Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s round 3 Challenge Cup clash with French side Bayonne at the Sportsground on Saturday (kick off 5pm).
The Head Coach has made just one change to the starting lineup that defeated Scarlets 14 – 8 in the PRO12 last week.
Lock Mick Kearney comes in to boost the pack in place of the injured Andrew Browne while Michael Swift, capped 266 times for the province, has been included amongst the replacements.
Jack Carty is named at outhalf for his tenth start of the season and is partnered by Irish international Kieran Marmion.
Mils Muliaina and Bundee Aki will run out at the Sportsground for the third time in three weeks following back-to-back PRO12 wins in Galway.
20-year-old Academy scrum half Caolin Blade, named on the bench in the absence of the injured Ian Porter and Leinster-tied John Cooney, is in line to make his third senior appearance.
Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:
“Protecting our home ground is one of our main priorities and that drive continues this week. We have chosen a strong side to face Bayonne on Saturday in what is our last home game of the year.
“We’ve stated Top 6 in the PRO12 as a big goal but we also have other aspirations to reach the knock out stages in the Challenge Cup. This will require input from the entire squad over the next fortnight. We know we will have to rely on everyone going into a difficult period of games over the Christmas period.
“Bayonne are a good side who have taken some big scalps in the Top 14 this season, namely Toulouse and Clermont. There are no easy wins in this pool and we are expecting a bruising battle on Saturday against a physically massive team. They are a typical French side and we expect them to be very direct so we will need to put them under pressure from the outset and cut them down.
“Again, I have to praise the home support over the last number of weeks. They have been phenomenal and it gives us all such a big lift. We want to make sure we protect our ground again this week in the last home game until the New Year.”
Connacht team to face Bayonne
15. Mils Muliaina
14. Danie Poolman
13. Bundee Aki
12. Dave McSharry
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Mick Kearney
5. Quinn Roux
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Eoin McKeon
8. George Naoupu
Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Michael Swift
20. Willie Faloon
21. Caolin Blade
22. Craig Ronaldson
23. Darragh Leader
Connacht v Bayonne
Saturday December 6th
The Sportsground
Kick off 17:00
Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)
Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest & Ross Campbell (both Eng)