Connacht Name Team to face Grenoble

April 8th, 11:19am April 8th, 11:19am

Sport

Pat Lam has named his Connacht side to face Grenoble in the quarter final of the Challenge Cup at Stade des Alpes on Saturday (21:05 local time). The head coach has made five personnel as well as seven positional changes from the side that lined out against Ulster in the PRO12 seven days ago.

Kieran Marmion and Danie Poolman are drafted into the back line with Matt Healy named to start at fullback for the second time this season. The former Ireland under-20’s scrum half, now wing, wore the number 15 shirt against Newcastle Falcons at the Sportsground back in December.

Healy’s move to fullback also allows Ireland international Robbie Henshaw rekindle his centre partnership with February’s Player of the Month Bundee Aki.

Shane O’Leary, who spent the 2013/14 season playing with Saturday’s French opponents, will make his third start for Connacht at outhalf, having lined out against Ulster last week and in December’s pool game away to Newcastle.

Up front, recent Ireland international debutants Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane start for the first time since their 6 Nations involvement.

The back row is reshuffled and features three Galway-born players with Sean O’Brien from the Academy coming in to start at blindside flanker. Eoin McKeon once again moves to openside while John Muldoon captains the side wearing the Number 8 shirt.

From the bench, prop JP Cooney could make his first European appearance of the current campaign, having recovered from the shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined for most of the season. Quinn Roux and Fionn Carr are also added to this week’s match day squad.

Connacht team to face Grenoble, Saturday April9, Stade des Alpes, 9:05pm (8.05 Irish time)

15           Matt Healy
14           Niyi Adeolokun
13           Robbie Henshaw
12           Bundee Aki
11           Danie Poolman
10           Shane O’Leary
9              Kieran Marmion

1              Denis Buckley
2              Tom McCartney
3              Finlay Bealham
4              Ultan Dillane
5              Andrew Browne
6              Sean O’Brien
7              Eoin McKeon
8              John Muldoon (captain)

Replacements:

16           Dave Heffernan
17           Ronan Loughney
18           JP Cooney
19           Quinn Roux
20           James Connolly
21           John Cooney
22           Peter Robb
23           Fionn Carr

Injured/Unavailable: Nathan White, Ben Marshall, Jake Heenan*, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson, Ian Porter, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty, Craig Ronaldson, AJ MacGinty, Dave McSharry, Rory Parata, Api Pewhairangi, Darragh Leader, Ciaran Gaffney, Tiernan O’Halloran

*Jake Heenan rolled his (other) ankle in Tuesday afternoon’s pitch session which ruled him out of traveling to France this weekend. An update will be provided on his expected return to play date next week.

Grenoble v Connacht
Saturday April 9
Stade des Alpes
Kick off 9:05pm

Live on FR4 / BT Sport / beIN Sports

Referee Matthew Carley (England)
Touch Judge 1 Greg Garner (England)
Touch Judge 2 Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
TMO Rowan Kitt (England)
Citing Commissioner Dave Guyan (England)