connacht have named a 25 man squad for tonight’s match against the Blues. Aidan Wynne and Johnny O’Connor are included in a familiar looking line up as Elwood attempts to build on the positive start to this year’s League campaign.

Local Academy graduate Dermot Murphy makes his first competitive appearance of this season in the squad, the 21-year-old Galwegian impressed during the pre-season friendlies and will hope to add to his tally of caps as Connacht look to overturn last December’s 21-9 result in Cardiff City Stadium.

Connacht’s lack of resources will almost certainly be evident on occasions during a long campaign even if the good form continues and a game like this seems the likely place for that to happen.

However, if Connacht can maintain the level of performance we have seen from them in the four games to date and get points from this trip, then it will go down as another huge achievement in what has been an extraordinary start to the campaign.

Connacht squad: forwards – R. Loughney, B. Wilkinson, D. Murphy, S. Cronin, A. Flavin, R. Sweeney, J. Hagan, A. Browne, M. Swift, B. Upton, M. McCarthy, R. Ofisa, M. McComish, J. O’Connor. Backs – C. Willis, F. Murphy, M. Nikora, I. Keatley, F. Carr, K. Matthews, N. Taauso, A. Wynne, T. Nathan, G. Duffy, D. Fanning.