Connacht coach Michael Bradley has finalised the westerners’ team and replacements for Friday’s Magners League clash with Edinburgh at the Sportsground (kick-off 6pm).
Full-back Gavin Duffy retains the captaincy for the Edinburgh game after regular skipper John Muldoon failed to recover from the groin injury that ruled him out of last weekend’s game against Leinster.
Prop Robbie Morris and centre Niva Ta’auso have also failed late fitness tests and so are unavailable for selection.
Michael Bradley’s selected team shows five changes to the side that lose 17-14 to Leinster at the RDS.
Front rowers Sean Cronin and Jamie Hagan, lock Michael Swift and backs Ian Keatley and Troy Nathan have all been promoted from the bench.
In the backs, Nathan replaces the injured Keith Matthews in the centre and Miah Nikora makes way for Keatley at out-half.
There are two changes in the front row as Cronin and Hagan replace Adrian Flavin and the injured Morris, while there are alterations to both the second row and back row.
New Zealander George Naoupu has been ruled out through injury, so Mike McComish moves to number 8, Mike McCarthy reverts to the blindside flanker role and Swift is a new inclusion in the second row.
Connacht will look to lively winger Fionn Carr to continue his good scoring form against Edinburgh. He is the joint top try scorer in the Magners League this season with seven tries, a tally matched by Edinburgh’s own Tim Visser.
Friday’s match could also see Ireland Under-20 international Eoin Griffin make his senior bow for Connacht as a replacement.
To listen to Michael Bradley’s pre-match views, click here.
CONNACHT (v Edinburgh): Gavin Duffy (capt); Brian Tuohy, Troy Nathan, Aidan Wynne, Fionn Carr; Ian Keatley, Frank Murphy; Brett Wilkinson, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Michael Swift, Bernie Upton, Mike McCarthy, Johnny O’Connor, Mike McComish.
Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Ronan Loughney, Dave Nolan, Andrew Browne, Conor O’Loughlin, Miah Nikora, Eoin Griffin.
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