Connacht Rugby Head Coach Pat Lam has named his match day 23 to face Toulouse in the final pool game of the Champions Cup this Sunday (kick off 4:15pm local time).
There are five personnel changes in total from the team that lined out at the Sportsground in the bonus point win over Zebre six days ago.
Jack Carty has recovered from injury to take the reins at outhalf while Peter Robb also returns to form a new centre partnership with Craig Ronaldson.
Up front, Ireland international Quinn Roux comes in having missed out last week while the back row is also boosted with the return from injury of flankers Nepia Fox-Matamua and Jake Heenan.
Commenting on the upcoming game, Lam said:
“We are aware of the phenomenal challenge that awaits us in Toulouse on Sunday but these are the sort of games that you want to be a part of. It’s an opportunity as a player and as a team to put in a performance on the big stage.
“While the right outcome would be massive for Irish Rugby, the focus remains on executing our game plan in a pressure environment to get us the win we need.”
Connacht team to face Toulouse
Sunday January 22nd, kick off 16:15, Stade Ernest-Wallon
(Connacht caps in brackets)
15 Tiernan O’Halloran (117)
14 Niyi Adeolokun (48)
13 Peter Robb (24)
12 Craig Ronaldson (57)
11 Matt Healy (83)
10 Jack Carty (70)
9 Kieran Marmion (114)
1 Denis Buckley (107)
2 Tom McCartney (55)
3 Finlay Bealham (71)
4 Quinn Roux (45)
5 James Cannon (8)
6 Nepia Fox-Matamua (15)
7 Jake Heenan (46)
8 John Muldoon (291) (captain)
Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan (74)
17 JP Cooney (43)
18 John Andress (3)
19 Sean O’Brien (30)
20 Naulia Dawai (5)
21 John Cooney (30)
22 Tom Farrell (1)
23 Danie Poolman (78)
Injured / Unavailable: Conor Carey, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Ultan Dillane, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O’Leary, Stacey Ili, Bundee Aki, Eoin Griffin, Cormac Brennan, Cian Kelleher, Darragh Leader, Josh Rowland.
Toulouse v Connacht
Sunday 22nd January
Kick-off: 16:15 (local time)
Stade Ernest-Wallon
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
Assistant Ref: JP Doyle (Eng)
Assistant Ref: Peter Allan (Eng)
TMO: David Grashoff (Eng)
Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (Sco)
