O’Halloran to make first start for Ireland

CONNACHT full-back and Clifden native, Tiernan O’Halloran, will make his first start for the Irish senior rugby team tomorrow in the series-deciding third and final test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth (4pm).

O’Halloran picked up his first cap when coming off the bench during the final minutes of the defeat in the second test in Johannesburg last weekend, and with Jared Payne ruled out of tomorrow’s game with a calf injury, O’Halloran has been handed the number 15 jersey for the game.

He is one of four Connacht players in the match-day 23, with Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane and Matt Healy all named on the bench, meaning Healy is in line to win his first cap, having been a late addition to the travelling squad following the withdrawal of Luke Fitzgerald.

Kieran Marmion can be considered unlucky to miss out on the squad: he would have been the obvious cover for Conor Murray, but with Eoin Reddan announcing he will retire from rugby after the game, the Irish management have decided to hand the Leinster number 9 an Irish jersey for the last time, and he stars on the bench in place of Marmion.

Meanwhile, Connacht have been confirmed as one of the top seeds for the draw for the pool stages of the European Challenge Cup, which takes place in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on Wednesday next, June 29, at 1pm Irish time.

The PRO12 winners will be joined as top seeds by English Premiership champions, Saracens; and the winners of today’s French TOP14 final between Toulon and Racing 92, for next Wednesday’s draw. A preliminary draw will then be conducted to determine the final two top seeded sides which will be between the three domestic runners-up: Leinster, Exeter; and either Toulon or Racing.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune