CONNACHT HEAD COACH Pat Lam has named just 22 players in his matchday squad for Sunday’s Challenge Cup clash with Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Stadium (KO 3pm).

The province’s crippling injury crisis means 20 players were unavailable to Lam this weekend.

Exciting scrum-half Caolin Blade is in the XV. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Connacht had hoped to name a 23-man squad, including eight front row players, before Ronan Loughney pulled up with a back injury during training earlier today.

Highly-promising 19-year-old loosehead Conan O’Donnell will make his first start for the province on Sunday, while out-half Shane O’Leary earns the same honour. Alongside him in the halfback pairing is the exciting Caolin Blade.

Craig Ronaldson returns in midfield after recovering from concussion, while Rodney Ah You comes into the team at tighthead. Danny Qualter gets his first start this season in the second row and Andrew Browne returns from injury alongside him.

The back row sees Eoghan Masterson make his comeback from injury, while George Naoupu captains the team from number eight.

Georgian native and Athlone man Saba Meunargia is among the replacements, after the academy prop was added to Connacht’s Challenge Cup earlier this week.

Connacht (v Newcastle):

15. Danie Poolman

14. Rory Parata

13. Peter Robb

12. Craig Ronaldson

11. Niyi Adeolokun

10. Shane O’Leary

9. Caolin Blade

1. Conan O’Donnell

2. Jason Harris-Wright

3. Rodney Ah You

4. Danny Qualter

5. Andrew Browne

6. Sean O’Brien

7. Eoghan Masterson

8. George Naoupu

Replacements:

16. Shane Delahunt

17. Finlay Bealham

18. Saba Meunargia

19. Aly Muldowney

20. Dave Heffernan

21. Ian Porter

22. Jack Carty

Unavailable from European registered Squad: Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley (injured and deregistered), Ronan Loughney, Nathan White, Ben Marshall, Quinn Roux, Nepia Fox-Matamua (injured and deregistered), John Muldoon, James Connolly, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Kieran Marmion, AJ MacGinty, Bundee Aki, Dave McSharry, Robbie Henshaw, Fionn Carr, Matt Healy, Darragh Leader, Tiernan O’Halloran.