One change for Connacht ahead of Treviso trip

Head Coach Pat Lam has made one change to the starting side from the last round of the Pro12 as his Connacht side prepare to face Zebre in Parma tomorrow evening.

 

Scrum half John Cooney is named to start in an otherwise unchanged backline in what will be his 13th appearance of the season.

 

Academy outhalf Conor McKeon represents one of two changes to the replacements bench and the 21-year-old, former Gonzaga College schoolboy is in line to earn his first cap for the province in Italy tomorrow. Cousin to Number 8 Eoin McKeon, the former Ireland Under-20's and Lansdowne outhalf joined the Connacht Academy last summer.

 

24-year-old prop forward JP Cooney has also been included in tomorrow's match day squad, replacing the injured Ronan Loughney (groin).

 

Connacht currently sit in eighth place in the Pro12 competition after dropping out of the all-important sixth place for the first time this season following the loss to league-leaders Glasgow Warriors last month.

 

However, Pat Lam's men are still in with a chance of qualifying for next season's European Champions Cup. A win over Zebre tomorrow would mark a season record of ten league wins and would also be the tenth consecutive win over the Italian side.  

 

15. Tiernan O'Halloran

14. Danie Poolman

13. Robbie Henshaw

12. Bundee Aki

11. Matt Healy

10. Jack Carty

9. John Cooney

 

1. Denis Buckley

2. Tom McCartney

3. Rodney Ah You

4. Ultan Dillane

5. Aly Muldowney

6. John Muldoon (captain)

7. Eoghan Masterson

8. Eoin McKeon

 

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan

17. JP Cooney

18. Finlay Bealham

19. Andrew Browne

20. George Naoupu

21. Kieran Marmion

22. Conor McKeon

23. Darragh Leader