The Connacht Rugby matchday squad has been named for tomorrow’s BKT United Rugby Championship meeting with Zebre in Parma (k/o 5 pm Irish time). The game is live in full on the Galway Bay FM website and App.
There are four changes from the side that played Edinburgh last week. Joe Joyce comes into the second row while Shamus Hurley-Langton has recovered from injury to start at openside flanker. Paul Boyle also comes in at number 8, while David Hawkshaw is named at outside centre. The rest of the side is unchanged, meaning a front row of Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham, while Josh Murphy completes the tight five and Cian Prendergast captains from blindside flanker. The half-back partnership of Ben Murphy and JJ Hanrahan continues, as does the back three of wingers Finn Treacy and Shayne Bolton, and full-back Santiago Cordero. Bundee Aki completes the side in the #12 jersey.
Interim Head Coach Cullie Tucker says: "It’s not the way we wanted to finish the season, but we owe it to ourselves and the supporters to end the campaign with a win. We also have some departing players and coaches who’ll want to finish strongly also. Zebre are a good side who have made huge improvements this year - and they’ll be keen to finish on a high as well - so for us it’s about being accurate, physical and disciplined.”
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY SQUAD VS ZEBRE PARMA
17:00, Saturday 17th May 2025 @ Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Number/Name/Caps
15. Santiago Cordero (21)
14. Shayne Bolton (25)
13. David Hawkshaw (43)
12. Bundee Aki (150)
11. Finn Treacy (7)
10. JJ Hanrahan (28)
9. Ben Murphy (15)
1. Denis Buckley (264)
2. Dave Heffernan (218)
3. Finlay Bealham (218)
4. Josh Murphy (38)
5. Joe Joyce (36)
6. Cian Prendergast (86) Captain
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (55)
8. Paul Boyle (115)
16. Eoin de Buitléar (13)
17. Jordan Duggan (61)
18. Jack Aungier (87)
19. Darragh Murray (38)
20. Sean Jansen (25)
21. Matthew Devine (18)
22. Cathal Forde (51)
23. Piers O’Conor (17)
