Bundee Aki in line to make Connacht return in Llanelli

It's been a relatively healthy start to the BKT United Rugby Championship season for Connacht, and the province will hope to keep the momentum going on Friday night by unleashing Bundeee Aki on the Scarlets in Llanelli.

The 34-year-old hasn’t played since picking up a knee injury in Ireland’s first summer Test against South Africa, but is available for selection in Wales after sitting out the first two games of the season against Munster and Sharks.

The province won on their last visit to Llanelli in February 2022, but Parc y Scarlets has traditionally been a tough venue for Connacht, having lost their previous 11 games at the venue.

And with Aki likely to be involved on Friday night, head coach Pete Wilkins is hoping the experienced Ireland international can tip the scales in his side’s favour.

"Obviously his qualities as an attacker, as a defender, as an organiser are incredibly important, but I think key for this game across the group will be the energy and the intensity we bring to our performance," the Connacht head coach told RTÉ Sport.

"Bundee is certainly the man that models that for ourselves and for Ireland, and it'll be really important on a Friday night game away from home in West Wales. It's not somewhere for the faint-hearted, and it's not somewhere you can go and be at 60 or 70% intensity.

"That talisman effect that Bundee has on the group, the energy he brings, the edge he brings, not just as I said in his own game, but the 14 or the 22 other guys around him. That'll be very important to us."

Connacht will be forced into at least one change to their team on Friday night, with out-half Josh Ioane ruled out following a concussion in Saturday’s dramatic win against the Sharks in Galway.

It could provide Jack Carty