European Challenge Cup / Connacht v Worcester: A home quarter-final is at stake for Connacht when they host Worcester at the Galway Sportsground this afternoon (2pm).

Having lost 30-20 to the English Premiership side in England last week when an injury-time try denied them a bonus point, Connacht need to make home advantage count.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley would be happy with a win, but even more content if they could also deny the Warriors a bonus point which would see the Irish province retake pole position in Pool Five.

These two produced a gripping contest at Sixways and despite Worcester's superiority up front in the set-piece, Connacht took the lead twice before finally succumbing in injury-time.

That win gave Worcester a four points advantage, and if Connacht can get the necessary win today, a home quarter-final is still up for grabs with two pool matches remaining after Christmas.

"This is an important match for us," says Bradley. " If we win, we are still in a position to top the group and get a home quarter-final. That would be great for the province and that's our ambition."

However, Worcester demonstrated last weekend why they are currently fourth in the English Premiership. Their ability to put pressure on the Connacht scrum and their rolling maul were essential factors in their win. Bradley has concentrated on these areas during the week.

"We have worked on the scrum where they were very good and on being extra vigilant in stopping their maul which was a great asset to them."

Connacht will also need to cut down on the number of penalties in kickable positions for outhalf Shane Drahm who is named in the Worcester side that shows only one change from last weekend with Phil Collier replacing Phil Murphy in the secondrow.

Similarly Bradley has made just one enforced change with Andrew Gallagher coming in for Christian Short, who was a late withdrawal having suffered a hamstring problem after yesterday's run-out. Short will join the returning Paul Warwick on the bench.

"We may have lost our element of surprise, but we now have the advantage of playing in the Sportsground - conditions they are not used to," says Bradley.

"We are playing with confidence, but still making little mistakes and getting punished for it, but we are getting better."

With some 300 Worcester fans making the trip to Galway for the weekend, the game is undoubtedly the top clash of this pool.

Connacht's new mascot Eddy the Eagle will make make his first appearance of the season.

CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, J Hearty, K Matthews, T Robinson; D Slemen, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, S Knoop, A Gallagher, A Farley, J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: A Clarke, J Merrigan, C Short, M Swift, T Tierney, P Warwick, D Riordan.

WORCESTER: N Le Roux; U Oduoza, T Lombard, S Whatling, T Delport; S Drahm, M Powell; T Windo, C Fortey, C Horsman T Collier, C Gillies, K Horstmann, P Sanderson D Hickey. Replacements: S Sparks, L Fortey, E O'Donoghue, J Tuamoheloa, A Gomarsall, J Brown, D Rasmussen.

Referee: Eric Darrière (France)

Connacht v Worcester - Sportsground, Saturday, 2.0