Hooker McCartney To Lead Connacht In Swansea

There are three personnel changes to the side lined out against Munster six days ago. With Kieran Marmion rested this week, scrum half John Cooney makes a timely return from injury to start in an otherwise unchanged back-line.

Up front, the back row is altered with the introduction of Sean O’Brien at blindside flanker and Fijian Naulia Dawai at number 8 for his first Connacht start.

Tom McCartney will captain the province in the absence of John Muldoon who had, up to now, started every game this season but was ruled out this week with a hamstring injury.

From the bench, Galway man Eoin McKeon is in line to make his 100th Connacht appearance if he is called upon in Swansea.

Commenting on this weekend’s game with the Welsh region, Pat Lam said: “There is real excitement in the camp as we face another great challenge away to the Ospreys who are flying high in the PRO12. They have one of the best all-round games as well as the most successful record at home this season, highlighted by their 29 points earned out of a possible 30.

“Our focus remains on improving our game and if we can nail our execution and detail, it will give us a great chance of challenging for the points on offer.”

Skipper Muldoon, Ronan Loughney, Conor Carey, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Ultan Dillane, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson, Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O’Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Stacey Ili, Bundee Aki, Eoin Griffin, Cormac Brennan, Cian Kelleher, Josh Rowland and Darragh Leader are all currently injured/unavailable.

CONNACHT (v Ospreys): Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Rory Parata, Peter Robb, Matt Healy; Jack Carty, John Cooney; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney (capt), Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Sean O’Brien, Jake Heenan, Naulia Dawai.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, John Andress, Lewis Stevenson, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Danie Poolman, Ciaran Gaffney.