Preview: Connacht v Bourgoin

Connacht have been boosted by the return to fitness of captain John Muldoon for their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final with Bourgoin.

Connacht have been boosted by the return to fitness of captain John Muldoon for their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final clash with Bourgoin.

Saturday's fixture sees back-row Muldoon as one of five players to pass a fitness test and he will lead the side into battle as the Irish bid to qualify for the semi-finals of European rugby's second tier competition for the first time since 2005.

A groin injury kept Muldoon out of the recent Magners League games against Leinster and Edinburgh, but he, along with centres Niva Ta'auso (knee) and Keith Matthews (hamstring) and number eight George Naoupu (hamstring) have recovered to return to the starting line-up.

Meanwhile, England-capped prop Robbie Morris has been added to the westerners' replacements bench, having shaken off a calf injury.

Coach Michael Bradley has appealed to supporters throughout the province to come out in force at the Sportsground as they bid to continue their 100 oer cent record in this season's Amlin Challenge Cup.

The teams:

Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy, 14 Troy Nathan, 13 Niva Ta'auso, 12 Keith Matthews, 11 Fionn Carr, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Frank Murphy, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 John Muldoon (capt), 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Michael Swift, 3 Jamie Hagan, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Adrian Flavin, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Bernie Upton, 19 Mike McComish, 20 Conor O'Loughlin, 21 Miah Nikora, 22 Aidan Wynne, 23 Robbie Morris.

Bourgoin: 15 Maël Moinot, 14 Rudi Coetzee, 13 Piet van Zyl, 12 Alexandre Dumoulin, 11 Jean-François Coux, 10 Benjamin Boyet, 9 John Senio, 8 Camille Levast, 7 Tim Cowley, 6 Julien Frier, 5 Coenie Basson, 4 B Williams, 3 Arnauld Tchougong Kamga, 2 Tone Kopelani, 1 Olivier Milloud.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Philippe Genevois, 17 Vincent Pelo, 18 Sylvian Charlet, 19 Jérémy Guillot, 20 Bogdan Leonte, 21 Sébastien Laloo, 22 Matias Viazzo.

Date: Saturday, April 10
Kick-off: 13:00 BST
Venue: Sportsground
Referee: Andrew Small (England)
Assistant referees: James Jones (Wales), Robin Goodliffe (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)