Connacht Rugby have announced the team that will face Harlequins tomorrow night (The Sportsground, 20.00)

The side sees just one change from the team that took on Toulouse in Stade Ernest Wallon last weekend with Ronan Loughney replacing Dylan Rogers at tighthead prop. Loughney was called into the Ireland Wolfhounds squad yesterday along with 4 other Connacht players, Brett Wilkinson, John Muldoon, Gavin Duffy and Mike McCarthy while Tiernan O?Halloran was called in as an additional player to the Senior Ireland squad.

27 year old Ronan Loughney has shown great versatility this season, moving from loosehead to tighthead prop and the 111kg Galway-man has excelled not just in the set piece but in loose play as well and it is this form that has seen him called into the Irish squad.

With 5 appearances short of 100 Loughney adds to an already experienced Connacht pack who boast 991 caps between them while captain Gavin Duffy will use his experience to marshal the youthful backline whose fresh and dynamic approach have encapsulated Connacht?s style this season.

Connacht XV to face Harlequins (The Sportsground, Friday 20/01/2012 kickoff 20.00 live Sky Sports 1)

15 Gavin Duffy (C)

14 Fetu?u Vainikolo

13 Kyle Tonetti

12 Dave McSharry

11 Tiernan O?Halloran

10 Niall O?Connor

09 Paul O?Donohoe

01 Brett Wilkinson

02 Adrian Flavin

03 Ronan Loughney

04 Michael Swift

05 Mike McCarthy

06 John Muldoon

07 Ray Ofisa

08 George Naoupu

16 Ethienne Reynecke

17 Denis Buckley

18 Dylan Rogers

19 Mick Kearney

20 Eoin McKeon

21 Dave Moore

22 Miah Nikora

23 Henry Fa?afili

There are 24 players named in the Ireland senior squad,with six additional up-and-coming players named who will join the first week of Ireland camp in Limerick to train with the squad.

The 22-man O2 Ireland Wolfhounds squad includes several uncapped players as well as full internationals. The Ireland squad, from which the team to play Wales will be selected, will be announced on Monday, January 30 after the Wolfhounds game against the England Saxons.

Commenting on the announcement, Ireland head coach Declan Kidney said: "The Wolfhounds game gives myself and the other coaches one final chance to give games to players to see possible options before we settle on our matchday 22 for the opening game of the Championship.

"It also gives us the opportunity to have a closer look in training at some of the younger players, rather than bringing in more experienced players, who are very much still in the frame for selection.

"There have been some strong performances by players with the provinces going really well. It always gives the squad a good boost when we have teams with players playing well in Europe before we step back up into the international scene."

Talking about the start of the RBS 6 Nations, Kidney added: "It's a new tournament for us and for everybody involved, so irrespective of the highs and lows of the World Cup, it is a fresh and exciting challenge for us.

"The tournament begins what is big year for us, with a three Test tour to New Zealand to come in June and ranking points all important for the Rugby World Cup in 2015, but the Six Nations always stands out as high point."

IRELAND Training Squad (2012 RBS 6 Nations):

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Additional Players -

Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Paddy McAllister (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) *

O2 IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS Squad (v England Saxons):

Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Chris Henry (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan Loughney (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Kevin McLaughlin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)
Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster) *
Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster) *
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht) *

Not considered due to injury: Brian O'Driscoll, David Wallace, Darren Cave, Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Eoin Griffin *, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan.

Connacht Rugby have stated their intent to leave their mark on this year's Heineken Cup before their journey comes to an end against Harlequins this Friday in Round 6 of the tournaments pool stages.

With Connacht's own fate in the tournament already sealed, there is still an opportunity to make a lasting impression in the tournament by determining the qualifiers from Pool 6 and further influencing the make-up of the final eight.

Despite five straight losses in the tournament all is not folorn, one should only cast their memories back to fellow Irish Provinces first few years in the tournament to evaluate fairly Connacht's contribution in their debut season. In fact both Munster and Leinster experienced wide margin defeats to French opposition in their first few forays into European territory. Added to that, Ulster failed to secure a win in their first season. And with some single score defeats in December and a strong showing in Toulouse, Gavin Duffy, Connacht Captain, says that appetite for that first win is through the roof

"Everyone in the squad is looking forward to the match this Friday. We know the result didn't go our way last weekend even though our performance was much improved on the week before and after 2 weeks on the road everyone is itching to get back out in front of our home support and show we're in this competition for a reason."

Eric Elwood added "As Munster and Leinster fans have reminded us throughout the course of this journey, the Heineken Cup is a not a forgiving environment and both teams experienced rough rides in their early years in the tournament. Aside from the first 40 mins against Toulouse at home, every team we?ve played has known they?ve been in a battle with us and the margins have been tight"

Connacht Management, Players and staff are further calling on the fantastic support throughout the province and country to come out and support the team in the Sportground on Friday night.

Eric Elwood added "Connacht fans have gained the respect of our European counterparts and Friday represents a final opportunity to show all of Europe, the passion and rugby knowledge that exists across the province"

That call is being made to the whole of Ireland to get behind Eric and the boys on Friday, where a win for Connacht will guarantee a third quarter final slot for Ulster ahead of their journey to the formidable ASM Clermont Auvergne.

"We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support from across the country over the last few months and we're asking everyone to come down to the Sportsground on Friday night and create that special atmosphere that is ever present at rugby venues across Ireland"

Eric Elwood added "At this stage of the season, we are not afraid to admit that we are up against it in terms of qualification for next seasons Heineken Cup. That doesn?t mean we'll stop trying and our supporters are assured we'll fight to the very end of the Rabodirect Pro12 but as of now this could be our last Heineken Cup match for a while and that gives us huge motivation to go out and get that performance and result. We are determined to set the tone on Friday evening with a win and that all four provinces make this amemorable weekend for Irish rugby."

Tickets available on www.Ticketmaster.ie and also at the Branch offices on College Road. Tickets start from ?30.

This Friday Connacht welcome Aviva Premiership leaders Harlequins to the Sportsground for the final Pool 6 game of the 2011/12 Heineken Cup. In the build up to the game there will be an open training session tomorrow morning, Wednesday 18th of January between 9.30am and 11am. Supporters and members of the public are invited to come and watch the team go through their paces and see how they prepare for a game in Europe's premier club competition.

There will be an opportunity for fans to get autographs and pictures with the players after the session and the coaches will be on hand to answer questions.

Tickets for Friday's game are E30 and are on sale through Ticketmaster or the Connacht Rugby office in the Sportsground. 

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