Rugby:Connacht coach Eric Elwood has made several changes to his side ahead of their Amlin Challenge Cup match against Bayonne at the Stade Jean Bauger on Saturday (8.45pm).
The westerners came up just short in their Magners League trip to the Dragons last week but Elwood has left only one player – Eoin Griffin – untouched in the backline and has opted to call on former Blackrock College winger Shane and Brian Tuohy to man the wings.
Niva Ta’auso joins Griffin in the centre, while Ian Keatley and Frank Murphy make up the halfback pairing and Fionn Carr is deployed at fullback.
Up front, there are only two changes, with lock Bernie Upton replacing Michael Swift and Mike McComish returning to reclaim the number eight jersey.
Upton will be alongside Mike McCarthy, who will win his 100th cap since first joining 2003.
CONNACHT: Fionn Carr; Shane Monahan, Eoin Griffin, Niva Ta'auso, Brian Tuohy; Ian Keatley, Frank Murphy; Brett Wilkinson, Seán Cronin, Jamie Hagan;
Bernie Upton, Mike McCarthy; Andrew Browne, Johnny O’Connor, Mike McComish.
REPLACEMENTS: Adrian Flavin, Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Michael Swift, Shane Conneely, Cillian Willis, Miah Nikora, Keith Matthews
