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Carty and O'Halloran return to starting berths as Connacht travel to face Scarlets

After playing 80 minutes on his debut last weekend, Andrew Deegan is not among the matchday squad.

CONNACHT HEAD COACH Kieran Keane has rotated his half-backs again as the 2016 champions travel to Llanelli to meet their successors, Scarlets, tomorrow (kick-off 19.35, BBC Wales).

Jack Carty has returned to the number 10 shirt after being left out of the matchday squad last weekend as debutant Andrew Deegan played 80 minutes in the loss to Cardiff Blues. Steve Crosbie is also back among the replacements where he is joined by Kieran Marmion.

Tiernan O’Halloran has shaken off a hip injury to return to the side on the right wing, with Darragh Leader retaining the fullback role. Tom Farrell starts in the centre in place of Craig Ronaldson, who was withdrawn early last weekend but has not been among the names on Connacht’s injury list.

Soon-to-be-Irish-qualified hooker Tom McCartney captains the side with John Muldoon not in the matchday squad, Eoin McKeon wears the number eight shirt in his absence with Jake Heenan coming onto the blindside opposite the impressive Jarrad Butler.

The champions meanwhile have been able to recall international centre Scott Williams in an impressive back-line alongside Lions stand-out Jonathan Davies and Leigh Halfpenny.

Dubliner Tadhg Beirne is among the replacements with David Bulbring partnering Jake Ball in the second row.

Scarlets

15 Leigh Halfpenny
14 Johnny McNicholl
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Scott Williams
11 Steff Evans
10 Rhys Patchell
9 Aled Davies

1 Rob Evans
2 Ken Owens (Capt.)
3 Werner Kruger
4 Jake Ball
5 David Bulbring
6 Aaron Shingler
7 Will Boyde
8 Josh Macleod

Replacements:

16. Emyr Phillips
17. Dylan Evans
18. Simon Gardiner
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Lewis Rawlins
21. Jonathan Evans
22. Paul Asquith
23. Tom Prydie

Connacht

15. Darragh Leader
14. Tiernan O’Halloran
13. Bundee Aki
12. Tom Farrell
11. Cian Kelleher
10. Jack Carty
9. Caolin Blade

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney (Capt)
3. Conor Carey
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Quinn Roux
6. Jake Heenan
7. Jarrad Butler
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Coulson
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Gavin Thornbury
20. Eoghan Masterson
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Steve Crosbie
23. Eoin Griffin

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