Portlaoise Flanker Starts For Connacht's Challenge Cup Tie

They take on Leicester on Saturday.

Eoghan Masterson will take his place at blindside flanker as Connacht look to advance to the quarter-finals of the Heineken Challenge Cup. 

They travel to Welford Road to take on Leicester at 8 o'clock on Saturday evening. 

Athlone's Jack Carty continues his partnership with Kieran Marmion at half-back. 

Head Coach Andy Friend told Connacht Rugby:

“We had difficult decisions to make across the park with our starting XV. It’s a testament to our squad that we’ve got a really strong bench while others will miss out entirely, and that’s what you want going into knock-out European rugby.

“It’s no secret that the Connacht record in Europe needs to improve, but this is a group of players that know how to break hoodoos on the road. Leicester Tigers in Welford Road is one of the great challenges in European rugby and I have full confidence in the squad to get the win and really put us in the mix for silverware at the end of the season”.

Starting XV:

 

15. John Porch 
14. Alex Wootton 
13. Sean O’Brien 
12. Tom Daly 
11. Matt Healy 
10. Jack Carty 
9. Kieran Marmion 
1. Denis Buckley 
2. Dave Heffernan 
3. Finlay Bealham 
4. Ultan Dillane 
5. Gavin Thornbury 
6. Eoghan Masterson 
7. Conor Oliver
8. Paul Boyle 

Replacements:

16. Shane Delahunt 
17. Jordan Duggan 
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy 
19. Oisin Dowling 
20. Abraham Papali’i 
21. Caolin Blade 
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Peter Sullivan 

 

 

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