Premiership
Connacht v Sharks Team Announcement
Denis Buckley makes 250th appearance for home province
David O’Connor handed Connacht debut
Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Shane Jennings come into side
Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins has named his matchday squad for tomorrow’s BKT United Rugby Championship clash against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Dexcom Stadium (k/o 7.35pm).
There are four changes from the side that narrowly lost to Munster last week. Niall Murray and Shane Jennings come in for the injured Joe Joyce and Shayne Bolton, while Finlay Bealham and debutant David O’Connor replace Jack Aungier and Darragh Murray, who were both selected in the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa.
Meanwhile it’s a landmark appearance for prop Denis Buckley who will make his 250th appearance for the club. The Roscommon man becomes just the third player to reach the milestone – after John Muldoon and Michael Swift – and lines out in a front row of three double centurions, with Dave Heffernan and Bealham alongside him.
The only change on the 6-2 bench sees Paul Boyle wear the number 23 shirt in place of Sean Jansen who has also linked up with Emerging Ireland.
The game is sold out for what will be the first competitive fixture at Dexcom Stadium during the redevelopment, however limited hospitality tickets are still available at connachtrugby.ie/tickets.
Head coach Pete Wilkins says:
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game. Our intensity and overall performance last week was encouraging despite the bitter disappointment of the result. Against a very strong Sharks team we will require a repeat of that effort along with evidence of growth in our game from round one.
Picking up home wins in such a tight league will be crucial, and I know the sold out Dexcom crowd will provide huge energy to the lads regardless of the slightly different surroundings.
It’s an important day for two of our players for very different reasons – with Denis earning his 250th cap and David O’Connor his debut. We’re determined to give them a fitting performance.”
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS HOLLYWOODBETS SHARKS
19:35, Saturday 28th September 2024 @ Dexcom Stadium
Number/Name/Caps (* denotes uncapped)
15. Santiago Cordero (3)
14. Mack Hansen (33)
13. Piers O’Conor (1)
12. Cathal Forde (32)
11. Shane Jennings (14)
10. Josh Ioane (1)
9. Ben Murphy (1)
1. Denis Buckley (249)
2. Dave Heffernan (201)
3. Finlay Bealham (204)
4. Niall Murray (75)
5. David O’Connor *
6. Josh Murphy (19)
7. Conor Oliver (86)
8. Cian Prendergast (69) (C)
16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (37)
17. Peter Dooley (38)
18. Sam Illo (23)
19. Oisín Dowling (60)
20. Shamus Hurley-Langton (41)
21. Caolin Blade (193)
22. David Hawkshaw (31)
23. Paul Boyle (93)
Content & Images from – Connacht Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Jordan signs for Bristol Bears
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
