Connacht name team to face Edinburgh
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Connacht Rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster has named his matchday squad for tomorrow’s BKT United Rugby Championship regular season finale with Edinburgh at Hive Stadium (k/o 7.45pm Irish time).
Connacht head into the game just 1 point off the playoff spots in 9th place, and must win and hope results elsewhere go in their favour to secure a quarter-final place.
There are just three changes from the side that impressively saw off Munster last weekend. Hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin and lock Darragh Murray have been ruled out through injury, and are replaced by Eoin de Buitléar and Joe Joyce respectively. The final change is the inclusion of British & Irish Lion tighthead prop Finlay Bealham, with Sam Illo set to make an impact off the bench.
Prop Billy Bohan, lock Josh Murphy and the in-form back row trio of captain Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton and Sean Jansen are all retained.
The back line is unchanged from last weekend, with a 9-10 combo of Ben Murphy and Josh Ioane, a centre pairing of Bundee Aki and Harry West, and a back three of wingers Shayne Bolton and Shane Jennings, and full-back Sam Gilbert.
Academy hooker Mikey Yarr is named among the replacements and will earn his senior debut if called upon, while David O’Connor is also drafted in.
Head coach Stuart Lancaster says:
“Our objective is very clear tomorrow - we’ll do all we can to get the win we need, and then see what happens after that. We’ve lost Dylan and Darragh through injury but we’re confident in the depth of the wider squad, which has been building each week along with our performances. I hear there’s a massive travelling support heading over which I’m sure will give all the lads a big lift too.”
Edinburgh Rugby v Connacht Rugby
Friday 15th May, 19:45 @ Dexcom Stadium
Number/Name/Caps
15. Sam Gilbert (17)
14. Shane Jennings (35)
13. Harry West (12)
12. Bundee Aki (164)
11. Shayne Bolton (36)
10. Josh Ioane (30)
9. Ben Murphy (34)
1. Billy Bohan (13)
2. Eoin de Buitléar (22)
3. Finlay Bealham (230)
4. Joe Joyce (55)
5. Josh Murphy (60)
6. Cian Prendergast (103) (C)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (65)
8. Sean Jansen (45)
16. Mikey Yarr *
17. Peter Dooley (65)
18. Sam Illo (47)
19. David O’Connor (21)
20. Paul Boyle (136)
21. Matthew Devine (32)
22. Jack Carty (235)
23. Seán Naughton (17)
