BUNDEE AKI AND Finlay Bealham have both been named to start in Connacht’s Challenge Cup Round of 16 meeting with Pau on Sunday [5.30pm, Premier Sports 1].
The Six Nations winners return as two of seven changes to the side which suffered a cruel final-play defeat against Benetton in Treviso last weekend.
Caolin Blade, who missed that game through injury, is passed fit to return at scrum-half while Shane Jennings is named on the left wing in his first start for the province.
Up front, Denis Buckley returns to the front row, as does Bealham, while Jarrad Butler starts at number eight.
Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said: “It’s a competition that we want to go far in, and that’s reflected in the squad selected for Sunday.
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“There’s a huge amount of experience there and having Bundee and Finlay back is a big boost too.
“I’m confident from what I’ve seen in training and with the squad we’ve named that they’ll deliver a big performance.”
Meanwhile, the province have announced that Jordan Duggan has renewed his contract at Dexcom Stadium until 2026.
The 26-year-old loosehead prop made his Connacht debut in August 2020 against Ulster at the Aviva Stadium and has since made 45 appearances.
Connacht
15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Shayne Bolton
13. David Hawkshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Shane Jennings
10. Jack Carty (capt)
9. Caolin Blade
1. Denis Buckley
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Joe Joyce
5. Niall Murray
6. Cian Prendergast
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton
8. Jarrad Butler
Replacements:
16. Eoin de Buitléar
17. Jordan Duggan
18. Sam Illo
19. Darragh Murray
20. Conor Oliver
21. Matthew Devine
22. JJ Hanrahan
23. Tom Farrell
Section Paloise
15. Jack Maddocks
14. Thomas Carol
13. Eliot Roudil
12. Jale Vatubua
11. Aminiasi Tuimaba
10. Joe Simmonds
9. Dan Robson
1. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi
2. Youri Delhommel
3. Siate Tokolahi
4. Guillaume Ducat
5. Lekima Tagitagivalu
6. Martin Puech (capt)
7. Sacha Zegueur
8. Thibaut Hamonou
Replacements:
16. Lucas Rey
17. Hugo Parrou
18. Guram Papidze
19. Steve Cummins
20. Fabrice Metz
21. Reece Hewat
22. Thibault Daubagna
23. Axel Desperes
– Updated 12.45pm to include Section Paloise matchday 23.
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Aki and Bealham return to Connacht starting XV for Pau trip
BUNDEE AKI AND Finlay Bealham have both been named to start in Connacht’s Challenge Cup Round of 16 meeting with Pau on Sunday [5.30pm, Premier Sports 1].
The Six Nations winners return as two of seven changes to the side which suffered a cruel final-play defeat against Benetton in Treviso last weekend.
Caolin Blade, who missed that game through injury, is passed fit to return at scrum-half while Shane Jennings is named on the left wing in his first start for the province.
Up front, Denis Buckley returns to the front row, as does Bealham, while Jarrad Butler starts at number eight.
Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said: “It’s a competition that we want to go far in, and that’s reflected in the squad selected for Sunday.
“There’s a huge amount of experience there and having Bundee and Finlay back is a big boost too.
“I’m confident from what I’ve seen in training and with the squad we’ve named that they’ll deliver a big performance.”
Meanwhile, the province have announced that Jordan Duggan has renewed his contract at Dexcom Stadium until 2026.
The 26-year-old loosehead prop made his Connacht debut in August 2020 against Ulster at the Aviva Stadium and has since made 45 appearances.
Connacht
Replacements:
Section Paloise
Replacements:
– Updated 12.45pm to include Section Paloise matchday 23.
– Updated 3.54pm to include contract news
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