Mayo man handed captain's armband for crucial rugby clash

THE Connacht squad for tomorrow’s EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 meeting with Cardiff at Dexcom Stadium in Galway has been named and Ballina's Dave Heffernan will captain the team.

The Mayo hooker has 214 Connacht caps to his name and will be hoping to lead the men in green into the last eight of the competition with victory over their Welsh opponents.

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There are five changes to the Connacht side that started the historic meeting with Munster in Castlebar last week. Shayne Bolton has recovered from a foot injury to start on the right wing, while there’s a new half-back pairing of Matthew Devine and JJ Hanrahan.

There rest of the backs are unchanged, so Bundee Aki and Hugh Gavin continue at centre, with Finn Treacy on the left wing and Mack Hansen at full back.

There are two changes to the forwards, with Oisín Dowling coming into the second row and Josh Murphy starting in place of the injured Cian Prendergast.

The front row of Jordan Duggan, Heffernan and Finlay Bealham is unchanged, while Darragh Murray, Shamus Hurley-Langton and Sean Jansen complete the pack.

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Team coach, Cullie Tucker says: “Tomorrow is the start of an enormous opportunity in achieving our goals at this club which is to win silverware. Our results in the pool stage have set us up nicely for the knockouts, but that'll mean nothing if we don’t go out and take advantage of it, starting tomorrow.

“Both meetings with Cardiff this season have been tight, physical affairs, and they’ll be boosted by some returning internationals too. So the onus is on us to deliver a massive performance for all 80 plus minutes, backed up by a vocal home support behind the lads”.

Kick-off in the Dexcom Stadium is at 8pm.