The Connacht team to face Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield on Friday (kick-off 7.35pm) features four changes to the side that was named to play the Ospreys last week.
Ireland international Nathan White, who played in all three RBS 6 Nations games last month, has been released to play in Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 clash. The tighthead prop joins Denis Buckley and Tom McCartney in the front row.
The return of Quinn Roux provides a timely boost as the lock is named to play his first game of 2016, having recovered from the ankle injury sustained in early December.
John Muldoon, who missed his only PRO12 match of the season last weekend due to a tight hamstring, has returned to captain the side from number 8.
Scrum half Kieran Marmion is named to start in a back-line that also sees the reintroduction of Danie Poolman to the right wing.
Second row Daniel Qualter is included among the replacements again having impressed in just his second PRO12 appearance at the Sportsground last time out. Eoin McKeon and Fionn Carr are also named in the matchday squad.
Commenting on the team announcement and the trip to Scotland, head coach Pat Lam said: “It’s good to have some of our international boys back again this week, including ‘Whitey’ who has performed really well for Ireland.
“That extra experience will be important against a side like Edinburgh who we’ve always had close encounters with. There is consistency in the way Edinburgh play – they are very physical, very direct, and they are a settled team with a lot of experienced players.
“Murrayfield is always tough but they’ve really made it into a fortress now having only lost there once this season.
“We’re traveling with confidence, though, knowing that if we continue to focus on what we’ve been doing and the game-plan we have in place, we can take another step closer to Champions Cup qualification.”
CONNACHT (v Edinburgh): Tiernan O’Halloran; Danie Poolman, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy; AJ MacGinty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Nathan White, Quinn Roux, Aly Muldowney, Sean O’Brien, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Rodney Ah You, Daniel Qualter, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Peter Robb, Fionn Carr.
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