Connacht will have to wait longer for Frawley debut

Ciarán Frawley during the Ireland Rugby captain's run at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ciarán Frawley’s long-anticipated debut for Connacht will have to wait for some time with Stuart Lancaster confirming that none of the seven from the province who featured on Ireland’s summer tour will be available for Friday night’s URC opener against the Stormers at Dexcom Stadium.

Frawley’s signing was announced last December but Connacht fans will have to wait to see him make his debut. The 29-year-old featured in all three games on the summer tour, starting against Japan and coming off the bench against Australia and New Zealand.

Lancaster has signed Frawley as an out-half with Josh Ioane now likely to start against the Stormers on Friday night in a game which is also poised to see Mack Hansen make his long-awaited return from injury for his first competitive game since undergoing surgery last December.

Lock Darragh Murray was an unused player on the summer tour but he too has been ruled out of Friday’s clash along with new Irish international props Billy Bohan and Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Bundee Aki and Cian Prendergast.

Will Connors, Connacht’s other high-profiled signing from Leinster, is set to be integrated into training early next month after a foot injury from the end of last season, while centre Hugh Gavin is targeting a December comeback from a leg break.

Versatile back Harry West from Ballina is out with a hamstring problem.

The Stormers will also be understrength for the game. Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe is out with a broken jaw while the likes of South Africa skipper Siy Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Paul de Villiers, Deon Fourie, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen and Cobus Reinach are part of Rassie Erasmus’ squad to face Australia in Perth next Sunday.