CONNACHT BOSS ANDY Friend has made four changes to his starting XV for tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro14 visit to Edinburgh [KO 7.35pm, eir sport] but will be without Dave Heffernan and Ultan Dillane, who both remain on international duty with Ireland.
Dillane and Heffernan have stayed with Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad for tomorrow’s training day but are not part of the Irish matchday 23 to face England on Sunday.
As Connacht look to back up last weekend’s convincing win over Cardiff Blues on home soil, head coach Friend has made all four changes in the starting pack.
Denis Buckley and Shane Delahunt come in at loosehead prop and hooker, respectively, while Joe Maksymiw and academy man Niall Murray – set for just his second senior start – are in the second row as Gavin Thornbury misses out through injury.
Otherwise, Friend is sticking with the team that recorded a 29-0 win in Galway last weekend, with Ireland internationals Kieran Marmion and Jack Carty again steering the ship in the halfbacks.
Meanwhile, Conference B leaders Edinburgh have made five changes to the team that beat Scarlets away from home last weekend, with Stan South making his debut in the second row after a recent move from Exeter Chiefs.
Connacht:
15 . Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Kyle Godwin
12. Peter Robb
11. John Porch
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Denis Buckley
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Niall Murray
5. Joe Maksymiw
6. Paul Boyle
7. Colby Fainga’a
8. Jarrad Butler (captain)
Replacements:
16. Jonny Murphy
17. Paddy McAllister
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy
19. Eoghan Masterson
20. Eoin McKeon
21. Caolin Blade
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Tom Daly
Edinburgh:
15. Damien Hoyland
14. Eroni Sau
13. Mark Bennett
12. Matt Scott
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Simon Hickey
9. Nic Groom (captain)
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Mike Willemse
3. Simon Berghan
4. Stan South
5. Lewis Carmichael
6. Nick Haining
7. Luke Crosbie
8. Viliame Mata
Replacements:
16. Cameron Fenton
17. Murray McCallum
18. Dan Winning
19. Jamie Hodgson
20. John Barclay
21. Charlie Shiel
22. Jaco van der Walt
23. George Taylor
Some very strange picks in there….. Roy Hodgson, first manager to leave? Has done a great job at Palace and every Premier League club he’s been at apart from Liverpool.
Also, bottled it with the worst signing pick!
@Colm O’Donnell: Bruce for sure
Is that the Fintan O’Toole from d’Irish Times, or another scribe with an unfortunate name?
Wouldn’t it be great if “our” national league got such in depth coverage
@james burke: Plenty of LOI coverage out there.
@Alan McDonald: not compared to epl
@Luke Willis: it’s almost like the epl is arguably the biggest league in the world , where as the loi isn’t even within the top 20 leagues in Europe and has a part time league format . Go figure. Anyway for what it’s worth , loi gets lots of coverage on here. From europa league live treads, to after match reports , to ones to watch , etc etc. Can’t have it all lad
@james burke: it’s hard to take LOI seriously when teams don’t even play their home Champions’ League / Europa League games at their own ground
There’s biased predictions and then there’s claiming united will get top four this season
@Tom49: lol spot on
VAR is going to play a big part this season, so it might be closer the what everyone is predicting.The top clubs for years an years always got the decisions or the benefit of the doubt.
@Sean Seanie O Shaughnessy: not so sure on that. Top sides will have more possession, territory and chances, ergo they are more likely to be involved in decisions going their way but also not going their way. I reckon it’ll balance out.
Media are also more likely to hype up the time the underdogs were denied a decision.
United depending on rashford and Martial…..tell you now it could be a car crash for them….they are as consistent as my bowel movements.
@Peter Hughes: I hear ya, pal. Oh to be regular and consistent.
Was quite depressed reading this article until Ben Blake did *not* pick Sheffield United as one of his relegation picks. I really hope The Blades stay up this season. It’ll also be good for Irish international hopes if Sheffield United can hold their heads above water in the Premier League and John Egan (who has the strongest Cork accent imaginable) is very entertaining! Here he is celebrating the club’s promotion to the Premier League back in April:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UclIJTZKSJ8
Can’t get over how it’s almost unanimous that Sheffield will be relegated , they have invested and they play attractive football with an already solid looking squad
Norwich haven’t invested, Newcastle have let better players go than they’ve brought in and Brighton were saved by Hughton last year and I expect them to go down this time around
@Jason Oliver: good chance they will but I admire them for trying to change their style and play a more attractive style of football which is what people want to see. Let’s face it Brighton were pretty awful to watch for the last few years.
How can Danny Welbeck be classed as the worst signing of the summer when he didn’t actually cost anything?
Dread having to listen to the nauseating pro Liverpool pundits – Spitty, Pinnochio and a Redknob.
Think Everton will do well ( totally blinkered) . Lean could be s great signing.
Feel Ole G S could be the first casualty.
@Enda Layng: I’d say your a painful c u next Tuesday. Absolute flute .
@Enda Layng: Enda Laynger
Best & Worst signing and a ball hasn’t even been kicked yet, this app just keeps giving
Strange a lot of agreement on Arsenal for top 4. Can’t see it.