Connacht v Treviso - RaboDirect PRO12 match preview

Dave McSharry: Will partner Poolman after earning start at inside centre

Danie Poolman: Will make his full debut for Connacht on Saturday

Danie Poolman will make his full debut for Connacht after being included in the starting line-up for the clash with Treviso at The Sportsground on Saturday.

Poolman comes in as one of six changes from the side which lost to the Ospreys last time out and forms a new centre partnership with Dave McSharry.

Robbie Henshaw switches to full-back as a result, with Darragh Leader and Mata Fifita the two players to make way from the back line.

In the pack there are four changes, with Johnny O'Connor and Andrew Browne filling the two flanker spots, Mike McCarthy starting at lock and Denis Buckley coming into the front row.

With international call-ups depleting his ranks, Treviso boss Franco Smith has brought in Luca Morisi, Manoa Vosawai and Alberto De Marchi, but is forced to field Giovanni Maistri in a temporary role and has added two permit players to the replacements.

Marco Fuser makes his full debut at lock together with Corniel Van Zyl, with Angelo Esposito making his first start on the left wing. In the front row, Matteo Muccignat makes his debut.

Connacht: 15 R Henshaw, 14 T O'Halloran, 13 D Poolman, 12 D McSharry, 11 F Vainikolo, 10 D Parks, 9 K Marmion, 8 E McKeon, 7 J O'Connor, 6 A Browne, 5 M McCarthy, 4 M Swift, 3 N White (c), 2 J Harris-Wright, 1 D Buckley.

Replacements:16 A Flavin, 17 R Ah You, 18 R Loughney, 19 J Muldoon, 20 M Kearney, 21 D Moore, 22 M Nikora, 23 G Duffy.

Treviso:15 B Williams, 14 A Vilk, 13 C Loamanu, 12 A Pratichetti, 11 A Esposito, 10 A Di Bernardo, 9 F Semenzato, 8 M Filippucci, 7 V Bernabo, 6 M Vosawai, 5 C Van Zyl (c), 4 M Fuser, 3 J Roux, 2 F Sbaraglini, 1 M Muccignat.

Replacements: 16 E Ceccato, 17 A De Marchi, 18 I Fernandez-Rouyet, 19 G Maistri, 20 E Targa, 21 G Toniolatti, 22 J Ambrosini, 23 L Morisi.

What they said...

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood

"It has become a must-win for us and it is well within our range. We just need to cut out some of the errors and capitalise on the chances we are creating.

"It has been a busy period but there is a break coming up and we need to go into that with a win under our belt."

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