Connacht rugby have received a timely lift ahead of Friday night’s URC quarter-final, with Dylan Tierney-Martin and Darragh Murray both declared fit to start against Glasgow Warriors. It is a welcome update for followers of sports ireland, as Stuart Lancaster’s side head to Scotstoun knowing they have regained experience and physical edge for one of their biggest games of the season.
Lancaster has made five changes in total for the 7.45pm kick-off, with Tierney-Martin returning to the front row and Murray back in the second row after recovering from the rib injury that kept him out of the win over Edinburgh. Sam Illo gets the start at tighthead ahead of Finlay Bealham, while Paul Boyle comes in at number eight after Sean Jansen was ruled out with a knee injury.
Connacht ready for Glasgow test in sports ireland spotlight
There is also a change in midfield, where John Devine replaces the injured Harry West. Devine links up with Bundee Aki and comes into the side for his first start since the South Africa tour, where he made an impression with a try against the Stormers.
Connacht’s backline otherwise stays the same:
- Josh Ioane and Ben Murphy continue at half-back
- Sam Gilbert starts at full-back after scoring 84 URC points this season
- Shane Jennings and Shayne Bolton keep their places on the wings
Cian Prendergast captains the side again from blindside flanker after being named Connacht Fans’ Player of the Year. His battle alongside Shamus Hurley-Langton and Boyle in the back row could be central against a Glasgow team that finished top of the table.
For wider ireland sports news readers, the bigger picture is clear. Connacht finished eighth, but they arrive in decent away form, with just one defeat in their last five URC road games. They have not won away to Glasgow since 2010, which underlines the scale of the challenge.
Still, this is a major chance for Connacht to make a statement in irish sports and in rugby ireland circles. With Dave Heffernan also back on the bench, Lancaster’s squad looks stronger at exactly the right moment. Next up is the real test: whether Connacht can turn this fitness boost into a season-defining performance in sports ireland coverage on Friday night.
