Connacht squad to face Emirates Lions is announced

The Connacht management team have named the matchday 23 for tomorrow’s BKT United Rugby Championship tie with the Emirates Lions at The Sportsground (k.o. 7.35 p.m.).

Having missed last week’s trip to Newcastle through injury, Jack Carty returns to captain the side. The out-half could make history in the game – he needs six points to equal Eric Elwood’s all-time points scoring record of 1,152 points for the province.

Scrum-half Caolin Blade is named alongside him, while Cathal Forde and Tom Farrell are named at inside and outside centre respectively. Tiernan O’Halloran lines out at full back for his 215th Connacht appearance, with John Porch and Diarmuid Kilgallen on the wings.

The pack sees the Murray brothers, Darragh and Niall, paired together in the second row, while props Peter Dooley and Jack Aungier come in alongside hooker Shane Delahunt.

Josh Murphy moves from the second row to blindside flanker, while Conor Oliver and Jarrad Butler are retained at seven and eight.

Commenting on the team selection, director of rugby Andy Friend said: “Tomorrow marks the end of a long block of games for us and one we want to finish on a high. If we get the win we head into the next block well in the running for a playoff spot – while achieving our aim of reaching the Challenge Cup knockouts – so it’s not a bad spot to be in.

“We’re fully aware, however, that we need a win tomorrow to put ourselves in that position. The Lions are a formidable outfit and have improved even more since their first season last year, so we know a difficult challenge awaits us.”

The Connacht starting team in full for tomorrow's game is: Tiernan O’Halloran, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Tom Farrell, Cathal Forde, John Porch, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade, Peter Dooley, Shane Delahunt, Jack Aungier, Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Josh Murphy, Conor Oliver, Jarrad Butler. On the replacements' bench are: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Leva Fifita, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Kieran Marmion, Tom Daly and Oran McNulty.