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
Tough week this week…..
First ever 10/10!….im just so happy! is this what winning feels like???
@Martin Redington: Impossible.You must be a Putin Bot.
9! Feckin NFL!
@Barry Ward: Is that 9 factorial?
7/10. No shout outs to Brendan o Toole and Damo burke this week cos I’m rushing out the door to Christy Moore, yahooooo!!
All the best to North Kildare for the rest if the season!!!!!
Tough this week, I’ll never get 10 once you keep asking about women’s hobbies
Only 3 of the 10 questions were on womens sport. Time to make things equal