Head coach Pat Lam insists his Connacht side are fully aware of the threats posed by Benetton Treviso ahead of their clash with the Italians on Friday night. Connacht are sitting pretty in second in the Guinness PRO12 with two rounds to go and need just a point more to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time. And the Irishmen are in good form with their only defeat in the last eight rounds of Guinness PRO12 coming at Ulster on 1 April. "We're under no illusions when it comes to the challenge we face in trying to secure a semi-final spot tomorrow night in Italy,” Lam said. “Treviso are desperate for points to get them into next year's Champions Cup. “This is their last home game before they travel to play Leinster in the RDS so we know which game they will be targeting for the crucial points. “We're very excited to be playing for so much at this time of the year; we have a great opportunity to be the only team to have stayed in the top four for all 22 rounds of the league competition. “Considering we have had to change the starting team for every round it would be a great testament to the level of consistency we have reached all season as a squad.” Lam has made ten changes to the team that defeated Munster earlier this month for the trip to Stadio Monigo in Italy. Connacht-born players Jack Carty and Tiernan O'Halloran both return from injury to start in a back line that also sees the introduction of wing Fionn Carr and scrum-half John Cooney. Rory Parata forms an Academy midfield partnership with Peter Robb. In the forwards, hooker Tom McCartney captains the side for the second time this season while Quinn Roux and Andrew Browne make up a new second-row partnership. Jake Heenan returns from injury on the openside. Treviso have not beaten an Irish province in any tournament since their 23-3 victory over Connacht at Stadio Monigo in October 2013. The Italians have lost their last five league matches but are desperate to overhaul Zebre for the automatic Italian Champion's Cup place next year. Friday will be Ludovico Nitoglia's last game for the club while Dean Budd and Alberto De Marchi are both suspended. In the starting XV, full-back Jayden Hayward forms a back three with Nitoglia and Angelo Esposito while Luca Morisi and captain Alberto Sgarbi will be in the centres. Props Matteo Zanusso and Simone Ferrari will front up alongside hooker Ornel Gega with Filo Paulo and Tom Palmer in the second row. The back row sees Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, and Abraham Steyn complete the side chosen by coach Marius Goosen. At Stadio Monigo, 7.30pm local time (6.30pm Ireland & UK) Live on RAI Sport and TG4 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 70th competition game) Assistant Referees: Claudio Blessano, Stefano Bolzonella (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Alberto Recaldini (FIR) TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)
