CONNACHT BOSS PAT Lam has made four changes to his side for the clash against Wasps (kick-off 17.30, Sky Sports) at the Sportsground.
The western province lost 32 – 17 in last week’s opening back-to-back with the Premiership big-spenders and will hope to bounce back on home soil to re-take the lead in Pool 2.
Injury to Cian Kelleher means Matt Healy returns to form an all-international back three with Rory Parata standing opposite former Leinster centre Brendan Macken in midfield.
There’s Test experience introduced to the front row too as Finlay Bealham takes the tighthead slot. Eoin McKeon comes into the back row with Jake Heenan injured and Nepia Fox-Matamua shifts to openside again.
With no back-up out-half to Jack Carty, Lam has included all nine registered backs in his matchday sqyad. New signing Naulia Dawai – a back row – is among the replacements. The Fijian was registered for the European squad just this week.
Connacht
15 Tiernan O’Halloran
14 Niyi Adeolokun
13 Rory Parata
12 Bundee Aki
11 Matt Healy
10 Jack Carty
9 Kieran Marmion
1 Denis Buckley
2 Tom McCartney
3 Finlay Bealham
4 Ultan Dillane
5 Quinn Roux
6 Eoin McKeon
7 Nepia Fox-Matamua
8 John Muldoon (captain)
Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan
17 JP Cooney
18 Conor Carey
19 Lewis Stevenson
20 Sean O’Brien
21 Caolin Blade
22 Danie Poolman
23 Naulia Dawai
Wasps
15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Brendan Macken
12. Kurtley Beale
11. Josh Bassett
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Joe Simpson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Jake Cooper-Woolley
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Kearnan Myall
6. Ashley Johnson
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes
Replacements:
16. Alex Rieder
17. Tom Bristow
18. Martin Moore
19. James Gaskell
20. Guy Thompson
21. Dan Robson
22. Alapati Leiua
23. Frank Halai
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