Connacht and Ulster name experienced Challenge Cup sides

Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham are among seven changes for Connacht ahead of Sunday's Challenge Cup last-16 meeting with Pau in France (5.30pm Irish time).

The Ireland internationals come back into the squad for the first time since the Six Nations, while Caolin Blade has also recovered from injury to take his place in the side.

Aki replaces Cathal Forde at first centre, and joins David Hawkshaw in midfield, while Blade forms an experienced half-back partnership with captain Jack Carty.

Tiernan O'Halloran continues at full-back, but head coach Pete Wilkins has changed his wingers, with Shayne Bolton and Shane Jennings coming in for Diarmuid Kilgallen and Andrew Smith. Jennings will be making his first start for the province.

In the pack, Dave Heffernan remains at hooker, and is joined by Bealham and Denis Buckley in a vastly experienced front row, with 634 Connacht appearances between the three of them.

The second-row partnership of Joe Joyce and Niall Murray is retained for the trip to Pau, with one change in the back row seeing Jarrad Butler coming in for Paul Boyle, slotting down in between Cian Prendergast and Shamus Hurley-Langton.

Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; Shayne Bolton, David Hawkshaw, Bundee Aki, Shane Jennings; Jack Carty (capt), Caolin Blade; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Niall Murray; Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley Langton, Jarrad Butler

Replacements: Eoin de Buitléar, Jordan Duggan, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Conor Oliver, Matthew Devine, JJ Hanrahan, Tom Farrell

Ulster interim coach Richie Murphy (above) has gone strong with his selection for Sunday's trip to Montpellier (12.30pm Irish time), as he looks to pick up a first win with the province.

Iain Henderson and Alan O'Connor both