Connacht team shows five changes
The Connacht team to play Leinster in the Celtic League at Donnybrook on Friday night (7.30 pm) shows five changes from that which defeated The Borders at the weekend.
Three of the changes are in the backs with captain Tim Allnutt returning in the centre, while top try scorer Conor McPhillips comes back in on the left wing.
Chris Keane takes over from the injured Mike Walls at scrum-half, while Bernard Jackman is selected as hooker as coach Michael Bradley, who has used 31 players in six games, continues to rotate his squad.
The fifth change is in the back row where Michael Swift returns from injury at blindside flanker as Connacht bid to build on their impressive start to the season which has seen them win five of their six games to date.
Meanwhile, the Connacht Rugby Supporters Club, which was officially launched at half-time in The Borders game by former Galway All-Ireland hurling winning captain Joe Connolly, have planned a get-together prior to Friday night's match.
The Supporters Club, which boasts over 500 members after being set up earlier this year amid IRFU plans to disband the Connacht side, will be meeting in Kiely's pub in Donnybrook from 6pm on Friday evening.
They are anxious to meet up with members based in the Dublin area as well as recruit Connacht people living on the east coast.
Connacht (v Leinster): M. McHugh; M. Mostyn, D. Yapp, T. Allnutt, C. McPhillips; E. Elwood, C. Keane; R. Hogan, B. Jackman, F. Boiroux; D. Browne, A. Farley; M. Swift, T. Carter, J. O¹Sullivan.
Replacements: J. Fogarty, A. Clarke, M. McCarthy, P. Neville, C. O¹Loughlion, D. Hewitt, S. Moore.
