Champions Cup: Connacht and Leinster welcome back Ireland stars for huge derby
Connacht will host their first ever Champions Cup knockout match when they take on European heavyweights Leinster in what promises to be an exciting Irish derby.
A capacity crowd is expected to be in attendance for Connacht’s first appearance in the Champions Cup knockout stages, and head coach Andy Friend is able to welcome back a number of key players just in time for the occasion.
British & Irish Lion Bundee Aki returns for his first appearance since before the Six Nations, while there’s also a first start of the season for Gavin Thornbury after an impressive cameo off the bench last weekend following an 11 month absence.
The third and final change is the inclusion of club captain Jarrad Butler after missing the win over Benetton through injury.
He forms a back-row with flankers Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver, while Leva Fifita partners Thornbury. The front-row of Matthew Burke, Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham is unchanged.
Match captain Jack Carty starts at 10 beside Kieran Marmion, while Aki will have Tom Farrell for company at outside centre. A back three of full-back Tiernan O’Halloran and wingers Mack Hansen and John Porch completes the side.
Johnny Sexton back to lead Leinster
Meanwhile, having integrated some of the returning internationals into the line-up for last weekend’s win at Thomond Park, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has added captain Johnny Sexton into the matchday squad this week.
The St Mary’s College man will be joined in the half-backs by Luke McGrath, playing inside the same backline that started against Munster.
Hugo Keenan remains at full-back with Jimmy O’Brien, scorer of four tries in Leinster’s last European outing, and James Lowe on the wings.
Garry Ringrose once again partners Robbie Henshaw in midfield.
In the pack, Cullen has made wholesale changes to the front five with Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony and Josh Murphy coming in.
Behind them, the back-row of Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan goes unchanged.
The replacements bench contains James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Michael Ala’alatoa, Devin Toner, Max Deegan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne and Ciarán Frawley.
The teams:
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 John Porch, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (c), 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Jarrad Butler, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Leva Fifita, 4 Gavin Thornbury, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Matthew Burke
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Tietie Tuimauga, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Abraham Papali’i, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Conor Fitzgerald, 23 Sammy Arnold
Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (c), 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Caelan Doris, 5 Josh Murphy, 4 Ross Molony, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Ciarán Frawley
Venue: The Sportsground
Kick-off: 20:00 BST (19:00 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referees: Michael Hudson (England), John Meredith (England)
TMO: David Rose (England)
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