Guinness PRO12: Robbie Henshaw returns for Connacht
Friday 6 November 2015 23:14, UK
Scarlets put their 100 per cent record on the line when they visit Leinster in the Guinness PRO12 on Friday while Connacht host winless Treviso.
Connacht v Benetton Treviso (7.30pm)
Robbie Henshaw starts at full-back at the Sportsground as Connacht seek a fifth successive PRO12 victory for the first time since 2002.
Henshaw's Ireland team-mate Nathan White returns to the front row while USA international AJ McGinty could make his debut after being named on the bench.
Connacht have won their last three encounters with Treviso, who suffered their 13th straight defeat against Leinster last Sunday.
Alberto Lucchese replaces Edoardo Gori at scrum-half for the struggling Italians with Tommaso Iannone and Enrico Bacchin forming a new-look centre partnership.
Connacht 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Tiernan O'Halloran, 13 Bundee Aki, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 John Cooney; 1 Denis Buckley, 2 Dave Heffernan, 3 Nathan White, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Andrew Browne, 6 John Muldoon (c), 7 Nepia Fox-Matamua, 8 Eoin McKeon.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Eoghan Masterson, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 AJ MacGinty, 23 Darragh Leader.
Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Andrea Pratichetti, 13 Tommaso Iannone, 12 Enrico Bacchin, 11 Simone Ragusi, 10 Luke McLean, 9 Alberto Lucchese; 1 Matteo Zanusso, 2 Luca Bigi, 3 Rupert Harden, 4 Filo Paulo, 5 Jeff Montauriol, 6 Marco Barbini, 7 Alessandro Zanni (c), 8 Braam Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Matteo Muccignat, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Dean Budd, 20 Marco Lazzaroni, 21 Andrea De Marchi, 22 Edoardo Gori, 23 Sam Christie.
Leinster v Scarlets (7.45pm)
Scarlets are on a 10-game winning streak but they have not picked up a victory on Irish soil since November 2013.
John Barclay skippers the league leaders as Ken Owens drops to the bench, with Emyr Phillips starting at hooker.
Gareth Owen, Michael Tagicakibau and Aaron Shingler return from injury and scrum-half Gareth Davies makes his first start of the season after a successful Rugby World Cup campaign.
Live PRO12 Rugby Union
Leinster change the entire team that started against Treviso as internationals Rob Kearney and Zane Kirchner come into the back three.
Ian Madigan partners Isaac Boss at half-back while hooker James Tracy packs down alongside Ireland duo Cian Healy and Mike Ross for his first Leinster start.
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Zane Kirchner, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Cian Kelleher, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Isaac Boss; 1 Cian Healy, 2 James Tracy, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Devin Toner, 5 Tom Denton, 6 Dominic Ryan, 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jamie Heaslip (c).
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Marty Moore, 19 Hayden Triggs, 20 Dan Leavy, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Johnny Sexton, 23 Ben Te'o.
Scarlets: 15 Aled Thomas, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Gareth Owen, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Michael Tagicakibau, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Emyr Phillips, 3 Peter Edwards, 4 Jake Ball, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay (c).
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Will Taylor, 19 Tom Price, 20 Maselino Paulino, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Michael Collins, 23 Harry Robinson.
Live PRO12 Rugby Union
