Mayo well represented in Connacht squad for Munster clash
The Connacht squad for this weekend's BKT United Rugby Championship interpro with Munster features three Mayo players.
It promises to be a memorable day for academy graduate and former Ballina RFC man Harry West, who has been handed his senior Connacht Rugby debut. He has been named to start at full-back.
Academy prop Fiachna Barrett, another former Ballina RFC man, is among the replacements, while veteran Dave Heffernan retains his place in the starting line-up. Heffernan, also a former Ballina RFC player, starting in the front row alongside Jordan Duggan and Sam Illo.
There are nine changes in all from the side that started the narrow loss to the Bulls last week as a number of players have been called up for Ireland duty.
West is included in a new-look back three, with Finn Treacy on the left wing and Byron Ralston shifting from centre to the right wing. Galway natives Cathal Forde and Hugh Gavin are named as the new centre pairing, while Ben Murphy comes in at scrum-half to partner out-half Josh Ioane.
Behind the front row of Duggan, Heffernan and Illo, Joe Joyce comes in to partner Darragh Murray in the second row, while Paul Boyle returns from injury to captain the side at openside flanker, alongside Josh Murphy at blindside and number eight Sean Jansen.
The coaching team have gone for a 6:2 split on the bench, with Sean O’Brien wearing the number 23 jersey.
Speaking ahead of the game, which will be kick off at 7.45 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) in Thomand Park, Connacht Rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster commented: “An away interpro is one of the biggest tests in the URC so everyone’s looking forward to the game. Munster are a top-class, well-coached side, so firstly we must play as well as I know we can.
“I’ve heard the Connacht supporters always travel in big numbers for these games so I’m sure they’ll make their voices heard in Thomond Park and help us finish this first block of games on a high.”
The Connacht starting XV in full is: Harry West, Byron Ralson, Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, Finn Treacy, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Sam Illo, Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy, Paul Boyle, Sean Jansen. On the replacements' bench are: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Fiachna Barrett, Niall Murray, David O’Connor, Matthew Devine, Sean Naughton, Seán O’Brien.