Table toppers Connacht face toughest test to date in Edinburgh

Edinburgh v Connacht, Hive stadium (7.35, live on TG4, Premier Sports)

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins has made eight changes to the side that produced a rousing second-half performance to overcome a 17-point deficit to beat Ulster in Galway and maintain their unbeaten start to the season via a third straight win.

John Porch and Tom Daly make their first appearances of the season, Bryan Ralston moves from wing to centre while Andrew Smith comes in on the left wing.

Peter Dooley, Tadhg McElroy and Jack Aungier are joined by the Murray brothers, Niall and Darragh in the front five with Sean O’Brien, a summer recruit from the Leinster academy is flanked by Cian Prendergast and Conor Oliver in the backrow.

Former underage international Sam Illo is another looking for his first game of the season, while JJ Hanrahan has recovered from injury to take his place on the bench.

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Edinburgh were disappointing last time out in defeat to Leinster at the RDS, when a late rally softened the scoreline (36-27) a little if not the frustration of returning home empty-handed. James Lang and Connor Boyle, try scorers in Dublin, are promoted to the starting line-up.

Pierre Schoeman, winning his 100th cap for Edinburgh, is the only player retained in the front row, while Scottish internationals Luke Crosbie and Hamish Watson are replaced in the back row by Boyle and big Fijian ball carrier, Bill Mata.

The Scottish club have won their two home games to date this season and it’s interesting that the only Irish province that Edinburgh have beaten since 2020, is Connacht, on three occasions. But Wilkins’ side are full of confidence having made a superb start to the season and their position at the top of the table has been earned on the pitch, even when not always at their best.

He said: “Edinburgh away is always a tough test and this game will be no different. For us it was important to find a balance in our selection, rewarding recent performances, whilst also providing an opportunity to those players who have narrowly missed out in previous weeks.

“Above all else it’s a 23 that I believe can get the win, if we play to our strengths and take our opportunities when they come.”

This represents their toughest test to date.

Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; W Goosen, M Bennett, J Lang, D van der Merwe; B Healy, C Shiel; P Schoeman, E Ashman, J Sebastian; G Young, G Gilchrist (capt); T Dodd, C Boyle, V Mata. Replacements: D Cherry, B Vanter, A Williams, M Sykes, B Muncaster, B Vellacott, C Dean, R McCann.

Connacht: T O’Halloran; J Porch, B Ralston, T Daly, A Smith; J Carty, C Blade; P Dooley, T McElroy, J Aungier; N Murray, D Murray; C Prendergast, C Oliver, S O’Brien. Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, J Duggan, S Illo, J Joyne, J Butler, C Reilly, D Hawkshaw, JJ Hanrahan.

Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales)