| Pro14: Connacht v Blues |
|---|
| Venue: Sportsground, Galway Date: Sat, 15 Feb Kick-off: 19:35 GMT |
| Coverage: Report on BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app. |
Versatile Wales back Hallam Amos returns from injury when Cardiff Blues face Connacht in the Pro14 on Saturday.
Wales squad lock Seb Davies is named on the replacements bench, while hooker Kristian Dacey comes back from long-term injury.
Ireland internationals Ultan Dillane and Dave Heffernan have returned to the Connacht starting side.
However centre Bundee Aki remains unavailable because of international duty.
Amos, 25, injured ankle ligaments in training before Blues’ European Challenge Cup defeat at Leicester in January.
That ruled wing or full-back Amos out of the start of the 2020 Six Nations.
“Hallam will be back playing this weekend. He’ll put himself back in the frame for Wales,” said Blues boss John Mulvihill.
“He’s a good player and very diligent with his rehab and looks after himself so we’re looking forward to seeing him.”
Amos is named on the wing and is joined in the back-three by Dan Fish and Jason Harries, with Ryan Edwards in line to make his first appearance for the region since joining on a short-term loan deal from Bristol earlier this month.
Blues back-rower Josh Turnbull will also make his 100th league appearance for the region. Head coach Mulvihill admits he is expecting testing conditions in Galway with Storm Dennis set to affect the game.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on the weather, and it looks pretty horrendous,” said Mulvihill.
“We trained on Monday and Tuesday in poor weather over here, with the hailstones coming down on Tuesday.”
Connacht are fourth in Conference B, just a point above Cardiff Blues.
“With Connacht and Cardiff Blues in the same conference this game becomes even more important,” said Connacht head coach Andy Friend.
“A win in this game last season ultimately qualified us for the knockout stages of the Pro14 and for a spot in the Champions Cup.
“I’m sure they will be keen to turn the tables this season so we face a huge battle on Saturday.”
Connacht: T O’Halloran; J Porch, K Godwin, P Robb, M Healy; J Carty, K Marmion: P McAllister, D Heffernan, F Bealham, U Dillane, G Thornbury, P Boyle, C Fainga’a, J Butler (capt).
Replacements: S Delahunt, D Buckley, D Robertson-McCoy, J Maksymiw, E McKeon, C Blade, C Fitzgerald, T Daly.
Cardiff Blues: D Fish; J Harries, R Lee-Lo, G Smith, H Amos; J Tovey, L Williams (capt.); R Gill, L Belcher, D Arhip, F Paulo, J Ratti, J Turnbull, O Robinson, W Boyde.
Replacements: K Dacey, C Domachowski, S Andrews, S Davies, N Williams, L Jones, B Thomas, R Edwards.
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU)
Assistants: Sean Gallagher (IRFU) & Dan Carson (IRFU)
TMO: Charles Samson (SRU).
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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