Flanker Cian Prendergast captains a new-look Connacht lineup against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday in round 15 of the Vodacom URC.

With four rounds remaining in the race to the URC playoffs, 13th-placed Connacht are two points behind the Stormers (10th) on the log, and arrived in the Republic without several stars, including Ireland internationals Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen.  

Prendergast takes charge in a back row that sees Conor Oliver and Paul Boyle come into the starting XV for the Irish outfit’s first of two matches on South hAfrican soil. They face the Lions in Johannesburg next week.

Locks Oisín Dowling and Darragh Murray link up in the engine room, while loosehead prop Peter Dooley and hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin join Ireland international Finlay Bealham in the front row.

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In the backs, veteran flyhalf Jack Carty is named at 10 alongside Ben Murphy, Cathal Forde and David Hawkshaw combine in midfield, with fullback Piers O’Conor flanked by wingers Shane Jennings and Chay Mullins. The tourists have gone with a 6-2 split on the bench.

Cullie Tucker, who was named as interim head coach this week following the resignation of Pete Wilkins, told the club’s website: “We’ve had a good first week in South Africa and are really excited by tomorrow’s opportunity. We’re only three points off the playoff spots and we’ve a clear idea of what we need to do to win and how we go about doing it. 

The Stormers are a very strong side, especially at home, so it’s a massive task ahead of us but we’re confident in our abilities.”

 

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