Frawley handed Connacht debut at fly-half for URC trip to Benetton

Ciaran Frawley will finally pull on a Connacht jersey on Friday night, named at fly-half for Stuart Lancaster’s side in their URC fixture against Benetton in Treviso. The 28-year-old has been absent since his headline summer move from Leinster, sitting out Connacht’s opening-round defeat to the Stormers before going straight into the starting XV this week.

Frawley was Connacht’s marquee signing of the off-season, a transfer that drew visible disappointment from Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. The move is widely seen as a calculated step to give the Ireland international more consistent game time at fly-half — a position where he has long been considered a credible long-term option for Andy Farrell at international level.

Frawley is one of six players returning directly to Lancaster’s matchday 23 after involvement in Ireland’s summer squad. Cian Prendergast captains the side from blindside flanker, with reigning Connacht player of the year Sean Jansen at No.8 and fellow Ireland tourist Darragh Murray starting in the second row.

Lancaster has made two further changes from the side beaten by the Stormers. Matthew Victory earns his first Connacht start at hooker, while Caolin Blade comes in at scrum-half to partner Frawley in the half-backs. Victory joins Francois van Wyk and Finlay Bealham in the front row, with Murray alongside Josh Murphy in the engine room.

The backline is otherwise unchanged, with Mack Hansen and Finn Treacy on the wings, Cathal Forde and John Devine continuing their midfield partnership, and Sam Gilbert at full-back.

Off the bench, Sam Illo is in line to make his 50th Connacht appearance, while Billy Bohan also returns following international duty.