Connacht annouce team to face Titans (Rotherham)

Promising young prop Ronan Loughney was ruled out following a cruciate ligament injury suffered during the game with Narbonne last week. It was his first game back following a similar injury last November.

"It is a terrible blow for Ronan, especially as he has worked so hard to get back from the injury last year. But he is a determined young man and I have no doubt he will bounce back from this disappointment. Injuries are part and parcel of rugby but he is particularly unfortunate. However, Ronan has the spirit and character to get over this and get back on the field and we are all behind him," said Connacht coach Michael Bradley.

Earth Titans coach Andre Bester has today announced his squad for the Connacht game. There's a very big Irish influence in the Rotherham squad these days given Besters foray in Ulster, and that is reflected in the team chosen by him with seven or eigh members of the match day team having either Irish provincial or AIL experience. With the most prominent names being Gareth Steenson (former Ireland u-21 fly-hal) and Henry Head who was with Ulster last year.

“Connacht will be a tough challenge as they will be fielding their first team squad. They suffered a creditable narrow defeat last week in Narbonne and this will be their last outing before they start their Celtic League campaign.

If you’re in the Rotherham area and want to watch the run out, the grounds are called the Graham Solley Sports Development Centre and here are some directions:

How to get there

The grounds are located on the Bawtry Road (A63 towards bawtry) approximately one mile from M1 junction 34 at the south end of the Tinsley viaduct. There is ample car parking alongside the main building. Bus number 130 from the City Centre.

It’s quite a big complex, so should be easy enough to spot..

Area Map: http://xrl.us/qtrm

Connacht: 15 D Riordan; 14 C McPhillips, 13 D Yapp, 12 J Hearty, 11 K Matthews; 10 D Slemen, 9 C Keane; 1 S Knoop, 2 J Fogarty, 3 M Diffley; 4 D Gannon, 5 M Swift;  6 J Muldoon, 7 M Lacey,  8 C Rigney.
Replacements: 16 A Flavin, 17 B Wilkinson, 18 A Farley, 19 B O'Connor, 20 T Tierney, 22 M McHugh, 23 P Warwick.

Not considered due to injury: D McGowan, R Loughney, R Hogan, J Merrigan, T
Robinson, G Williams.

Rotherham: 15 Tom Outram, 14 Geoff Griffiths, 13 Tom Allen, 12 John Buchanan, 11 Rudolf Froneman, 10 Gareth Steenson (V/C), 9 Jamie Blackwood, 1 Sam Walsh, 2 Neil Hanna (Capt), 3 Steve Croall, 4 Louis McGowan, 5 Tim Maslanyk, 6 James Waterhouse, 7 Michael McComish, 8 Henry Head

Replacements: 16 Duncan Richardson, 17 Michael Kirkwood, 18 John Cox, 19 Johny Larby, 20 James Sutton, 21 TBA, 22 TBA