Connacht Rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster has named his matchday squad for tomorrow’s EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final with Montpellier at Septeo Stadium (k/o 12.30pm Irish time).
Cian Prendergast captains the team from blindside flanker, in what will be his 100th appearance for the club. Prendergast made his debut away to Edinburgh in October 2020 and soon became a mainstay in the matchday 23, before being appointed club captain ahead of the 2024/25 season.
There are four changes from the team that beat the Sharks last week. Three of those are enforced with the injured Dave Heffernan, Josh Ioane and Shane Jennings replaced by Dylan Tierney-Martin, Sean Naughton and Shayne Bolton who makes his first appearance in over 3 months after recovering from injury.
The final change is in the back row, with Boyle coming in at number 8 and Josh Murphy set to make an impact off the bench.
The pack is completed by props Billy Bohan and Sam Illo, locks Joe Joyce and Darragh Murray, and the in-form Shamus Hurley-Langton.
In the backs, Matthew Devine continues at scrum-half, Bundee Aki and Cathal Forde continue together at centre, and the back three is completed by winger Chay Mullins and full-back Sam Gilbert.
Finlay Bealham is unavailable due to personal reasons so Jack Aungier is named among the replacements.
CONNACHT RUGBY VS MONTPELLIER HERAULT RUGBY
Saturday 11th April, 12:30 @ Septeo Stadium
Number/Name/Caps
15. Sam Gilbert (13)
14. Shayne Bolton (32)
13. Cathal Forde (69)
12. Bundee Aki (162)
11. Chay Mullins (18)
10. Sean Naughton (13)
9. Matthew Devine (29)
1. Billy Bohan (9)
2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (71)
3. Sam Illo (44)
4. Joe Joyce (52)
5. Darragh Murray (54)
6. Cian Prendergast (99) (C)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (61)
8. Paul Boyle (132)
16. Matthew Victory (5)
17. Peter Dooley (61)
18. Jack Aungier (97)
19. Josh Murphy (57)
20. Sean O’Brien (28)
21. Ben Murphy (31)
22. Jack Carty (232)
23. John Devine (4)
