Tough task facing Connacht against high flying Treviso

CONNACHT travel to eastern Italy on Friday evening (7:30) for their re-arranged game at Benetton Treviso this weekend in their penultimate outing of the season. They’ll need to win and also succeed against Glasgow at home in the final round to have a chance of a highest ever finish in the Rabo Direct Pro 12.

Treviso are on a brilliant run at the moment, they haven’t lost at home since November when Ulster beat them, with the run at five consecutive wins since, including victories over Munster, Cardiff and Edinburgh in the last two months.

Eric Elwood has a squad carrying a number of injuries with Robbie Henshaw’s dislocated thumb the latest frustrating setback. The front row is under pressure with Nathan White and Dennis Buckley on the casualty list and it all adds up to a tough task this weekend.

Junior Inter-ProThe Connacht Junior Inter-provincial squad return to action on Saturday (2:30) in north Mayo when Ballina RFC hosts the first of this season’s fixtures against Ulster. The men in green are looking for a third successive title at this grade after an incredibly successful couple of seasons.

The current management team of coaches Ambrose Conboy, Cory Brown and Mark Mullins along with manager Sean Brennan took over last season after Seamus King and Eddie Walsh had delivered a first ever title in 2011.

All told Connacht have gone seven games without losing in this competition having won on their last outing in 2010 for good measure. The squad is once again strong with a couple of stalwarts missing, but that is inevitable for all provinces at this grade.

The competition is the only form of amateur representative rugby in the country and is a huge honour for club players around the country. Connacht face Leinster in Longford in round two before finishing up their campaign on May 11 against Munster at home in Ballinasloe.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.