Connacht bid to end early season crisis
After all, aside from the opening weekend last season, either Scarlets or Connacht were top of the table for the opening 12 rounds of the competition.
Now they face off at Parc y Scarlets not only bidding for points, but also trying to prevent an early season crisis.
That should ensure a cracking contest in west Wales this evening as Connacht look for what would be their second ever league win in the town, having won 29-21 at Stradey Park in the 20040-5.
They drew 33-33 there the previous season and also enjoyed a Celtic Cup victory there, but it’s been downhill ever since.
Pat Lam has made six changes, the most notable being in the inclusion of Irish lock Ultan Dillane in the back row for the first time, with Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, Kieran Marmion and Matt Healy also returning, along with Jake Heenan.
A Thomas; L Williams, Jonathan Davies, H Parkes, S Evans; R Patchell, G Davies; W Jones, K Owens, W Kruger; J Ball, D Bulbring; A Shingler, James Davies, J Barclay.
R Elias, L Garrett, P Edwards, L Rawlins, M Allen, A Davies, S Williams, W Boyde.
T O’Halloran; N Adeolokun, B Aki, E Griffin, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion; D Buckley, T McCartney, F Bealham; Q Roux, A Browne; U Dillane, J Heenan, J Muldoon.
D Heffernan, R Loughney, JP Cooney, L Stevenson, E McKeon, C Blade, S O’Leary, C Kelleher.
