CONNACHT WILL LOOK to consolidate their position at the top of the Guinness Pro12 tomorrow evening when they face Ospreys, with Pat Lam making four changes to his side.

Kieran Marmion and Finlay Bealham have been released from Ireland duty but both start on the bench for Saturday’s clash at the Sportsground. The pair only joined up with the province on Thursday.

Caoilin Blade and Rodney Ah You are drafted in from the start while George Naoupu and Sean O’Brien also come in.

Academy graduate O’Brien replaces the injured Eoghan Masterson, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury in Italy last week.

Nathan White, Ultan Dillane and Robbie Henshaw are all also unavailable due to their commitments with Ireland.

The Westerners are currently two points clear of Leinster in the table after recording three successive wins.

Kick-off in Galway on Saturday evening is at 7.35pm.

Connacht:

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Bundee Aki
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Matt Healy
10. AJ MacGinty
9. Caolin Blade

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. George Naoupu
5. Aly Muldowney
6.  Sean O’Brien
7. Jake Heenan
8. John Muldoon (captain)

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ben Marshall
20. James Connolly
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Peter Robb
23. Danie Poolman

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!

‘You have to be careful we don’t sanitise it too much or the game might turn to touch rugby’

‘We’re going to Twickenham to play rugby and throw everything at England’