Connacht team to face Ospreys

Caolin Blade and Rodney Ah You are both named to start while Ireland squad members Kieran Marmion and Finlay Bealham were released to join up with Connacht on Thursday and so take a place on the bench.

George Naoupu is another change to the pack, starting with Aly Muldowney in the second row while Academy player Sean O'Brien comes in to start at openside flanker, shifting his fellow Galway-born team mate and captain John Muldoon to Number 8 in the absence of injured duo Eoghan Masterson and Eoin McKeon. James Connolly is named among the replacements as back row cover.

Commenting on the team announcement and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:

"Although we're playing at home, we are under no illusions as to the quality of the team we're playing and the challenge we face.

"We respect what Ospreys have done as a team. They have won this competition on two occasions already and have consistently been in the top 4 over the years with quality squad depth. They're certainly in form, having lost just one game in their last nine and we know they will be hungry to continue their climb up the table.

"For us, there was a big focus in training on tidying up the areas that let us down against Zebre last week and this should go a long way in ensuring an improvement in our overall performance to get the points on offer in front of our supporters at home."

Connacht team to face Ospreys, Saturday February 27th, 7:35pm

15 Tiernan O'Halloran
14 Niyi Adeolokun
13 Bundee Aki
12 Craig Ronaldson
11 Matt Healy
10 AJ MacGinty
9 Caolin Blade

1 Denis Buckley
2 Tom McCartney
3 Rodney Ah You
4 George Naoupu
5 Aly Muldowney
6 Sean O'Brien
7 Jake Heenan
8 John Muldoon (captain)

Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan
17 Ronan Loughney
18 Finlay Bealham
19 Ben Marshall
20 James Connolly
21 Kieran Marmion
22 Peter Robb
23 Danie Poolman

Injured: Shane Delahunt, Andrew Browne, Quinn Roux, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Eoghan Masterson, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Jack Carty, Dave McSharry, Rory Parata, Darragh Leader.

Ireland Squad: Nathan White, Ultan Dillane, Robbie Henshaw

Connacht v Ospreys
Saturday February 27th
At the Sportsground, 7.35pm

Tickets: While the Clan, Main and Enclosed stands are all sold out, there are tickets still available behind the posts and available online through tickets.ie.