Tom Daly will captain Connacht against Munster in the Guiness PRO14 Rainbow Cup. Photo: Sportsfile

Tom Daly will captain Connacht's Rainbow Cup interpro with Munster

Tom Daly will lead out Connacht for the first time after he was named as captain for tomorrow’s (Friday) Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup interpro with Munster at Thomond Park, Limerick (kick-off 6 p.m.).

Daly has enjoyed a breakthrough season for the province, missing just one game and consistently stringing together some impressive performance from inside centre.

He continues his partnership with Connacht Academy centre Sean O’Brien, with former Munster men Alex Wootton and Sammy Arnold named on the wings. John Porch continues at full-back, as does Conor Fitzgerald at 10, while Kieran Marmion is drafted into the scrum-half shirt.

There are six changes in the pack, including a new look front-row of Paddy McAllister, Shane Delahunt and Dominic Robertson-McCoy. Ultan Dillane returns to partner Niall Murray in the second row, and there are also starts in the back row for Cian Prendergast and Abraham Papali’i alongside the retained Conor Oliver.

Commenting on the team selection, head coach Andy Friend said: “Tom Daly’s performances this season have been a real plus for us. He consistently brings a huge level of intensity in both attack and defence, and a consistent run of games has allowed him to go from strength to strength. I know he’ll make an excellent captain tomorrow and lead by example again.”

Friend added: “We’ve shaken things up a bit in our starting XV with players who deserve a start either through training performances or impacts off the bench. There’s bags of experience among the replacements as well with six centurions, so I’m sure they’ll do a job when called upon.”

Among those centurions is Mayo man Dave Heffernan, who will take his place on the bench alongside Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Eoghan Masterson, Sean Masterson, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Peter Sullivan.