Connacht close to full strength

Connacht will be at close to full strength for their second pre-season friendly when they take on Gloucester at Kingsholm on Saturday (kick off: 3pm).

The Ireland and Churchill Cup crew are back in the fold with Keith Matthews at inside centre, Ian Keatley and Frank Murphy at half-back, Sean Cronin at hooker and captain John Muldoon at number eight.

After Saturday’s game Connacht have one final pre-season game when they take on Rotherham Titans on Friday August 28 (kick off: 6.30pm).

CONNACHT (v Gloucester): T Nathan; B Touhy, N Ta’auso, K Matthews, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, R Morris; A Browne, B Upton; M McCarthy, R Ofisa, J Muldoon (capt).

Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, J Hagan, M Swift, M McComish, C O’Loughlin, A Wynne, E Griffin, T O’Halloran.