After beating champions Leinster last week, Connacht face last season’s runners-up Glasgow Warriors on Friday night – and head coach Pat Lam believes they can spring another surprise. Both sides have made 100 per cent starts to the GUINNESS PRO12 season with Kieran Marmion’s magical solo try helping Connacht come from behind to beat Leinster 10-9. Lam’s side have made their best start to a new season since 2003-04 and will be looking for a second successive win in Scotland having beaten Edinburgh in round two. Connacht’s last win against the Warriors came in February 2011 while they have only won once in Glasgow since 2003 and Lam has made five changes to his starting XV for their latest attempt to improve that record. Michael Swift, the league’s highest capped player, makes his first appearance of the season while Marmion is rested with new signing Ian Porter replacing him at scrum-half. And while he considers his side underdogs, Lam believes there is a growing confidence in their play. “It’s not something that has clicked overnight,” Lam told the Galway Advertiser. “It is something we have been building on. I always admired the fight and spirit of Connacht, and it’s about channelling that into the way we want to play, about being calm and working as a team, and if we do that, our guys will last. “Confidence comes from winning, but it is [about] understanding why we won – because we do this right in training and it works in the game. “Glasgow are a class side, they have so much depth and quality, and they are big men and that is what we have to manage. “Everyone will think Glasgow should win and rightly so, but for this group of guys there is a lot of belief that if we do our job and go through our processes every day, we will give ourselves a good chance again.” The Warriors meanwhile overcame the dismissal of flanker Tyrone Holmes to beat Newport Gwent Dragons 33-13 and will be looking to extend their unbeaten run at Scotstoun which stretches back to last November. Captain Al Kellock will make his first appearance since last season’s final – Warriors’ only loss in their last 13 league games – while centre James Downey will make his full debut after joining from Munster in the summer. And Townsend is under no illusions of the task facing his squad given Connacht’s recent form. “Connacht are one of the form teams in the league right now and had an impressive win against Leinster last weekend which, combined with their win away at Toulouse last season, shows the progress that we are making under Pat Lam,” Townsend said. “The game is another big test for our squad, but one we’re all looking forward to. It’ll be good to be back home at Scotstoun, playing in front of our own supporters, after a couple of weeks on the road. “We welcome Al Kellock, Tom Ryder and Finn Russell back from injury. They’ve all worked really hard to come back and it’s great news that we can include them in our squad for this game.” At Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm.. Referee: Cladio Blessano (FIR, 6th competition game) Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson, Stephen Ward (both SRU) Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (SRU)
