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Time comes for Connacht to make a mark.
By Sea_point
October 25 2007
A huge Friday night for elite sports teams in Galway city sees Connacht take on Edinburgh at the Sportsground in a game Connacht "must" win to restart their season following three away games. The return of two hugely influential players (skipper Andrew Farley and hooker Adrian Flavin) is a timely boost to the squad as they play an Edinburgh side now shorn of star names like Paterson and Taylor.
Connacht v EdinburghThe Sportsground, GalwayDate: Friday, 26 October Kick-off: 18:30 (17:30 GMT)  Connacht

Having named a 22 man squad ahead of their Magners League clash with Edinburgh at the Sportsground on Friday (kick off 6.30pm), Connacht coach Michael Bradley has named an unchanged starting line-up.

Connacht travelled to the Arms Park a fortnight ago and lost 30-16, but Bradley has kept faith in his side. The only changes in personnel see Adrian Flavin and Andrew Farley recalled to the bench after both have recovered from injury.

AndrewFarley

Both Farley and Flavin have overcome injuries to be included in the squad for the first time in five and three weeks respectively.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley is glad to have two such influential players back but is well aware of the threat posed by an Edinburgh side with a full complement of internationals returning.

"We understand that Edinburgh will have all their internationals back but we won't know if they'll be part of the team until they name their side", the former Ireland scrumhalf said. "We played Cardiff two weeks ago who had a number of their key players back. We understand that in that game against Cardiff we were frustrated because we played very well.

"We've looked at the Cardiff game and Glasgow game before that and we realise again that if we take care of our own business irrespective of who we play we can win the matches."

The home fixture will come as a welcome reprieve for the western province after contesting the last three rounds on the road without a win. The closest they came was a narrow 16-15 defeat at Glasgow earlier this month.

 Edinburgh

David Blair will make his Edinburgh debut at fly-half alongside brother Mike in Friday's visit to Connacht.  Mike teams up with recent signing David after returning from Scotland duty.

 

Captain Ally Hogg, new signing Ross Ford, Gavin Kerr, Craig Smith, Hugo Southwell and Simon Webster are also back from their World Cup exploits.

 

The visit to Galway Sportsground will mark the Blairs' first-ever game together.  And they follow the example of Gavin and Scott Hastings and Rory and Sean Lamont in breaking into top-level Scottish rugby together.

 

The 22-year-old David, who moved to Glasgow from Sale Sharks this summer, said: "I've watched Mike play ever since I was young and I've seen him develop, which has inspired me.

 

"We've always said it would be funny if we ever played together and we are now."

 

David had been farmed out to Edinburgh Accies to gain match fitness ahead of his debut.  And Mike, four years the senior, does not think he will need to guide his brother through the game.

 

"I think I will have to concentrate on my own game rather than specifically help Dave out on the pitch," he said.  He has been playing for Accies for the last three or four games and he also had a run-out against Tonga in pre-season as well.  He will be feeling match-fit and will probably be a bit sharper than me, so it will be a case of him perhaps looking after me.  It is really exciting because I've not played with David before. So it should be good fun and a good experience."

 

Blair expected a difficult game in Ireland.

 

"A lot of the Magners League clubs have strengthened over the summer and Connacht are one of them," he said.

 

"They've got Tim Donnelly, who is a pretty handy player at stand-off, so they've recruited well and they will be tough opposition."

 RECORD V EDINBURGH:
WinsLossDrawForAgst
361201251
 
DateKOHomeFor AgnstAwayGround
24 Aug 200118:15Connacht21-30EdinburghGalway Sportsground
6 Sep 200316:00Connacht11-3EdinburghGalway Sportsground
15 Nov 200314:00Connacht25-26EdinburghGalway Sportsground
13 Feb 200419:30Edinburgh17-32ConnachtMeadowbank
16 Oct 200414:30Connacht24-35EdinburghGalway Sportsground
4 Mar 200519:30Edinburgh13-16ConnachtMurrayfield
10 Sep 200516:00Edinburgh34-3ConnachtMurrayfield
5 May 200618:30Connacht16-22EdinburghGalway Sportsground
22 Sep 200618:30Connacht22-22EdinburghGalway Sportsground
26 Jan 200719:30Edinburgh49-31ConnachtMurrayfield
  Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Ofisa Treviranus, 13 Mel Deane, 12 Aidan Wynne, 11 Keith Mathews, 10 Tim Donnelly, 9 Conor McPhillips, 8 John Muldoon, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 Ray Ofisa, 5 David Gannon, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Ronan Loughey, 2 John Fogarty, 1 Brett Wilkinson  Replacements: 16 Adrian Flavin, 17 Barrie McGovern, 18 Andrew Farley, 19 Michael McCarthy, 20 Conor O'Loughlin, 21 Peter Durcan, 22 Apilate Tuilevuka  Edinburgh: 15 Hugo Southwell, 14 Andrew Turnbull, 13 Ben Cairns, 12 Nick De Luca, 11 Simon Webster, 10 David Blair, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Simon Cross, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Allister Hogg (c), 5 Ben Gissing, 4 Craig Hamilton, 3 Craig Smith, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Gavin Kerr,  Replacements: 16 Andrew Kelly, 17 Augusto Allori, 18 Matt Mustchin, 19 Roland Reid, 20 Ben Meyer, 21 Ali Warnock, 22 John Houston.  Referee: Hugh Watkins (Wales) Touch judges: Ger English (Ireland), Andrew Baird (Ireland) 

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