Connacht make two changes to their side to face Glasgow
TWO CHANGES: Tiernan O'Halloran comes in at full back for his first appearance this season. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie
Connacht's Head Coach Pete Wilkins has made two changes from their opening bonus point win against Ospreys last weekend for their game against Glasgow at the Sportsground on Saturday (3pm). Tiernan O'Halloran comes in at full back for his first appearance with Niall Murray starting after coming of the bench last week.
The remaining backs are unchanged with Caolin Blade captaining the side from scrum-half and continues his partnership with JJ Hanrahan. Cathal Forde and Tom Farrell continue in the centre with Byron Ralston and Diarmuid Kilgallen on the wings.
The front row remains the same with Dylan Tierney-Martin partnering Denis Buckley and Jack Aungier. Following his player of the match performance last week Joe Joyce is joined by Murray in the second row. The back row of Jarrad Butler, Cian Prendergast and Shamus Hurley-Langton makes up the starting XV.
Wilkins has gone with a 6/2 split on the bench meaning Darragh Murray could make his first appearance this season with Oisìn Dowling dropping the bench this week and the fit again Conor Oliver in the 23.
Meanwhile, Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has made five changes to his side which lost their opening game away to Glasgow when they take on Hollywoodbets Sharks in their first home game of the season at the RDS on Saturday (4.55pm).
Max Deegan is set to make his 100th appearance for the province. There are two changes in the backline with Jamie Osborne and Cormac Foley coming into the starting XV. In forward, Michael Ala'alatoa returns to the side for his first appearance since starring for Samoa at the Rugby World Cup with Lee Barron and Rhys Ruddock joining him in the pack.
Ciaràn Frawley starts at full back with Tommy O'Brien and Jordan Larmour on the wings. Obsborne joins Charlie Ngatai in the centre with Harry Byrne and Foley completing the back line.
In the pack, Jack Boyle is joined by Barron and Ala'alatoa in the front row. Ross Molony and Jason Jenkins continue their partnership in the second row with Ruddock, captain Scott Penny and Deegan completing the starting line up.
In the replacements, Clontarf hooker Dylan Donnellan is in line to make his debut while Paddy McCarthy, Rory McGuire, Ben Murphy and Sam Prendergast looking set to play for the first time for Leinster at the RDS.
Ulster Head Coack Dan McFarland has rung the changes for his sides first home fixture in the URC when they take on the Vodacom Bulls on Sunday at the Kingspan Stadium (5pm).
Alan O'Connor returns to captain the side. In the front row Andy Warwick and Tom Stewart are joined by Tom O'Toole who has returned from the World Cup squad.
O'Connor is joined in the second row by Kieran Treadwell. Dave Ewers will make his home debit with Dave McCann starting at openside flanker and Nick Timoney coming in at number eight to make his 99th appearance for the province.
Billy Burns comes in at fly half to partner Nathan Doak. Jude Postlethwaite makes his first start at the Kingspan joining James Hume in the centre. Jacob Stockdale remains on the wing with Rob Balocoune coming in on the other wing with Will Addison continuing at full back.
McFarland has gone for a 5/3 split on the bench as John Andrew, Callum Reid, Greg McGrath, Cormac Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan, Stewart Moore and Mike Lowry form the replacement options.
T O'Halloran, B Ralston, T Farrell, C Forde, D Kilgallen, JJ Hanrahan, C Blade (c), D Buckley, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier, N Murray, J Joyce, C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler.
T McElroy, P Dooley, D Robertson-McCoy, D Murray, O Dowling, C Reilly, L McNamara, C Oliver.
: C Frawley, T O'Brien, J Osborne, C Ngatai, J Larmour, H Byrne, C Foley, J Boyle, L Barron, M Ala'alatoa, R Molony, J Jenkins, R Ruddock, S Penny (c), M Deegan.
D Donnellan, P McCarthy, R McGuire, B Deeny, W Connors, B Murphy, S Prendergast, R Russell.
W Addison, R Baloucoune, J Hume, J Postlethwaite, J Stockdale, B Burns, N Doak, A Warwick, T Stewart, T O’Toole, A O’Connor (c), K Treadwell, D Ewers, D McCann, N Timoney.
: J Andrew, C Reid, G McGrath, C Izuchukwu, M Rea, D Shanahan, S Moore, M Lowry.
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