CONNACHT HAVE BEEN boosted by the return of Niyi Adeolokun for Saturday’s Guinness Pro14 visit of the Cheetahs to Galway, with the winger named to start for the first time this season.
Adeolokun, capped by Ireland during last year’s November Test series, came off the bench during the inter-pro win over Munster having been sidelined since last May having undergone knee surgery.
The 27-year-old joins Tiernan O’Halloran and Darragh Leader in Connacht’s back three for the visit of the South African side, with Kieran Keane making six changes from last time out.
With three players — Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion and Bundee Aki – unavailable through international duty, Caolin Blade is given the chance at scrum-half while Craig Ronaldson starts at inside centre.
In the back row, Eoghan Masterson returns at blindside and partners Eoin McKeon and captain John Muldoon as Connacht bid to make it four consecutive wins in all competitions [KO 7.35pm, TG4].
The Cheetahs arrive at the Sportsground in better shape than their previous visit to Ireland during the opening weeks of the season having now won four of their seven Pro14 outings.
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Rory Duncan’s side sit third in Conference B behind Glasgow and Munster with Connacht’s recent upturn in form seeing them sit fourth, eight points behind tomorrow’s opponents.
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Adeolokun back to boost Connacht as Keane's men bid for four-in-a-row against Cheetahs
CONNACHT HAVE BEEN boosted by the return of Niyi Adeolokun for Saturday’s Guinness Pro14 visit of the Cheetahs to Galway, with the winger named to start for the first time this season.
Adeolokun, capped by Ireland during last year’s November Test series, came off the bench during the inter-pro win over Munster having been sidelined since last May having undergone knee surgery.
The 27-year-old joins Tiernan O’Halloran and Darragh Leader in Connacht’s back three for the visit of the South African side, with Kieran Keane making six changes from last time out.
With three players — Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion and Bundee Aki – unavailable through international duty, Caolin Blade is given the chance at scrum-half while Craig Ronaldson starts at inside centre.
In the back row, Eoghan Masterson returns at blindside and partners Eoin McKeon and captain John Muldoon as Connacht bid to make it four consecutive wins in all competitions [KO 7.35pm, TG4].
The Cheetahs arrive at the Sportsground in better shape than their previous visit to Ireland during the opening weeks of the season having now won four of their seven Pro14 outings.
Rory Duncan’s side sit third in Conference B behind Glasgow and Munster with Connacht’s recent upturn in form seeing them sit fourth, eight points behind tomorrow’s opponents.
Connacht:
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Darragh Leader
13. Tom Farrell
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Niyi Adeolokun
10. Jack Carty
9. Caolin Blade
1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Quinn Roux
5. James Cannon
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Eoin McKeon
8. John Muldoon (captain).
Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Denis Coulson
18. Conor Carey
19. Gavin Thornbury
20. Naulia Dawai
21. Conor McKeon
22. Steve Crosbie
23. Matt Healy.
Cheetahs:
15. Fred Zeilinga
14. Luther Obi
13. Tertius Kruger
12. Nico Lee
11. Makazola Mapimpi
10. Ernst Stapelberg
9. Tian Meyer
1. Ox Nche
2. Torsten Van Jaarsveld (captain)
3. Johan Coetzee
4. Carl Wegner
5. Hugo Reniel
6. Paul Schoeman
7. Jasper Wiese
8. Junior Pokomela
Replacements:
16. Joseph Dweba
17. Charles Marais
18. Tom Botha
19. Dennis Visser
20. Rynier Bernardo
21. Zee Mkhabela
22. Ali Mgijima
23. Shaun Venter.
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