Elwood picks strong side for visit of Munster
Connacht head coach Eric Elwood is able to call on lock Mike McCarthy and prop Brett Wilkinson, who have been involved with the Irish Six Nations team, for Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Munster in the Sportsground (7.45pm).
Connacht will also welcome back John Muldoon Kyle Tonetti and Henry Fa’afili to the starting lineup for the visit of their local rivals.
Ronan Loughney moves back to tight-head prop where is joined in the front-row by hooker Ethienne Reynecke and Wilkinson.
McCarthy and Swift renew their second-row partnership while the Academy’s athletic Mick Kearney joins Ray Ofisa and John Muldoon in the back-row.
Frank Murphy and Miah Nikora continue their half-back pairing with Henry Fa’afili and Eoin Griffin making up the centres.
The back three consists of Tiernan O’Halloran, Kyle Tonetti and captain Gavin Duffy at full-back.
The bench sees sub-Academy prop Finlay Bealham making the match-day squad for the first time alongside the return to fitness of Rodney Ah You and both will look to make a big impression from the bench.
The match looks set to break a new record for the highest attendance of a league game for Connacht.
The previous record was broken on New Year’s Day when over 6,500 fans packed out the Sportsground for the visit of Leinster and ticket sales for the Munster match have exceeded that already setting up another titanic inter-provincial clash.
G Duffy (C); K Tonetti, E Griffin, H Fa’afili, T O’Halloran; M Nikora, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney; M Swift, M McCarthy; M Kearney, R Ofisa, J Muldoon.
Replacements: A Flavin, F Bealham, R Ah You, E McKeon, E Grace, P O’Donohoe, M Jarvis, D McSharry.
