Mayo man in Connacht Rugby squad for first outing of the season

The Connacht Rugby men's team will have their first outing of the season tomorrow (Friday) when they face Bristol Bears in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Bristol Bears HPC (kick-off 1 p.m.).

The game will provide Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team with their first opportunity to see the group in a gameday environment since the start of pre-season training in July.

Tomorrow's encounter is the first of consecutive friendlies for the squad, with another trip back to England next week for a meeting with Sale Sharks on Friday, September 5, at Heywood Road (kick-off 7.30 p.m).

A 27-man squad (see below) has made the trip. The squad will be captained by Joe Joyce, and academy trio Fiachna Barrett, Max Flynn and Sean Naughton are also included. Barrett, a native of Erris, is a former Ballina RFC player.

Not involved are the six internationals who toured Georgia and Portugal during the summer: Jack Aungier, Shayne Bolton, Hugh Gavin, Ben Murphy, Darragh Murray and Cian Prendergast. British & Irish Lions trio Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen will link up with the group in mid-September.

New signing Sam Gilbert will join the squad later in the year, following his obligations with Otago in the Bunnings NPC.

The sqaud for the game against Bristol Bears is as follows: forwards – Fiachna Barrett, Paul Boyle, Eoin de Buitléar, Peter Dooley, Jordan Duggan, Max Flynn, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Joe Joyce, Temi Lasisi, Josh Murphy, Niall Murray, Sean O’Brien, David O’Connor, Dylan Tierney-Martin; backs – Caolin Blade, Jack Carty, John Devine, Matthew Devine, Cathal Forde, David Hawkshaw, Josh Ioane, Shane Jennings, Chay Mullins, Sean Naughton, Byron Ralston.