Mayo men in matchday squad for Connacht's clash with Black Lion
Connacht Rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster has included Mayo men Dave Heffernan, Harry West and Fiachna Barrett in the matchday squad for the EPCR Challenge Cup meeting with Georgian side Black Lion.
The game will kick off at 8 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) in Dexcom Stadium, Galway.
Hooker Heffernan is one of just four players to retain his place in the starting team following last week's game against Ospreys. The others are Sean Jansen at number eight, Jack Carty at out-half, and Sam Gilbert, who moves to full-back.
West, meanwhile, retains his place among the replacements, with Barrett joining him on the bench for the clash with Black Lion.
Carty will be partnered at half-back by the returning Caolin Blade, while Cathal Forde and Hugh Gavin are named at centre. Wingers Shayne Bolton and Chay Mullins complete the back three.
In the pack there are starts for props Jordan Duggan and Sam Illo either side of Heffernan, while the Murray brothers, Darragh and Niall, complete the tight five. In the back row there’s a return to action for Shamus Hurley-Langton having missed the last few weeks due to injury, with Jansen at eight and the in-form Paul O'Boyle at blindside.
O'Boyle will captain the side for the encounter with the Georgians.
Alongside West and Barrett, Academy prop Billy Bohan is included in the matchday 23 for the first time in the replacements, while David Hawkshaw recovers from injury to take his place on the bench.
Looking ahead to the clash, Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster said: “We’ve quite a number of injuries and Bundee Aki is on a rest week after his Ireland duties, but we’re still able to name a strong team filled with players who have plenty of minutes under their belt this season.”
He continued: “It’s a unique challenge hosting a Georgian side, but it’s one we’re really looking forward to. You know they’re going to be physical so we have to front up in that regard, and then feed off the support of the home crowd when the opportunities arise.”
The Connacht team in full is: Sam Gilbert, Chay Mullins, Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen.
The full list of replacements is as follows: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Billy Bohan, Fiachna Barrett, Joe Joyce, Seán O’Brien, Matthew Devine, David Hawkshaw, Harry West.