Duffy to lead strong Connacht side

Gavin Duffy will lead Connacht for the first time against Treviso on Saturday, having been unveiled as the club’s new captain earlier this week.

The 6’2 former Mayo Minor footballer has 10 Irish caps and was part of Declan Kidney's World Cup training squad this year.

He is supported on the wings by flying Ulsterman Mark McCrea and Ireland U20 International Tiernan O’Halloran while the dynamic centre partnership of Henry Fa’aili and Eoin Griffin complete the backline.

Former Leicester Tigers scrumhalf Frank Murphy will operate alongside outhalf Matthew Jarvis formerly of the Ospreys and hope to build on last week’s impressive showing against Saracens.

Connacht have four players in the pack with more than 100 caps. Flavin, McCarthy and Muldoon have all reached the milestone while Michael Swift is just short of his 200th cap for the province.

Ronan Loughney and Ray Ofisa, with 80 and 89 caps respectively, provide plenty more experience with George Naoupu and Rodney Ah You completing the firepower of the forwards.

Summer signing Nial O’Connor starts on the bench with former Ulster teammate TJ Anderson.

Eric Elwood can also call on the vastly experienced Johnny O’Connor to make an impact from the sidelines.

CONNACHT (v Treviso): Ronan Loughney, Adrian Flavin, Rodney Ah You, Michael Swift, Mike McCarthy, John Muldoon, Ray Ofisa, George Naoupu, Frank Murphy, Matthew Jarvis, Tiernan O’Halloran, Henry Fa’afili, Eoin Griffin, Mark McCrea, Gavin Duffy (C).

Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Denis Buckley, Dylan Rogers, TJ Anderson, Johnny O’Connor, Paul O’Donohoe,Nial O’Connor, Brian Tuohy.