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Connacht’s long-awaited qualification for Heineken Cup rugby is being hailed as an exciting opportunity that the province must grab - both on and off the pitch.

History, odds, and the venue are all against a Connacht victory when they travel to Ravenhill to take on Ulster in tomorrow’s penultimate Magners League fixture. But coach Eric Elwood is approaching this game as he has the last three - as a cup final to be won.

Many a Kilkenny youngster dreams of being the next Brian O’Driscoll or Paul O’Connell, holding the Six Nations or Heineken Cup trophies aloft in victorious celebration.

Connacht head to Llanelli for their penultimate away match of the Magners League with high hopes of keeping pace with Ulster in the fight for the last Irish Heineken Cup place.

Sunday’s anticipated interprovincial clash with Munster at the Galway Sportsground (5.05pm) will have a huge impact on Connacht’s ambitions to close the gap on Ulster and claim a Heineken Cup place via the Magners League.

Billed as the glamour home match of their European season, Connacht host pool favourites London Irish in a crunch Challenge Cup fixture tomorrow evening (7pm).

Billed as the glamour home match of their European season, Connacht host pool favourites London Irish in a crunch Challenge Cup fixture tomorrow evening (7pm).London Irish, last year’s Heineken Cup semi-finalists and currently sitting in sixth place in the English premiership, are favourites to top Pool 1, but Michael Bradley is banking on Connacht’s recent fine form and a strong home support to upset the odds and make it two out of two.The task will be immense. This is a side that hammered Sale Sharks (Munster’s opposition this weekend) 28 - 6 in their last premiership outing. Last weekend they ran in 12 tries against Rovigo - London Irish's highest points score in any competition in the professional era.

Three Buccaneers players have been included in Ireland squads for summer international matches. With virtually the full Ireland 15 heading off with the British and Irish Lions to South Africa and Leinster playing in this weekend’s Heineken Cup final, many fringe players get an opportunity to stake their claims for future selection.

Connacht can now qualify for the Heineken Cup through a new “back door” system which gives the country of the tournament winners an extra place.