Connacht Forced to make Changes

Connacht will be without influential trio Marnus Uijs, Mark McConnell and Des Dillon for the visit of Glasgow to the Sportsground on Saturday (2 pm). But the good news for coach Steph Nel is that replacement hooker Tommy Kearns has recovered from a rib injury sustained in last Saturday’s game with Ulster and will take his place in the starting line-up. It had originally been feared that the injury he sustained in that game would rule him out of this Celtic League quarter-final tie and have Connachr scrabbling around for a hooker.

Also included in the Connacht side is young wing Ted Robinson who is capable of making a big impression along with the likes of Gavin Duffy and Johnny O’Connor.

Glasgow will be without their international trio Glenn Metcalfe, Jon Petrie, and David Hilton while prop Lee Harrison and wing Michael Bartlett return to the side after being out injured for two months.

Connacht: G Duffy; T Robinson, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood (capt), E Reddan; D McFarland (capt), T Kearns, R McCormack; D Browne, R Frost; J Charlie, J O’Connor, M Swift.

Replacements: 16 P Bracken 17 J McVeigh, 18 C Rigney, 19 P Neville 20 C Keane, 21 M McPhail, 22 M McHugh.

Glasgow: Rory Kerr; Jonathan Steel, James McLaren, Andy Henderson, Michael Bartlett; Tommy Hayes, Andy Nicol (capt); Gordon Mcllwham, Gordon Bulloch, Lee Harrison; Nathan Ross, Jason White;Gordon Simpson Roland Reid, Gareth Flockhart.

Replacements: 16 Gavin Scott, 17 Euan Murray, 18 Steve Griffiths, 19 Andy Hall, 20 Graeme Beveridge, 21 Barry Irving, 22 Alan Bulloch.