Frank Murphy will skipper Connacht in the absence of John Muldoon for their Magners League opener against the Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday.
The scrum-half will line up alongside Ireland internationals Sean Cronin and Gavin Duffy, while new signing Ezra Taylor is included at number eight, while Cillian Willis and Rob Sweeney are on the replacements bench.
CONNACHT (v Dragons): Brett Wilkinson; Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan, Michael Swift, Bernie Upton; Michael McCarthy, Ray Ofisa; Ezra Taylor, Frank Murphy, Ian Keatley; Fionn Carr, Keith Matthews; Niva Ta’auso, Troy Nathan, Gavin Duffy.