Lions: Finlay Bealham, Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen. James Crombie/INPHO

Connacht's Lions return for Bulls' visit

Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen will all start tomorrow night in Galway.

CONNACHT’S LIONS, Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen, have all been named to start against the Bulls in the URC game at Dexcom Stadium tomorrow (KO:7.45pm, TG4, Premier Sports).

Aki and Bealham play in their usual inside centre and tighthead prop positions, while Hansen lines out at full-back as the trio return for the first time this season.

Cian Prendergast again captains the side and moves to openside flanker, with Josh Murphy on the opposite flank and Sean Jansen at No 8.

Darragh Murray and David O’Connor make up the second row pairing, while prop Peter Dooley and hooker Dave Heffernan complete the forwards.

In the backs, scrum-half Caolin Blade and out-half Josh Ioane return, as does Byron Ralston at No 13 to partner Aki. Completing the side are wingers Shayne Bolton and Chay Mullins.

There’s a 5:3 split on the bench with Connacht natives Matthew Devine, Cathal Forde and Sean Naughton covering the backline.

Missing out due to injury are Denis Buckley (hamstring), Paul Boyle (shoulder) and Shamus Hurley-Langton (shoulder) – with all three to be further assessed next week – along with longer term absentees Temi Lasisi (knee), Oisín Dowling (knee) and Niall Murray (ankle).

 

CONNACHT 

  • 15. Mack Hansen 
  • 14. Chay Mullins 
  • 13. Byron Ralson 
  • 12. Bundee Aki 
  • 11. Shayne Bolton
  • 10. Josh Ioane 
  • 9. Caolin Blade
  • 1. Peter Dooley 
  • 2. Dave Heffernan
  • 3. Finlay Bealham
  • 4. Darragh Murray
  • 5. David O’Connor 
  • 6. Josh Murphy 
  • 7. Cian Prendergast (capt)
  • 8. Sean Jansen 

Replacements:

  • 16. Dylan Tierney-Martin 
  • 17. Jordan Duggan
  • 18. Jack Aungier
  • 19. Joe Joyce
  • 20. Seán O’Brien
  • 21. Matthew Devine
  • 22. Sean Naughton 
  • 23. Cathal Forde
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