do we play without an openside with Matamua and Heenan out, I guess dawai can play any position in the backrow so he'll probably come in and then I'm sure Muldoon has an eye on the big 300 caps at the end of the season if he keeps playing and SOB2 owns the 6 shirt. Not a lot of changes elsewhere, if Browne is fit he slots back in and Marmion also should be freed up to play.

still think Farrell needs more game time but doubt Lam will change the midfield partnership

Borders no.2 wrote: I'm not convinced of the need to rest players. For me we need to keep building momentum. The next game after this is 22 days away. Let's go with our best team particularly up front, get the job done early if possible and then we can start resting players. We've taken advantage of the 6 nations fairly well. We don't want to leave any points behind us here. 5 more here will put us in a good position going into the Glasgow game.

Yeah I agree it'd be ideal to try and build some form and continuity, but a lot of these guys will only have a 5 day turnaround from the Treviso game, and already have significant miles on the clock this season. Given the most important games this year are likely to be our 29th and 30th of the season, key lads need to be rested at some point and at home to the worst team in the league is the ideal time for that.

If McCartney puts in a big performance this weekend I think it will be a serious endorsement for resting guys with a very high amount of minutes played this season who aren't quite hitting the standards they set last year, like Buckley, Bealham, Muldoon, Adeolokun etc

Ahead of Friday’s Guinness PRO12 game at home to Zebre, the Connacht Rugby medical team have provided the following update.

Ivan Soroka (knee) will reintegrate into squad training this week and is expected to be available for selection later in the month.

Nepia Fox Matamua sustained a knee injury in the Treviso game and will be reviewed by a surgeon this week to determine the extent of the injury.

Jake Heenan sustained an ankle injury and will unavailable for selection this week. He is expected to be available for this month’s round 18 fixture with Glasgow Warriors.

Marnitz Boshoff (shoulder) will reintegrate into squad training this week and is expected to be available for this month’s round 18 fixture with Glasgow Warriors.

Cian Kelleher (hamstring) injured his hamstring in training last week and will be out of action until the latter part of the season.

Matt Healy sustained a minor thigh strain in training last week and will be unavailable for selection this week. He is expected to be available for this month’s round 18 fixture with Glasgow Warriors.

Josh Rowland (knee) will reintegrate into squad training this week and is expected to be available for this month’s round 18 fixture with Glasgow Warriors.

Darragh Leader (hand) and Eoin Griffin (chest) will return to match action this weekend, lining out for Galwegians RFC and Buccaneers RFC respectively.

Connacht Rugby v Zebre
Friday 3rd March
At the Sportsground
Kick off 7:35pm
Live on TG4



Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 64th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas (WRU), Ken Imbusch (IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)

www.connachtrugby.ie/squad-update-ahead-of-zebre-game-9/

I'm not convinced of the need to rest players. For me we need to keep building momentum. The next game after this is 22 days away. Let's go with our best team particularly up front, get the job done early if possible and then we can start resting players. We've taken advantage of the 6 nations fairly well. We don't want to leave any points behind us here. 5 more here will put us in a good position going into the Glasgow game.

Darragh wrote: Might be nice to go again with Delahunt and Heffernan.

Equally so with Blade, Ronaldson and Aki.

Maybe Dawai at 8 and Muldoon on the bench, something like that? I wonder how far off Masterson is from featuring.

Like to see Kelleher at full-back. Think Tiernan deserves a break

Might be nice to go again with Delahunt and Heffernan.

Equally so with Blade, Ronaldson and Aki.

Maybe Dawai at 8 and Muldoon on the bench, something like that? I wonder how far off Masterson is from featuring.

if Zebre decide to copy there compatriots at no ruck time I'd expect us to punish them, Muldoon knows the score on how to deal with it.

another 5 pointer but Zebre will be a harder nut to crack than Treviso

Hopefully Buckley and Muldoon are given a rest. Hoping to see a solid lineout, less handling errors, a clinical edge in the 22, less players getting isolated and turned over, and a few more turnovers for us at the breakdown

CONNACHT RUGBY v ZEBRE RUGBY
Friday 3 March
At the Sportsground, 7.35pm
Live on TG4

Get your match tickets here.

Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR, 64th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas (WRU), Ken Imbusch (IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)

Did you know?

Connacht Rugby have won their last three matches since their 10-19 reversal in Toulouse in round 6 of the European Champions Cup.
Connacht’s only loss in their last nine matches at the Sportsground in all tournaments was to Munster in the Guinness PRO12 on 31 December.
Zebre have not won since beating Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield in the PRO12 at the end of October.
The Italians’ only previous victory over an Irish province was when they beat Ulster in Parma in September 2014.
The two sides have met on 14 previous occasions in all tournaments (not including the abandoned the Guinness PRO12 round 3 game), with Connacht winning them all.
The only Italian side to have beaten Connacht in Galway was Treviso in December 2011.