RUGBY: Looking refreshed after the summer break, a new-look Connacht side, who feature six debutants as well as delving into the team which won last season's under-21 interprovincial championship, begin their pre-season programme at home to the touring Bristol Shoguns this evening (6.0).
Connacht's warm-up itinerary for the start of the Celtic League at the end of the month is every bit as intense as the other provinces' and after hosting Bristol at the Sportsground, they take on another English Premiership outfit in Warren Gatland's Wasps in London on Sunday before entertaining Munster next Friday week.
Bearing in mind Bristol's experimental approach to a second game in successive days, Steph Nel is clearly mindful of the tougher task ahead on Sunday at High Wycombe. Accordingly he is using this opportunity to blood half a dozen new players, full back Justin Meagher, winger James Norton, centre Dermot O'Sullivan, his brother John at number eight and UCD team-mate Shane Moore at outhalf, as well as 20-year-old prop Fabien Boiroux, a summer signing from Montferrand.
There are another three players on the bench who have yet to play for the province, namely Mike Walls, Wesley Maxwell and the experienced former Wallaby lock Warwick Waugh. Meagher, lock Alan Maher, centre Martin McPhail and replacements Henry Bourke and Maxwell played for last season's all-conquering under-21s.
"We're using this game as an opportunity to blood some of our younger players," admits Nel.
Bristol will welcome back the big-tackling number eight Matt Slatter after injury, and also have a number of newcomers, namely scrumhalf Peter Richards (24), the former England A half back signed from Treviso, England under-19 international Jon Clarke at full back, lock Scott Morgan, under-21 prop Richard Skuse and centre Duncan Hayward.
Ulster coach Alan Solomons has selected a strong side for their tie against Bedford on Friday night at Ravenhill, though it contains no newcomers. Former centre Adam Larkin gets a first start at out-half.
CONNACHT: J Meagher; J Norton, D O'Sullivan, M McPhail, T Robinson; S Moore, C Keane; D McFarland, J Flannery, F Boiroux, A Maher, R Frost, M Swift, J O'Sullivan, P Neville. Replacements: R McCormack, H Bourke, P Bracken, C Rigney, M Walls, T Allnutt, O Grennan, W Maxwell, W Waugh, E Elwood.
BRISTOL: J Clarke; M Johnson, D Rees, D Hayward, J Williams; M Carrington, P Richards; M Salter, R Oakley, C Short, B Sturnham (c), S Morgan, R Skuse, S Nelson, T Payne.
ULSTER (v Bedford, Friday, Ravenhill, kick off 7.30pm): B Cunningham; J Topping, R Constable, J Bell, J Cunningham; A Larkin, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton, C Boyd, M Blair, J Davidson, A Ward (Capt), N McMillan, R Nelson, N McMillan. Replacements: R Kempson, P Shields, M McCullough, N Best, R Spee, S Stewart, S Young.
