HEAD COACH ANDY Friend has made three changes to his starting line-up as Connacht prepare to face Pro14 Conference B rivals Benetton at the Sportsground tomorrow (19.35, TG4).

Both sides lost their opening fixture of the season last week, Connacht falling to Scarlets in Llanelli while Leinster won in Treviso.

Paul Boyle starts in the Westerners’ pack in place of Colby Fainga’a – who sustained a knee injury in the second half of last week’s loss.

With Eoin McKeon also sidelined by a calf injury, Sean Masterson comes in among the replacements with Eoghan Masterson and Jarrad Butler completing the back row.

Gavin Thornbury and Quinn Roux again represent the first-choice second row pairing for Friend with Ultan Dillane among the replacements.

There are two changes to the back-line with Darragh Leader and Peter Robb replacing Stephen Fitzgerald and Tom Daly.

Conor Fitzgerald and Caolin Blade continue as starting half-backs with Kieran Marmion and Tom Farrell among the replacements.

Connacht (v Benetton)

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Darragh Leader
13. Kyle Godwin
12. Peter Robb
11. Matt Healy
10. Conor Fitzgerald
9. Caolin Blade

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Tom McCartney
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Gavin Thornbury
5. Quinn Roux
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Jarrad Butler (Capt)
8. Paul Boyle

Replacements:

16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Buckley
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Sean Masterson
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Tom Farrell
23. Stephen Fitzgerald