Connacht have confirmed their team lineup for this weekend’s URC semi-final game, with the squad unchanged from last week.
Connacht will face off against the Stormers on Saturday at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, with kick-off at 3pm Irish time.
The Semi-Final game will be broadcast live on TG4, as well as their TG4 Player, and on URC.tv.
“Last Friday night, to anyone outside the squad, we were the clear underdogs, and tomorrow will be no different,” Andy Friend said. “Yet for us on the inside, there is enormous belief in our ability, and that is all that matters.
“We enter the semi-final with the same 23 who started last week, which is great testament to our players’ toughness and resilience, and also to the work of our Athletic Performance & Medical Teams.”
“All bodies are fit & healthy and have fully recovered from the travel down here to Cape Town.”
After last week’s historic win in Belfast, Pete Wilkins & Andy Friend have stuck with the same starters and replacements after the squad came through the game without any injuries.
Jack Carty captains the side, while it’ll be a 99th appearance for Tom Farrell, and Jack Aungier will earn his 50th cap for the province if called upon from the bench.
A win for Connacht would see them reach a major final for the second time in their history, after the PRO12 success of 2016, with the decider taking place at either Aviva Stadium or Thomond Park on Saturday, May 27.
“Tomorrow will be a huge game as we take on the defending champions in their own backyard, but these are the days you want to be involved in,” Friend said.
“Pete Wilkins and the other coaches have presented a very clever game plan, and with the confidence that’s in the squad at present, there’s genuine excitement about the challenge and opportunity that tomorrow brings.”
Speaking ahead of the match Ireland prop Finlay Bealham said, “The South Africans, they love their scrummaging. Down there it is the bread and butter for them.
“They have their own style of scrummaging so it is good to get a taste for that at provincial level. It’s not as massive of a shock when you play them at international level.”
“The Stormers have an all front row of Springboks, like (Steven) Kitshoff, he is a world class operator, (Frans) Malherbe as well, he is a world class operator. They really back themselves and well they should, they are an unbelievable unit.”
“We respect them a lot in the scrum but we are going to do everything we can to make it a weapon for us. I prefer to scrummage against a pack like the Stormers where they are going to come straight for you and you have got to meet fire with fire.£
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS DHL STORMERS
Saturday 13th May, 15:00 Irish time @ DHL Stadium
Number/Name/Caps
15. Tiernan O’Halloran (221)
14. John Porch (79)
13. Tom Farrell (98)
12. Bundee Aki (126)
11. Mack Hansen (27)
10. Jack Carty (194)
9. Caolin Blade (169)
1. Denis Buckley (227)
2. Dave Heffernan (181)
3. Finlay Bealham (188)
4. Josh Murphy (17)
5. Niall Murray (55)
6. Shamus Hurley-Langton (19)
7. Conor Oliver (62)
8. Cian Prendergast (46)
16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (23)
17.Jordan Duggan (39)
18. Jack Aungier (49)
19. Oisín Dowling (43)
20. Jarrad Butler (113)
21. Kieran Marmion (229)
22. Tom Daly (77)
23. Byron Ralston (14)
