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Co-captain: Paul Boyle Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Connacht face Zebre without four Ireland internationals

Caolin Blade and Paul Boyle make milestone appearances for the province.

CONNACHT ARE MINUS their four internationals as they face Zebre in the Challenge Cup at Dexcom Stadium tomorrow at 8pm (Premier Sports 1).  

As was flagged on Tuesday, Mack Hansen, Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Cian Prendergast have been given this week off after the Autumn internationals and do not feature in the matchday 23. 

There are milestones for Caolin Blade and Paul Boyle, with the players making their 200th and 100th appearances for the province. 

Boyle will line out as co-captain for the game, with Cathal Forde. 

Elsewhere there’s a debut Chay Mullins, who has been named to start on the right wing. Mullins joined the Connacht Academy setup in 2022 and signed his first pro contract in the summer, before representing the Ireland Sevens at the Paris Olympics. 

He lines out in a back three of full-back Shane Jennings and Santiago Cordero on the opposite wing, with David Hawkshaw at  No 13 having impressed off the bench last week, while Jack Carty continues at out-half. 

In the forwards, Jack Aungier keeps his place at tighthead while loosehead Jordan Duggan and hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin start, and there’s a new-look second row of Darragh Murray and Oisín Dowling. Last year’s Connacht Player of the Year Shamus Hurley-Langton makes his first start of the campaign at openside flanker, with Josh Murphy on the opposite flank. 

There are two further potential debutants on the bench, both of whom are Connacht natives in the Academy setup. Tighthead prop Fiachna Barrett from Geesala, Co Mayo is named in the matchday squad for the first time, as well as Galway native out-half Seán Naughton.

Also on the bench is Oisín McCormack who could feature for the first time since making his debut two years ago.

 

Connacht

15. Shane Jennings

14. Chay Mullins

13. David Hawkshaw 

12. Cathal Forde 

11. Santiago Cordero 

10. Jack Carty 

9. Caolin Blade 

1. Jordan Duggan 

2. Dylan Tierney-Martin 

3. Jack Aungier 

4. Darragh Murray 

5. Oisín Dowling 

6. Josh Murphy 

7. Shamus Hurley-Langton 

8. Paul Boyle 

Replacements: 

16. Eoin de Buitléar 

17. Temi Lasisi 

18. Fiachna Barrett 

19. David O’Connor 

20. Oisín McCormack 

21. Matthew Devine 

22. Sean Naughton 

23. Byron Ralston

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