Elwood demands that Connacht front up

Date Published: 19-Apr-2013

 Head coach Eric Elwood has demanded that Connacht at least matches Ulster in the physical stakes when they face the RaboDirect PRO12 league leaders tonight (Friday) at the Sportsground (kick-off 7.45pm).

Elwood has called on, in particular, his pack, which is unchanged from that which powered to victory over Edinburgh last week, to ‘put it up’ to Ulster up front.

Elwood, in his last interprovincial at the helm before his imminent departure from the game, also believes Connacht must emerge on top and control the breakdown area, which will be a crucial battleground.

The bulky front-row of Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin and Ronan Loughney has ample experience, with over 400 caps between them, while the brawn and muscle in the forwards will be provided by Michael Swift, Mike McCarthy, Mick Kearney, John Muldoon and George Naoupu.

But for all Elwood’s talk about the forwards’ battle, it’s in the backline where Ulster coach Mark Anscombe has rung the changes – five in personnel and two positional switches.

Jared Payne has recovered from the ankle knock and starts at full-back. Chris Henry, Andrew Trimble and Ireland out-half Paddy Jackson, who were rested against the Dragons last week, also return to the side. Lewis Stevenson starts in the second row, with Iain Henderson named as a substitute.

Tommy Bowe switches from the right wing to the left, and Ruan Pienaar moves from out-half to scrum half.

The latter will provide much food for thought for young Connacht scrum-half, Kieran Marmion, who once again partners Dan Parks at half-back.

Gavin Duffy captains the side on the wing, with Robbie Henshaw, who scored his first try for Connacht last week, retaining the full-back spot and Eoin Griffin, Brian Murphy, and Danie Poolman completing the backline.

There were red faces all round when Connacht lost 25-0 at Ravenhill in October – embarrassingly, of the 27 competitive games Ulster played this season, Connacht is the only side that failed to score even three points against them over an entire 80 minutes.

The last occasion a side registered ‘nil points’ against Ulster in competitive action was way back in March 2009, so that’ll show you how bad the result was for Connacht. It will certainly provide motivation as Eric Elwood seeks to sign-off with a win in his last inter-provincial as coach.

For more and the full teams see page 41 of this week’s City Tribune