RUGBY: Leinster vs Connacht (United Rugby Championship Preview with William Davies and Pete Wilkins)

Connacht play their final game of the 2023-24 BKT United Rugby Championship on Friday (31st May 2024) when they travel to Leinster.

A bonus point victory is required to have any chance of qualifying for the playoffs as the Westerners currently sit on 45 points, level with Ospreys, and four points behind Edinburgh, Benetton and Lions.  Only two of those teams will advance past this weekend.

The game comes just six days after Leinster's Investec Champions Cup Final defeat to Toulouse and head coach Leo Cullen makes 14 changes.  Dave Heffernan represents Connacht for the 200th time, academy player Shane Mallon makes his debut, and Santiago Cordero finally takes his place in the starting XV.

As mammoth a task it is for Connacht, they did achieve the bonus point victory away in January 2021 with a 35-24 victory over Leinster and will look to that game as inspiration.  Jack Carty, Caolin Blade and Conor Oliver all started that game.

To preview the big match, Galway Bay FM's William Davies is joined by Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins.

==

Kick-off at the RDS on Friday is 7.35pm and we'll have LIVE coverage on 'Over The Line' here on Galway Bay FM.

The 'Over The Line' weekend preview show with Darren Kelly broadcasts every Friday evening from 7pm on Galway Bay FM.

Our Connacht rugby coverage is brought to you by Murty Rabbitts