Ireland international scrum half Kieran Marmion is set to make his first start of the Guinness PRO14 campaign as Connacht take on Edinburgh in Murrayfield on Friday (September 14th).
The game also marks the return of Bundee Aki who is named on the bench for Connacht’s first away trip of the season.
Marmion’s return is one of four changes to the Connacht starting side that secured a bonus point win over Zebre, with young Sligo prop Conan O’Donnell, lock Ultan Dillane and winger Niyi Adeolokun also included.
21-year-old Academy player Paul Boyle is again named at number 8 after his two tries and Man of the Match performance against Zebre. He is part of an unchanged back row with Captain Jarrad Butler at openside and Sean O’Brien at blindside.
There's just the five Connacht teams playing this weekend! Here's the k/o times you need:
Friday
1935 Edinburgh v ConnachtSaturday
1330 Munster U19 v Connacht U19
1430 Connacht Women v Ulster Women
1430 Dragons A v Connacht Eagles
1445 Connacht U18 Girls v Leinster U18 Girls pic.twitter.com/zuWrO18Iu6— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) September 14, 2018
Adeolokun’s inclusion on the wing sees him join a back three that includes Matt Healy on the opposite wing and Tiernan O’Halloran at full back. The centre pairing of Eoin Griffin and Kyle Godwin is also retained with Aki set to feature off the bench.
“It is pleasing that we have some real depth and quality coming through,” said Head Coach Andy Friend. “It’s how we balance it while rewarding good performances at the same time. We also really need that physicality against this Edinburgh side.
“This week we are welcoming back two more internationals. Kieran Marmion will start, having come off the bench last week. He is a real quality player and it is great to have him in our starting team after getting an extra break following Ireland’s tour to Australia.
“The other big addition is to have Bundee back. He starts off the bench and is raring to go. We face a big challenge in Murrayfield and no doubt Edinburgh will be hurting after the loss last weekend – it’s another massive challenge for us.”
Connacht Team vs Edinburgh (Friday, 7.35pm Murrayfield):
Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Kyle Godwin, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Conan O’Donnell, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Gavin Thornbury, Ultan Dillane; Sean O’Brien, Jarrad Butler, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Colby Fainga’a, Caolin Blade, Craig Ronaldson, Bundee Aki.
