CENTURY . . . Connacht's Colm Rigney who will make his 100th appearance for the province if he plays against Brive in the European Challenge Cup on Friday night in France.

Connacht will open their European Challenge Cup campaign in France on Friday when they take on Brive in a game which will go a long way towards deciding the pool.

Brive, Heineken Cup campions ten years ago, will be the 14th French club Connacht will have played in the competition and Michael Bradley's men will be striving for another win in that country. Connacht became the first Irish side to win in France ten years ago when they defeated Begles Bordeaux.

Since that historic 15-9 win in the 1997/98 season, Connacht have notched up five more wins in Narbonne, Beziers, Montpellier, Mont de Marsan and Grenoble.

Brive, who were relegated a few seasons after their Heineken Cup success, have struggled to re-establish themselves among the French elite.

They have played two games in the French Top 14, both of them at home, and have had their confidence dented by double defeats to Bayonne and Biarritz.

Off the field they have dismissed their coach and former French international Olivier Magne, a native of Brive, has taken charge.

Connacht coach Bradley knows they face a tough task and he knows they need to take it a game at a time.

"It is vital in a pool situation to concentrate on the next game and not get distracted about what else is happening or other permutations.

"That means for us it is Brive away next Friday, we will worry about El Salvador after that and then the back to back games against Newcastle.

"We know at this stage what to expect from a French team. They will be under pressure not to lose at home and that will give an edge to the game.

"But our lads know, too, what is required out there, the discipline needed to carve out a result," said Bradley.

Colm Rigney could make his 100th appearance for Connacht in France while out-half Tim Donnelly knows what to expect from the French side, having joined Connacht last year from Brive.

Connacht will entertain Spanish side Cetransa El Salvador the following week before back to back meetings with Newcastle Falcons in December but a result in Brive on Friday would go a long way towards booking a place in the knockout stages next Spring.

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