1 week Ago By Martin Healy
Leinster have made seven changes for their URC inter-pro meeting with Connacht while the latter are without the services of Mack Hansen. The Ireland international wing is absent from the matchday squad due to a ‘minor’ hip issue having missed the back end of the last campaign with a shoulder problem. David Hawkshaw comes in as the replacement for Hansen in one of two changes while Darragh Murray steps in for the suspended Josh Murphy.
Over on the Leinster side, Leo Cullen has shuffled the deck after last Saturday’s win over Munster at Croke Park. Ciaran Frawley will continue in the number 10 berth but summer recruit Rabah Slimani will make his first start a new-look front row that also features Jack Boyle and academy hooker Gus McCarthy. The trio of Max Deegan, Will Connors, and James Culhane have all come into the back row while wing Andrew Osborne is the only change among the backs.
Among the replacements, academy pair Hugh Cooney and Stephen Smyth are set to make their senior debuts for the province. Piers O’Conor; Shayne Bolton, David Hawkshaw, Bundee Aki, Santiago Cordero; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast (c), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Sean Jansen, Caolin Blade, Cathal Forde, Hugh Gavin Hugo Keenan; Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, Andrew Osborne; Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; RG Snyman, James Ryan (c); Max Deegan, Will Connors, James Culhane Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Hugh Cooney.
