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Matt Healy is set to make his 100th appearance for Connacht in the final Pool 5 game of the Challenge Cup at home to Oyonnax on Saturday (Kick off 2:30pm). Healy has been in fantastic form scoring 8 tries already this season and becoming Connacht’s overall top try scorer in European competition.
Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion, Quinn Roux and Bundee Aki who were all named in the Irish Six Nations Squad during the week, are all included in the starting XV.
Healy’s return on the wing is the only change to the back three, with Niyi Adeolokun on the opposite wing and Tiernan O’Halloran at full back. In the pack the only change to last week’s side is the inclusion of flanker Naulia Dawai. He in joined in the back row by blindside Eoghan Masterson and Captain John Muldoon at number.
Having secured a home quarter final spot with the draw against Worcester, a win over Oyonnax will ensure that quarter final will be played in front of a packed Sportsground.
Speaking ahead of the game, backs coach Nigel Carolan is taking nothing for granted against the French Top 14 side. “We know Oyonnax are a physical outfit, they have serious players, and whatever side they send over, whether frontline or second, they are still registered players, and we have to deal with everything they throw at us”, said Carolan.
“We have a good record at home and we are looking forward to playing in front of a noisy crowd and our guys get a real kick from it – the last game was Ulster and that ended positively, and before that Brive, which was a polished performance and we expect that again on Saturday. Certainly, we are going to go at it from the start”, he added.
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Kick-off 2:30pm:
(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy, Craig Ronaldson, Kieran Marmion, (1-8) Peter McCabe, Dave Heffernan, Conor Carey, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Naulia Dawai, John Muldoon (Capt)
Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Denis Coulson, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Gavin Thornbury, James Connolly, Caolin Blade, Tom Farrell, Cian Kelleher.
