Ella's men face another difficult night

Leinster are considering an appeal to those sitting in the front row of the stand for tonight's game: bring your boots. Gallows humour, but after the last seven days the sound of an ambulance siren is as familiar to the players as coach Gary Ella's whistle.

A 22-3 defeat in Cardiff last weekend was compounded by injuries to prop John Lyne (broken fibula) and flanker Aidan McCullen (broken radius), while captain Leo Cullen is suffering from a damaged shoulder, which will eventually require surgery. The second row received a stay of execution to play in tonight's game only because the relevant consultant surgeon is away.

To cap a traumatic period, full back James Norton broke a bone in his hip when he slipped on some steps while out walking between Dún Laoghaire and Sandycove.

That a couple of other players are carrying knocks appears incidental in the light of their colleagues' injuries.

Norton's misfortune - having played for Connacht last season, he would have enjoyed this match - means Brendan Burke switches to the number 15 jersey, James Downey comes in at outside centre and Gary Brown decamps to the wing.

Downey is nominally an inside centre, so the disruption is acute.

Leinster's version of musical jerseys has necessitated a call to arms for the "retired" Peter McKenna, who joins the replacements. McKenna decided to quit professional rugby at the end of last season to concentrate on a legal career.

Brian O'Meara, who won his 50th cap last week, will lead the team out, displacing Brian O'Riordan at scrumhalf. O'Riordan may not even be fit enough to take his place on the bench.

Emmet Byrne moves to loosehead, Peter Coyle is at tighthead while Niall Treston will warm the bench on his return from injury.

Niall Breslin is introduced at blindside flanker while Niall Ronan and Daragh O'Shea are among the replacements.

Connacht, in contrast, are in rude good health, third in the table and producing a quality of rugby that has underlined that status.

While not diminishing individual ability, the sum of the parts outweighs singular contributions. Connacht coach Michael Bradley has initiated simple, effective patterns and the players have thrived within those parameters.

One area that has proved particularly strong is the back row, a fact illustrated in Paul Neville's place on the bench this evening.

The Garryowen player has been in excellent form but, in keeping with Bradley's rotation policy, Michael Swift receives an opportunity.

John O'Sullivan and Tom Carter are both excellent young players and the clash of the two young back rows will be pivotal to the outcome.

The acquisition of St Mary's College wing Conor McPhillips, the province's leading try scorer in the competition, has provided real pace out wide, while club-mate Mark McHugh's place-kicking accuracy should be a deterrent for opposing teams.

Eric Elwood will nudge his pack forward and probably find time for the odd half-break.

Adversity can sometimes prove a rallying force, but if Leinster were to succeed tonight it would be a notable coup. Connacht have proved themselves to be a good team this season while Leinster, primarily due to World Cup commitments and injuries, are a collection of individuals, some only on a nodding acquaintance.

LEINSTER: B Burke; J McWeeney, J Downey, D Quinlan, G Brown; M Leek, B O'Meara; E Byrne, G Hickie, P Coyle; L Cullen (capt), B Gissing; N Breslin, D Dillon, S Jennings. Replacements: D Blaney, N Treston, A Kearney, N Ronan, B O'Riordan, P McKenna, D O'Shea.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), C McPhillips; E Elwood, C Keane; R Hogan, B Jackman, F Boiroux; D Browne, A Farley; M Swift, J O'Sullivan, T Carter. Replacements: J Fogarty, A Clarke, M McCarthy, P Neville, C O'Loughlin, D Hewitt, S Moore.

Referee: H Watkins (Wales).

Leading points scorers: Leinster - M Leek 20. Connacht - E Elwood 22.

Leading try scorers: Leinster - G D'Arcy, B Burke 2 each. Connacht - C McPhillips 3.

Last time out: Leinster - lost 22-3 (a) to Cardiff. Connacht - beat Borders (h) 42-19.

Verdict: Connacht.