Gunners Team to face Connacht
Edinburgh Gunners' head coach Todd Blackadder has made six changes, including one positional, to the side that beat Llanelli Scarlets 35-18 at Murrayfield last Friday, ahead of the clash with Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway tomorrow (Friday 5 May, kick-off 6.30pm).
Allister Hogg sits out this match, having taken a knock to his shoulder last week, while Simon Webster has an infected toe and so is unable to play. Otherwise the changes come through rotation, as five players are promoted from the bench.
Francisco Leonelli replaces Webster on the left wing while Rory Lawson comes in for Mike Blair at scrum-half. In the front row, Alasdair Dickinson switches from loosehead to tighthead and is joined by Allan Jacobsen. Dave Duley starts in the second row while Alasdair Strokosch replaces Hogg at openside flanker.
Blackadder said: "We are looking forward to this game. We're keen to build on last week's performance against Llanelli - which I was very proud of.
"Connacht are a tough side, especially at home. They'll battle hard even though they are at the bottom of the league and they won't lie down. We have to play the sort of rugby we are capable of and it's important for us to match them physically," he added.
Edinburgh Gunners team to play Connacht at the Galway Sportsground in the Celtic League on Friday 5 May, kick-off 6.30pm
15 Hugo Southwell
14 Chris Paterson CAPTAIN
13 Marcus Di Rollo
12 Peter Jorgensen
11 Francisco Leonelli
10 Phil Godman
9 Rory Lawson *
1 Allan Jacobsen
2 Andrew Kelly *
3 Alasdair Dickinson *
4 Alastair Kellock *
5 Dave Duley
6 Matt Mustchin
8 Simon Taylor
7 Alasdair Strokosch *
Replacements
16 Kyle Traynor
17 Dave Hewett
18 Fergus Pringle
19 Alan MacDonald *
20 Mike Blair *
21 Ander Monro
22 Michael Pyke
* indicates player in the Scottish Institute of Sport