Bundee Aki will start for Connacht tomorrow against Bordeaux Begles in the Investec Champions Cup.

This will be the World Player of the Year nominee’s first appearance for the province since Ireland’s World Cup exit to New Zealand.

His inclusion is one of five changes to the side that lost last week to Leinster.

Denis Buckley, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce and Andrew Smith also come into the starting XV.

The game kicks off tomorrow evening at 8:00pm at The Sportsground.

Here is the Connacht squad for the Champions Cup opener:

STARTING XV:

15. Mack Hansen (29)
14. Byron Ralston (22)
13. Cathal Forde (19)
12. Bundee Aki (127)
11. Andrew Smith (4)
10. JJ Hanrahan (6)
9. Caolin Blade (177)
1. Denis Buckley (234)
2. Dave Heffernan (184)
3. Finlay Bealham (192)
4. Darragh Murray (14)
5. Joe Joyce (6)
6. Cian Prendergast (53)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (26)
8. Seán Jansen (2)

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Tadgh McElroy (6)
17. Peter Dooley (24)
18. Jack Aungier (55)
19. Niall Murray (62)
20. Conor Oliver (69)
21. Michael McDonald *
22. David Hawkshaw (19)
23. John Porch (82)

(Connacht caps to date in brackets)