Bundee Aki starts as Connacht make five changes for Bordeaux

Bundee Aki will make his first appearance of the season for Connacht, among five changes to the side for Friday's Investec Champions Cup opener against Bordeaux-Begles at the Sportsground.

Aki, whose form at the World Cup saw him nominated for World Rugby's Player of the Year, comes into the team along Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce and Andrew Smith.

The inclusion of Aki and Smith has resulted in several positional changes to the backline, with Cathal Forde switching to outside centre, Byron Ralston moving to the right wing and Mack Hansen shifting to full-back.

Tiernan O'Halloran drops out having picked up a foot injury in the defeat to Leinster, while Smith starts ahead of Diarmuid Kilgallen on the left wing.

The half-backs are unchanged, with Caolin Blade captaining the team from scrum-half where he's partnered by JJ Hanrahan, who is preferred once again over Jack Carty.

In the pack, there are two changes in the front row as Buckley and Bealham come in to join Dave Heffernan, as Peter Dooley and Jack Aungier drop to the bench.

Head coach Pete Wilkins again tinkers with the second row as Joe Joyce comes back in alongside Darragh Murray, while the back row of Cian Prendergast, Shamus-Hurley Langton and Seán Jansen is unchanged.

Bordeaux are resting French internationals Yoram Moefana and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as well as former Leinster lock Kane Douglas, but the French side have sent over an otherwise strong squad, including Matthieu Jalibert (above) at 10.

Maxime Lucu, Damian Penaud and Sipili Falatea are among the other French internationals who start, as well as Argentinean lock Guido Petti and Australia flanker Pete Samu.

Connacht: Mack Hansen; Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan,