Pat Lam makes four changes as Connacht look to stretch lead

Pat Lam has named four changes to his side for Friday night's Pro 12 fixture against Edinburgh as Connacht look to extend their lead at the top of the table.

With second place Leinster not playing until Saturday Connacht have the chance to take a six point lead at the top when they travel to the Scottish capital.

Nathan White is set to start in the frontrow having been released from Ireland duty after featuring in all three of Six Nations fixtures so far. Meanwhile the absence of Ultan Dillane has been offset by the return of Quinn Roux at lock.

Kieran Marmion also returns to the starting line-up at scrumhalf, while Danie Poolman will start on the right wing.

Ahead of the fixture at Murrayfield, Lam said: “”It’s good to have some of our international boys back again this week, including Whitey (Nathan White) who has performed really well for Ireland.

“That extra experience will be important against a side like Edinburgh who we’ve always had close encounters with. There is consistency in the way Edinburgh play - they are very physical, very direct, and they are a settled team with a lot of experienced players. Murrayfield is always tough but they’ve really made it into a fortress now having only lost there once this season.

“But we’re traveling with confidence knowing that if we continue to focus on what we’ve been doing and the game plan we have in place, we can take another step closer to Champions Cup qualification.”

Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran, Danie Poolman, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Matt Healy, AJ MacGinty, Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Nathan White, Quinn Roux, Aly Muldowney, Sean O'Brien, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon. Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Rodney Ah You, Danny Qualter, Eoin McKeon, Caolin Blade, Peter Robb, Fionn Carr

Edinburgh: Blair Kinghorn, Damien Hoyland, Chris Dean, Matt Scott, Tom Brown, Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Rory Sutherland, Neil Cochrane, John Andress, Anton Bresler, Ben Toolis, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Cornell Du Preez. Replacements: George Turner, Allan Dell, Simon Berghan, Alex Toolis, Magnus Bradbury, Sean Kennedy, Sam Beard, Dougie Fife