O’Leary set for first Connacht start

Former Canada u20 flyhalf Shane O’Leary will make his run-on debut for Connacht on Sunday. The Irish side travels to Kingston Park in Newcastle to take on the Falcons in round 4 of the European Rugby Challenge Cup. O’Leary is in his second season with Connacht and has made seven senior appearances, all from the bench. He has one previous start in the Challenge Cup, playing centre for Grenoble against Wasps in December 2013.

Eligible for Canada through his New Brunswick-born mother, the 22-year-old was offered a chance to train with the Canadian senior side his summer but chose to instead focus on his spot at Connacht and try to earn an extension on his contract that expires in June. New competition for his position at the club now includes US Eagles World Cup flyhalf AJ MacGinty, currently out with injury.

Falcons have included two Argentines in their lineup. Belisario Agulla gets a run at outside centre, while Juan Pablo Socino is named on the bench. Gonzalo Tiesi remains unavailable with injury while US Eagles duo Eric Fry and Todd Clever have been left out.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS
1 Alex Rogers 2 Scott Lawson 3 Jon Welsh 4 Mouritz Botha 5 Sean Robinson 6 Will Welch (c) 7 Daniel Temm 8 Allister Hogg 9 Tane Takulua 10 Craig Willis 11 Marcus Watson 12 Chris Harris 13 Belisario Agulla 14 Alex Tait 15 Simon Hammersley

16 George McGuigan 17 Rob Vickers 18 Taione Vea 19 Calum Green 20 Richard Mayhew 21 Micky Young 22 Tom Catterick 23 Juan Pablo Socino

CONNACHT
1 Conan O’Donnell 2 Jason Harris-Wright 3 Rodney Ah You 4 Danny Qualter 5 Andrew Browne 6 Sean O’Brien 7 Eoghan Masterson 8 George Naoupu (c) 9 Caolin Blade 10 Shane O’Leary 11 Niyi Adeolokun 12 Craig Ronaldson 13 Peter Robb 14 Rory Parata 15 Danie Poolman

16 Shane Delahunt 17 Finlay Bealham 18 Saba Meunargia 19 Aly Muldowney 20 Dave Heffernan 21 Ian Porter 22 Jack Carty