Prendergast to captain Connacht against Scarlets with Duggan named on the bench

Kildare’s Cian Prendergast will lead his Connacht side onto the field at Dexcom Stadium, Galway, on Saturday afternoon when they face Scarlets in Round 2 of the BTK United Rugby Championship.

Newbridge prop Jordan Duggan has also been named among the replacements for the game which kicks off at 1.45pm, with live coverage on TG4.

New Connacht Head Coach Stuart Lancaster began his reign with a bonus-point win last week at home to Italian side, Benetton.

Duggan impressed off the bench for the last half an hour, while Prendergast made his presence felt in when he was introduced for the final quarter.

Prendergast was named Connacht captain last season and will resume his leadership duties tomorrow from blindside flanker where he is joined in the back row by Paul Boyle and Sean Jansen.

Scarlets, meanwhile, coughed up a bonus-point on their first outing of the season when they were beaten at home to Munster last week.

CONNACHT: Sean Naughton; Chay Mullins, David Hawkshaw, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton; Jack Carty, Ben Murphy; Dennis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier; Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce; Cian Prendergast, Paul Boyle, Sean Jansen.

Replacements: Eoin De Buitlear, Jordan Duggan, Sam Illo, David O'Connor, Sean O'Brien, Matthew Devine, Hugh Gavin, Finn Treacy.

Up next for Connacht is their first away game of the season when they travel to the Welsh capital to play Cardiff.