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Connacht kick-off their great Heineken Cup adventure at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, 11 November, against reigning Amlin Challenge Cup holders Harlequins.
Then they host four times winners Toulouse at the re-vamped Sportsground in Round 2 a week later in a fixture that will see the west of Ireland province play their 100th European fixture.
And Elwood has been at the Sportsground from day one, helping Connacht to beat Padova 34-12 in their opening game in the Amlin Challenge Cup way back on 12 October, 1996.
"With all the changes we've made at the ground, and the fact we are in the Heineken Cup for the first time this season, we're hoping to get 9,000 fans into the Sportsground for the game against Toulouse," said Elwood.
"That's a far cry from where we were in 1996 and I'm both pleased and proud to have been involved with the province as a player or coach since that day. Harlequins will be our debut in the Heineken Cup, but everyone in Galway is looking forward to our first home game in the tournament.
"Toulouse are the Man United of European club rugby and Guy Noves is the equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson. I guess it is a bit like having Crawley Town hosting Man United in the third round of the FA Cup."
