Connacht Rugby have announced the team that will face Aironi this Saturday (Stadio Zaffenella, kick off 16.35)

The 23 man squad sees the return of Connacht’s towering second row Michael Swift and versatile prop Dylan Rogers to the pack while scrumhalf Frank Murphy joins Centre Dave McSharry and winger Fetu’u Vainikolo as the changes in the backline.

6’5, 18 stone lock Swift is Connacht’s most capped player with a staggering 207 caps over 11 seasons for the Province. He has recently penned a contract extension that will see him remain at the club until at least the end of the 2012/13 season and marks his return to the starting lineup following a 2 week break with a knee injury. Dylan Rogers replaces the injured Ronan Loughney at tighthead. The 27 year old South African born prop can play at either side of the scrum and earned the callup after impressing from the bench in last weekend’s narrow loss to Leinster.

Frank Murphy earns the starting berth at scrumhalf ahead of Paul O’Donohoe and Dave McSharry returns to centre following a week’s lay-off while a nasty chin injury healed. 21 year old McSharry, who recently penned a 2 year contract, has been ever-present in the squad since earning his 1^st cap against Ulster earlier this season. Fetu’u Vainikolo returns to the right wing replacing the injured Brian Tuohy. Tuohy underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a broken leg sustained in the New Years Day derby against Leinster and looks set to miss most of the remainder of the season.

Connacht XV to face Aironi (Stadio Zaffenella – Saturday 07/01/2012 kick-off 16.35 live on TG4 & RAI)

15 Gavin Duffy

14 Fetu’u Vainikolo

13 Kyle Tonetti

12 Dave McSharry

11 Tiernan O’Halloran

10 Mattew Jarvis

09 Frank Murphy

01 Brett Wilkinson

02 Adrian Flavin

03 Dylan Rogers

04 Michael Swift

05 Mike McCarthy

06 Mick Kearney

07 John Muldoon

08 George Naoupu

16 Ethienne Reynecke

17 Denis Buckley

18 Stewart Maguire

19 Eoin McKeon

20 Ray Ofisa

21 Paul O’Donohoe

22 Niall O’Connor

23 Henry Fa’afili

Pictured in action for Connacht (above right) Dylan Rogers and (above left) Frank Murphy (C) www.inpho.ie