Connacht coach Andy Friend has named his side to
face the Scarlets tomorrow in the PRO14 with Prop Paddy McAllister is set to
make his first competitive start in a Connacht jersey.
McAllister, who signed from Gloucester in the
summer, made his debut in Connacht’s pre-season friendly win over against
Munster at The Sportsground last Saturday.
He joins an experienced front row that includes
tighthead Finlay Bealham and hooker Tom McCartney. Behind them will be Gavin
Thornbury and Quinn Roux, both of whom impressed in Connacht’s three pre-season
wins.
Captain Jarrad Butler will wear the now familiar
number 8 jersey in a back row alongside Eoghan Masterson and Colby Fainga’a at
blindside and openside respectively.
With Jack Carty away on international duty at the Rugby World Cup, Conor Fitzgerald is named at out-half alongside scrum-half Caolin Blade. Elsewhere in the
Ahead of the opening game of the season, Head Coach
Andy Friend commented on the depth that will be required in the Connacht squad
as they prepare for a season of PRO14 and Champions Cup action: “We used fifty
players last season and we expect to use a similar number this time around. We
have come through a really good pre-season where we have won three games from
three and more importantly we have got to do a lot of work on the training
field. I think we are definitely further along as a squad compared to where we
were this time last season”.
Commenting on the challenge of the Scarlets, Friend
added: “We are expecting a hugely competitive game. While they are missing
players away on World Cup duty, they also have real depth in their squad. Both
sides will be targeting a win, so I think we are in for quality game”.
Connacht Matchday Squad:
(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Stephen Fitzgerald, Kyle
Godwin, Tom Daly, Matt Healy, Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade, (1-8) Paddy
McAllister, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Eoghan
Masterson, Colby Fainga’a, Jarrad Butler (Capt).
Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Denis Buckley,
Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, Kieran Marmion, Peter
Robb, Darragh Leader.
William Davies will be part of our Commentary team tomorrow evening and John Mulligan put it to him that on paper, this is a strong Connacht team…
