Joe Joyce to captain Connacht in pre-season friendly against Sale

Connacht take on Sale Sharks at the Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (1.30pm) in a pre-season friendly.

PRE SEASON FRIENDLY: Joe Joyce will captain Connacht's starting XV when they take on Sale Sharks on Saturday at the Dexcom Stadium. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Connacht Head Coach Pete Wilkins has named a 30-man squad for their pre-season friendly against Sale Sharks on Saturday at the Dexcom Stadium (1.30pm).

Joe Joyce will captain the starting XV which will see new signing Piers O'Connor at full back. Josh Murphy returns to the squad after stepping away last season due to his studies to become a doctor and will start in the back row. Matthew Devine starts at scrum half with Hugh Gavin on the wing after moving up to Professional contracts this summer.

There are 15 players named on the bench including new signings Temi Lasisi, Adam McBurney, David O'Connor and Ben Murphy along with academy players Fiachna Barrett, John Devine and Daniel Hawkshaw. 

Amongst the 30-man squad there are three sets of brothers looking to get game time. Matthew Devine's younger brother John and David Hawshaw's brother Daniel are part of the academy and amongst the match day squad will join the well estabablished senior team players Niall and Darragh Murray.

The game will be streamed live on connachtrugby.ie.

CONNACHT (v Sale Sharks): P O'Connor, S Bolton, B Ralston, C Forde, H Gavin, J Carty, M Devine; P Dooley, D Tierney-Martin, S Illo, J Joyce (c), D Murray, J Murphy, C Oliver, S Jansen.

Replacements: D Buckley, T Lasisi, A McBurney, J Aungier, F Barrett*, N Murray, O Dowling, D O'Connor, O McCormack, P Boyle, B Murphy, C Reilly, J Devine*, David Hawkshaw, Daniel Hawkshaw*

*Denotes Academy player