Rugby NewsEncouraged by last week's performance in the 31-15 opening win over Glasgow Rugby in the Celtic League, Connacht coach Michael Bradley has opted for just one change to his side for Saturday evening's clash with Munster in Musgrave Park.
James Downey, formerly of Leinster and Clontarf, picked up an injury last week and is replaced at inside centre by Niall O'Brien.
It is disappointing for Downey, who has been playing well since his move south but his exclusion for the weekend gives O'Brien his first competitive start for the province, having come on as a replacement last weekend against Connacht.
An Athenry native O'Brien is another home-grown talent, having come up through the ranks at Monivea RFC before moving to Clontarf two seasons ago and then to the Sportsground during the summer. Justin Meagher will take O'Brien's place on the bench.
But Bradley is without Darren Yapp, who misses the game through injury, as does Mark McHugh, who is still two to three weeks away from stepping back on the pitch.
Bernard Jackman remains unavailable due to international commitments as Connacht hope to reverse their recent scores.
Last year Ronan O'Gara kicked the only points of the match in terrible January conditions at Dubarry Park in a 3-0 win before Munster settled things more grandly in the return visit in May with Anthony Foley, David Wallace and Christian Cullen running in tries in the 39-10 win.
At international level, Leinster outhalf Felipe Contepomi, has been left out of the initial 22-man Argentina squad, which is beginning its preparations to play three Test matches, including one against Ireland in Lansdowne Road in November.
Contepomi, who has not lined out with Leinster this season since injuring his neck playing in the second Argentinean Test against Wales in Buenos Aires in June of this year, joins scrumhalf Agustin Pichot and full back Ignacio Corleto on the unavailable list.
Corleto is out of the squad with a broken shin bone, while Pichot is struggling with a knee injury.
But Leinster are expecting to have the Argentinian back playing for them by the end of this month when Irish winger Denis Hickie is also expected to make his long-awaited return.
All of the provinces are hoping to have their international players available over the next two weeks as the international squad's 10 week pre-season stint comes to an end.
The provincial sides are, however, quietly hopeful Eddie O'Sullivan will allow some of the least active players filter out to their teams before the 10-week conditioning period has ended.
Simon Best is one such player and scrums down for Ulster this week against Leinster at Ravenhill Road.
CONNACHT: D Slemen; T Robinson, M Mostyn, N O'Brien, C McPhillips; P Warwick, T Tierney; A Clarke, J Fogarty, P Bracken, C Short, A Farley, J Muldoon, M Lacey, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: H Bourke, S Knoop, M Carroll, P Neville, C O'Loughlin, E Elwood, J Meagher.
