Edinburgh raise stakes in Connacht

• Mike Blair goes on a run for Edinburgh, who have scored more points than any side this season so far, but are second to Munster in the try-scoring stakes. Picture: SNS

Coach Rob Moffat acknowledged after Friday night's 24-20 win over the Scarlets that his side were capable of playing better and bemoaned their failure to grasp a bonus point. With five games to go before the top four secure a play-off berth, every point is crucial, not only to get into the top four but to land a home draw at that 'semi-final' stage and a better chance of making the final.

Edinburgh have scored more points than any side this season so far, but are second to Munster in the try-scoring stakes, with 26 to the Irishmen's 30. Both teams have landed six bonus points, with only the Scarlets, with seven narrow defeats, having picked up more than three to date.

That is likely to become a focus in the coming weeks, particularly for Leinster who currently lead the table with 42 points from 13 games, but who have managed just two bonus points so far. They just scraped through at home to Connacht 17-14 last week and are away to Munster tomorrow night in a game in which the Thomond Park faithful might have expected much Scottish and Welsh support for a change. That is, if the Scots and Welsh still want to finish top.

Munster and Edinburgh are tucked in behind Leinster, both on 38 points, with Glasgow on 34, all having played 14 matches. The Ospreys' hopes received a bloody nose with a 28-20 defeat at the Dragons last week, but they are still just a further point behind and with a game in hand on that trio, with the Dragons also now on 33 but with 14 games played.

So, a Leinster win would put Brian O'Driscoll's team firmly in pole position, but with no prizes for top spot before the play-offs, it would also help the chasers to overhaul Munster – and second place is enough to seal a home tie against whoever finishes third.

For the Scots to take advantage of such a scenario, Edinburgh need to win tomorrow night and Glasgow must see off the often underestimated Dragons at Firhill on Sunday afternoon.

Moffat is acutely aware of the need for points in the next four weeks. He has restored Allan Jacobsen, Jim Hamilton and Dave Callam to the pack this week and has Ben Cairns back from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of last week's game.

Nick De Luca is still out and will today see a specialist in an attempt to get to the bottom of his groin injury, while Ross Rennie, the openside flanker, is still managing his return from a long-term injury and sits out this week. Lock Craig Hamilton is not expected to return from his neck injury before the play-offs at the earliest.

Moffat said: "With four games left, we know that we control whether or not we will qualify for the play-offs. We are in a good position, but the really hard work starts now. Everybody knows that we must keep performing to a high standard and winning matches.

"We know that we didn't play particularly well last week and that we must improve against Connacht. This is a tough game for us. We will have to be totally switched on because Connacht have a proud home record and that has been established over a good number of years. They have beaten Leinster and Munster in Galway, and over the last two games defeated the Dragons and almost beat Leinster in Dublin."

Edinburgh have claimed a try bonus point in their last four meetings with Connacht at Murrayfield, and though the Scots have not lost in Galway since 2005 – they drew in 2006 – the results have not come easy, with the last bonus point for a try in the west of Ireland also coming five years ago.

Moffat stressed yesterday that the focus is simply on winning, but he knows that he needs strong competition for places at this stage if he is to get the best from his squad in the run-in, something that has often eluded Edinburgh in the past, and claim what could be vital extra points.

The lure of the play-offs appears to be focusing minds, and one player grasping the opportunity is Andrew Kelly, the hooker, who holds on to the No2 jersey ahead of Scotland's Ross Ford this week as he continues to show his ability with a run in the team.

Connacht, coached by Michael Bradley, may be on a relatively poor budget in Irish rugby terms, but it is not far short of the funds of the Scottish pro teams. They have some good Irish players and a handful of foreign signings, a mix of youth and experience, but suffer when the squad's strength in depth is tested.

They are without George Na'oupu, Ray Ofisa, Liam Bibo and Keith Mathews this week and will make late calls on John Muldoon, Robbie Morris, Niva Ta'auso and Ronan Loughney, so yesterday named only a match squad.

However, they are unbeaten at the Sportsground since September – Edinburgh have not won away from home since the same month – and will be buoyed by their showings against the Dragons and Leinster and are looking for a good performance in front of their home support before taking on Bourgoin in Galway next weekend in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Connacht squad: A Browne, F Carr, S Cronin, G Duffy, A Flavin; E Griffin, J Hagan, I Keatley, R Loughney, M McCarthy, M McComish, R Morris, J Muldoon, F Murphy, T Nathan, D Nolan, M Nikora, J O'Connor, C O'Loughlin, M Swift, N Ta'auso, B Tuohy, B Upton, B Wilkinson, A Wynne.

Ref: L Hodges (WRU).