Connacht head coach Pat Lam insists his young guns are more than ready to step up to the mark after ringing the changes ahead of Friday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Treviso. The Italians have lost just one of their last eight games at Stadio Monigo in all competitions: 19-24 to Ospreys on September 7. But Lam has had to reshuffle his pack this week due to a number of injuries meaning the likes of Jack Carty are included on the replacements bench, much to Lam’s delight. "With back-to-back physical games against Ulster and Ospreys and a short turnaround this week we have made a number of changes,” he said. “Robbie Henshaw is with the IRFU player welfare programme and is unavailable for Treviso. We were also hoping to play James So'oialo but unfortunately his work permit is still yet to come through so we continue to wait. "We were unfortunate with injuries again this week but that challenge gives our young players, such as Academy out half Jack Carty, the chance to step up and make their mark. “Jack has done extremely well in training and playing with the Eagles and he deserves his place in the squad this week. “We face a tough challenge in playing Treviso and we know the level of physicality we can expect from them. For us, this week has been about improving the areas of our game which let us down last time out. It's all about progress and improvement and we need to keep forging ahead." Up front, props Brett Wilkinson and Nathan White move to the replacements bench and make way for Rodney Ah You and Ronan Loughney. Lock Aly Muldowney, who made quite an impression from the bench last week, replaces the injured Michael Swift to partner Craig Clarke while George Naoupu starts at Number 8. In the backs, Tiernan O'Halloran and Fionn Carr are named on the wings while Danie Poolman moves to outside centre to partner Eoin Griffin. Dan Parks starts at out-half and will be joined by Paul O'Donohoe, who makes his first start at scrum half this season. From the replacements bench, Mata Fifita and Carty are in line to make their first competitive appearance of the season tomorrow night. Treviso meanwhile show three changes from the side that lost to Ulster last time out and now faces a Connacht side that have not lost to Italian opposition in their last eight outings. The two changes in the backline are Alberto Di Bernardo coming in at fly-half for Mat Berquist and Brendan Williams who slots in at fullback. In the pack Robert Barbieri is back at No.8 and Franco Smith is confident his side will turn around what was a disappointing result at Ravenhill. “It’s early days this season but generally speaking I would say 2013 has been the best and strongest time in our professional history,” said Smith. “It feels like things are coming together, we can still produce the occasional sub-par performance. “Like we did against Scarlets.recently. “But Treviso rugby has grown up now and we have enough experience and professionalism to not produce two bad performances on the trot.” At Stadio Monigo, 8.30pm local time (7.30pm Ireland & UK) Referee: Neil Hennessy (WRU, 15th competition game) Assistant Referees: Alan Falzone, Simone Boaretto (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Stefano Marrama (FIR) TMO: Mauro Dordolo (FIR) LIVE on Mediaset and TG4
