Connacht (16)26 v Samoa (17)22  (Final Score)

Leicester (12)15 v Australia (13)26 (Final Score)

Connacht v Samoa

Samoa kick-off their November tour of Europe in Ireland on Tuesday when they face Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway.

With a number of senior players being rested following a tough start to the Magners League and Amlin Challenge Cup Head Coach Eric Elwood has given a number of younger players the opportunity to compete for places.

Connacht Academy back-row graduates Eoin McKeon and Shane Conneely look set to make their competitive debuts along with South African prop Dylan Rogers and Blackrock College and Ireland U21 winger Shane Monahan in a side that sees a mix of youth and experience.

Brian Tuohy and Conor O’Loughlin will look to make their first appearances of the 2010/2011 campaign and a new and exciting halfback pairing of Cillian Willis and Miah Nikora will be joined by Ferbane native Adian Wynne and Galwayman Eoin Griffin in the back line.

The squad has a total of eight graduates from the Connacht Academy which has prospered in recent years under the guidance of Academy Director and Ireland U20 Assistant Coach Nigel Carolan.

Meanwhile, on Monday Samoa announced their team that will face the Westerners. It sees former Connacht winger Gavin Williams on the bench with Wasps lock Daniel Leo, Hawke’s Bay Winger Sinoti Sinoti and Clermont Auvernge hooker Ti’i Paulo all named in the starting lineup.

Samoa will look to improve on their last visit to the Sportsground in 1988 when they lost 25-18 to a Connacht side captained by Tom Clancy.

The teams:

Connacht:15 Troy Nathan, 14 Shane Monahan, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Aidan Wynne, 11 Brian Tuohy, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Cillian Willis, 8 Ezra Taylor, 7 Mike McComish, 6 Eoin McKeon, 5 Bernie Upton, 4 Andrew Browne, 3 Barry Fa’amausili, 2 Adrian Flavin (C), 1 Ronan Loughney.
Replacements: 16 Dermot Murphy, 17 Rob Sweeney, 18 Dylan Rogers, 19 Mike McCarthy, 20 Shane Conneely, 21 Conor O’Loughlin, 22 Darragh Fanning,

Samoa: 15 Mikaele Pesamino, 14 Fautua Otto, 13 Uarotafou Setu, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Lolo Lui (c), 9 Junior Poluleluligaga, 8 Richard Muagututia, 7 Falemiga Selesele, 6 Misioka Timoteo, 5 Daniel Leo, 4 Chad Slade, 3 Logovii Mulipola, 2 Ti’i Paulo, 1 Simon Lemalu.
Replacements:16 Mahonri Schwalger, 17 Naama Leleimalefaga, 18 Filipo Levi, 19 Afa Aiono, 20 Uale Mai, 21 Brando Vaaulu, 22 Gavin Williams.

Date: Tuesday, November 9
Venue: The Sportsground, Galway
Kick-off: 19.05 GMT

Leicester v Australia

Geordan Murphy will captain Leicester Tigers in their hugely anticipated clash with Australia at Welford Road on Tuesday.

Following last season’s historic victory over South Africa, Tigers host the Wallabies, the two-time world champions, in the second game of their European tour. This is only the second time in their 130-year history that Tigers have taken on Australia.

Leicester will turn back the clock by wearing lettered shirts for the historic match. Tigers were famous for their shirts – including the ABC front-row – up to the final years of the 20th Century when all clubs were requested to use numbers in the early years of professionalism.

Director of rugby Richard Cockerill has named ten internationals in his squad, including club captain Murphy.

England internationals George Chuter, Julian White and Jordan Crane are included in the pack while Anthony Allen is at centre and Dan Hipkiss is named among the replacements. All Blacks Scott Hamilton and Craig Newby are also selected and Tonga international Steve Mafi takes his place on the bench.

Peter Bucknall will make his first start for Tigers. The replacements include Argentinean prop Gaston de Robertis, a short-term signing in the absence Boris Stankovich who suffered a fractured eye socket in the win over Bath last month. The 30-year-old de Robertis, capped three times by the Pumas, has previous experience in Europe with spells at Amatori Catania and Benetton Treviso in Italy, and at Biarritz in France, as well as playing in South Africa with Western Province.

“Both sides will go out to play and make it an entertaining and really enjoyable night for everybody,” said Cockerill.

“We’ve got a lot to live up to after last year’s win over South Africa. It’s a great occasion and it sums up where we are in the world of rugby that we can get this fixture. We will try to have a crack at them and have a really good night.”

Leicester Tigers: 0 Geordan Murphy (c), N Scott Hamilton, M Matt Smith, L Anthony Allen, K Manu Tuilagi, J Billy Twelvetrees, I James Grindal, H Craig Newby, G Jordan Crane, F Thomas Waldrom, E George Skivington, D Ed Slater, C Julian White, B George Chuter, A Peter Bucknall.
Replacements: P Rob Hawkins, Q Gaston De-Robertis, R Steve Mafi, S Ben Pienaar, T Jason Spice, U George Ford, V Dan Hipkiss.

Australia: 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Pat McCabe, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Lachie Turner, 10 Berrick Barnes (capt), 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Van Humphries, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Huia Edmonds, 1 James Slipper .
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Pat McCutcheon , 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Matt Giteau, 22 Luke Morahan

Date: Tuesday, November 9
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 19:30 GMT (06:30 AEDT)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (RSA)