Sligo’s Stephen Kerins will make his senior European debut for Connacht in Saturday’s Challenge Cup match against Bordeaux in France.
The 22-year-old Carraroe native has been named as scrumhalf and forms a new half-back partnership wiht David Horwitz. Regulars Caolin Blade and Jack Carty, who were named in the Ireland Six Nations squad during they week are both the replacements bench for the game.
Connacht go into the game knowing a win will guarantee them a place in the quarter-finals.
Connacht team:
(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Darragh Leader, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy, David Horwitz, Stephen Kerins. (1-8) Pete McCabe, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux (C), Paul Boyle, James Connolly, Eoin McKeon. Replacements (16-23): Jonny Murphy, Matthew Burke, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Connon, Eoghan Masterson, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty, Eoin Griffin.
