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The Cinderella story of Connacht has reached its final chapter. The Western Irish province is now just 80 minutes away from an historic Guinness Pro 12 title. The path to the extremely unlikely position has been built on the province having lost significantly fewer players to international duty this season.
One who was missing in the early stages was AJ MacGinty. The USA Eagles fly half had a solid campaign for the North Americans at the Rugby World Cup and has transferred it over to club duty for Connacht. This weekend’s final, though, will be his final appearance before he joins the Sale Sharks to play in the Aviva Premiership.
MacGinty has been named to start the Guinness Pro 12 Final, retaining the pivotal position which he performed well in to see Connacht down the 2015 champions, the Glasgow Warriors in last weekend’s Semi Final.
Covering MacGinty from the bench in the final is to be former Canadian under 20 back Shane O’Leary. The 23 year old uncapped fly half was born and raised in Ireland to a New Brunswick mother. This saw him playing in the 2013 Junior World Rugby Trophy for Canada.
Standing in the way of MacGinty and O’Leary becoming Celtic-Italian League champions is Leinster. The Eastern Irish province won the inaugural competition in 2002 and followed it up with titles in 2008, 2013 and 2014. A fifth win would see Leinster overtake the Ospreys to be the only side to have won the Pro 12 more than five times.
CONNACHT
15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 John Muldoon (capt.), 7 Jake Heenan, 6 Eoin McKeon, 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Ronan Loughney
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 Sean O’Brien, 21 John Cooney, 22 Shane O’Leary, 23 Peter Robb
