Connacht have announced a 23-man squad ahead of their Magners League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday (kick-off 5.05pm).
Both Keith Matthews and Ray Ofisa have overcome the respective injuries which kept them out of last week’s game against Munster and are once again available for selection.
Team captain John Muldoon, who picked up a yellow card against Munster, is suspended for Sunday’s encounter with the Dragons.
The Rodney Parade tie is a crucial one for Connacht as they try to keep their hopes of reaching the Heineken Cup qualification play-off alive.
Bottom of the league table, they are currently six points adrift of the second-from-bottom Dragons who also have two games in hand.
So Michael Bradley’s men will need two or three wins in their final games against the Dragons, Ulster and Glasgow – and other results to go their way – if they are to finish above the Dragons and set up a play-off clash with the third-placed team in Italy’s Super 10 Championship.
Speaking to the Galway Advertiser, Bradley said: “At this stage of the season, the Dragons and Glasgow away and Ulster at home are critical to us.
“We put five tries on the Dragons when they visited the Sportsground and they felt it did not reflect the game, so they will be looking to put the record straight. It was a poor day for them so Sunday is a very big game for both of us.
“We’re expecting a tight game. It’s about creating chances and taking them and being solid in defence.
“We were not against Munster, we were shaky in defence and on two occasions (in the first half) they got through.”
CONNACHT Squad (v Newport Gwent Dragons): Backs (11) – Liam Bibo, Fionn Carr, Mel Deane, Gavin Duffy, Andy Dunne, Ian Keatley, Keith Matthews, Frank Murphy, Troy Nathan, Conor O’Loughlin, Niva Ta’auso.
Forwards (12) – Andrew Browne, Sean Cronin, Andrew Farley, Adrian Flavin, David Gannon, Ronan Loughney, Brian McGovern, Johnny O’Connor, Ray Ofisa, Colm Rigney, Michael Swift, Brett Wilkinson.
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