Connacht and Leinster name much-changed sides for URC clash in Galway

Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster has made a dozen changes to the team that beat Zebre last week, with just Finlay Bealham, Paul Boyle and Cathal Forde retained for the game against Leinster at the Dexcom Stadium on Friday (kick-off 7.45pm).

Boyle captains the side from number eight, alongside former Leinster flankers Sean O’Brien and Will Connors, the latter making his first start for the province. There’s an all-new second row of Josh Murphy and David O’Connor, while an experienced front row of Francois van Wyk, Dave Heffernan and Bealham completes the pack.

Caolin Blade is in the halfbacks alongside Seán Naughton, who starts his first game of the season. Harry West misses out through injury, so John Devine starts at 13 alongside Forde, and there’s a new-look back three of Shayne Bolton, academy prospect Daniel Ryan, and Josh Ioane at fullback.

Niall Murray will make his 100th appearance for his home province should he feature off the bench.

Leinster welcome back Jordan Larmour from a calf injury for his first game of the season. Max Deegan captains a matchday 23 that includes two debutants, centre Connor Fahy and prop Alex Mullan.

Larmour joins Joshua Kenny and Todd Lawlor in the back three, Charlie Tector and Fahy are named in midfield, while Fintan Gunne and Joey Carbery start at halfback.

Stephen Smyth, Peter Dooley and Mullan provide the front row cover with Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka completing the forward replacements. Cormac Foley returns after injury while Caspar Gabriel and Ciarán Mangan will cover outhalf and the three-quarter line respectively.

At Thomond Park, academy centre Gordon Wood will make his first start for Munster when they welcome the Sharks on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm). Former Ireland underage international Rob Russell, who’s with Clayton McMillan’s side on a short-term contract, is named on the left wing.

Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Evan O’Connell, Seán Edogbo and Brian Gleeson also come into the starting team, while replacements Edwin Edogbo and Lee Barron are in line for their first appearances of the campaign after returning from injury.

Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman and Michael Ala’alatoa provide the front row backup, as Gavin Coombes and Alex Kendellen complete the forward cover. Academy scrumhalf Jake O’Riordan and Charlie O’Shea cover the backline in a 6-2 bench split.

Ulster are boosted by the return of two experienced players in Rob Herring and James Hume for their game against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (kick-off 12.45pm Irish time). Both will make their first appearances of the season after recovering from injuries, with flanker David McCann captaining the side.

In the front row, loosehead prop Eric O’Sullivan starts alongside Herring and tighthead prop Keynan Knox. Eli Snyman joins Ben Donnell in the second row on his return from injury.

Cormac Izuchukwu shifts to blindside flanker, with McCann moving to the openside, and Juarno Augustus starts against his former club at number eight. The halfback pairing sees scrumhalf Matthew Devine start alongside Jack Murphy at 10.

Hume makes his return to the midfield, partnering inside centre Ben Carson. In the back three, Zac Ward slots in on the left wing, with Michael Lowry switching to the right and the versatile Ethan McIlroy starts at fullback.

CONNACHT: J Ioane; S Bolton, J Devine, C Forde, D Ryan; S Naughton, C Blade; F van Wyk, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Murphy, D O’Connor; S O’Brien, W Connors, P Boyle (capt). Replacements: M Victory, J Cahir, F Barrett, N Murray, S Hurley-Langton, C Reilly, F Treacy, S Gilbert.

LEINSTER: T Lawlor; J Kenny, C Fahy, C Tector, J Larmour; J Carbery, F Gunne; A Usanov, G McCarthy, N Smyth; B Deeny, A Spicer; M Deegan (capt), S Penny, J Culhane. Replacements: S Smyth, P Dooley, A Mullan, C O’Tighearnaigh, A Soroka, C Foley, C Gabriel, C Mangan.

MUNSTER: B O’Connor; S McCarthy, G Wood, A Nankivell, R Russell; JJ Hanrahan, B O’Donovan; J Wycherley, M Van der Merwe, K Brookes; E O’Connell, F Wycherley; S Edogbo, J O’Donoghue (capt), B Gleeson. Replacements: L Barron, J Loughman, M Alaalatoa, E Edogbo, G Coombes, J O’Riordan, C O’Shea, A Kendellen.

ULSTER: E McIlroy; M Lowry, J Hume, B Carson, M Lowry; J Murphy, M Devine; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, K Knox; B Donnell, E Snyman; C Izuchukwu, D McCann (capt), J Augustus. Replacements: H Walker, T McAllister, S Wilson, H Sheridan, M Moloney, C McKee, J Flannery, C Mullins.