Connacht make three changes for historic Harlequins encounter

Connacht’s starting XV to face Harlequins in their first ever Heineken Cup Clash sees three changes from the side that were defeated by Ulster in Ravenhill last Saturday.

Eoin Griffin returns from a knock to take his place in the centre, a move that sees Gavin Duffy return to fullback and Tiernan O'Halloran move back to the wing. 21-year-old centre Dave McSharry hangs on to the number 12 shirt after an impressive display in Ravenhill. The halfback pairing of Paul O'Donohoe and Miah Nikora is also retained.

In the pack, the front row remains the same with Adrian Flavin scrumming down between Ireland Wolfhound Brett Wilkinson and U20 World Cup winner Rodney Ah You. The second row pairing of Michael Swift and Mike McCarthy remains the same.

Swift shook off a knock that saw him depart the field early last Saturday and looks set to win his 205th cap for the province. There is a new backrow with number 8 George Naoupu joined this week by John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa who both return to the starting line up.

The replacements see Henry Fa'afili return to the squad after a knock that kept him out of the Ulster Clash. He joins Niall O'Connor and Frank Murphy as the replacement backs. Ethienne Reynecke, Ronan Loughney and Dylan Rogers make up the front row substitutes while Dave Gannon and TJ Anderson are the other replacement forwards.

Connacht (v Harlequins): G Duffy; B Tuohy, E Griffin, D McSharry, T O’Halloran; M Nikora, P O’Donohoe; B Wilkinson A Flavin, R Ah You; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, G Naoupu.

Replacements: E Reynecke, R Loughney, D Rogers, D Gannon, TJ Anderson, F Murphy, N O’Connor, H Fa’afili.