Connacht and Ulster make six changes to their sides

Connacht are looking to bounce back from their loss to Leinster with Ulster back on the road as they face Cardiff.

Fri, 25 Oct, 2024 - 12:12

Fiona Halligan

Connacht Head Coach Pete Wilkins has made six changes to his side that were defeated by Leinster for their URC clash against Dragons on Saturday at Dexcom Stadium (7.35pm).

There are three changes in the pack with Peter Dooley and Dylan Tierney-Martin replacing Denis Buckley and Dave Heffernan in the front row, with Niall Murray coming in for Darragh Murray in the second row.

Finlay Bealham joins Dooley and Tierney-Martin in the front row, with Joe Joyce partnering with Niall Murray in the second row. Captain Cian Prendergast, Sean O'Brien and Paul Boyle make up the back row.

Caolin Blade and Jack Carty make up a new half-back pairing coming in for Ben Murphy and Josh Ioane. Cathal Forde comes in for the injured David Hawkshaw and partners with Bundee Aki in the centre.

Santiago Cordero and Shayne Bolton continue on the wings with Piers O'Conor remaining at full back.

Eoin de Buitléar and Matthew Devine are named among the replacements and are set to make their first appearances of the season from the bench.

Wilkins is looking for his side to bounce back from last weekends loss to Leinster in an important game against the Dragons before the international break.

“This is another very important game in the context of our overall season. We were disappointed not to get anything from last week, but this Dragons encounter provides us with an opportunity to bounce back with a determined and high-energy performance.

"Dragons are a seriously competitive side - abrasive at the contact zone, a well-drilled forward pack, and a very smart kicking game - so it’s up to us to match them physically and then attempt to impose our game on them.

"If we continue to demonstrate the growth of recent weeks and perform to our potential, we can head into the URC break with a lot of positivity.”

Meanwhile, Ulster Head Coach Richie Murphy has named his side to face Cardiff at the Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday (7.35pm). There are six changes to the side that defeated Ospreys last weekend.

Iain Henderson comes back into the starting XV to captain the side. Kieran Treadwell partners Henderson in the second row.

Nick Timoney returns to the back row joining Cormac Izuchukwu and David McCann.

Nathan Doak comes in for John Cooney and scrum-half. Mike Lowry moves from full back to the wing with Ethan McIlroy coming in at full-back.

Jude Postlethwaite partners Stuart McCloskey in the centre.

CONNACHT (v Dragons): P O'Conor, S Bolton, C Forde, B Aki, S Cordero, J Carty, C Blade; P Dooley, D Tierney-Martin, F Bealham, J Joyce, N Murray, C Prendergast (c), S O'Brien, P Boyle

Replacements: E de Buitlear, D Buckley, J Aungier, D Murray, S Jansen, M Devine, J Ioane, H Gavin

ULSTER (v Cardiff): E McIlroy, W Kok, J Postlethwaite, S McCloskey, M Lowry, A Morgan, N Doak; E O'Sullivan, J McCormick, T O'Toole, I Henderson (c), K Treadwell, C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, D McCann.

Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, S Wilson, H Sheridan, M Rea, J Cooney, B Carson, B Moxham.