Connacht Make Four Changes Up Front

This weekend marks the first installment of Heineken Cup rugby and as Connacht travel to Parma to take on Italian newcomers Zebre on Saturday (kick-off 2.35pm local time/1.35pm Irish time), head coach Eric Elwood has made four changes to his starting pack.

Up front Adrian Flavin makes way for South African hooker Ethienne Reynecke with Denis Buckley and stand-in captain Nathan White forming an all-new front row trio.

Elsewhere in the pack, the fit-again John Muldoon, who returned from injury last weekend, replaces David Gannon in the back row.

There are no changes to the back-line with Academy members Kieran Marmion (scrum half) and Robbie Henshaw (full-back) both earning their seventh senior caps for the province.

CONNACHT (v Zebre): Robbie Henshaw; Tiernan O’Halloran, Eoin Griffin, David McSharry, Fetu’u Vainikolo; Dan Parks, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Ethienne Reynecke, Nathan White (capt), Michael Swift, Mike McCarthy, John Muldoon, Willie Faloon, George Naoupu.

Replacements: Adrian Flavin, Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, David Gannon, Johnny O’Connor, David Moore, Miah Nikora, Mata Fifita.