Ciarán Frawley will make his home debut for Connacht at outhalf against English Premiership side

Champions Cup: Connacht v Saracens, Dexcom Stadium, Saturday, 5.30pm (Live on Premier Sports)

After a four-year hiatus in the Challenge Cup, Connacht open their Champions Cup campaign against English Premiership side Saracens.

All previous encounters have gone the way of the English side, who will provide a “serious challenge”, according to head coach Stuart Lancaster.

The last occasion was in 2023 at Stonex Stadium, the English outfit prevailing by 55-36, while Connacht came close in 2013, staying in the hunt before Saracens eventually prevailed by 23-17, but then followed up with a whopping 64-6 defeat in England.

History is on the side of English clubs with Connacht’s record in the Champions Cup three wins and five losses at home; zero wins and seven losses away from home. It is a tall order, but Lancaster is taking the competition seriously.

“We are putting out the strongest team we can,” he said. “Saracens is as important as Zebre or Leinster.”

However, Lancaster has made been forced to make several changes to his starting line-up, and will be missing internationals Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen due to IRFU protocols. Sam Gilbert takes over at fullback, with Finn Treacy and Shane Jennings named on the wings, while Cathal Forde and Bundee Aki form the midfield partnership.

Outhalf Ciarán Frawley makes his first start at Dexcom Stadium, joining Colm Reilly in a new halfback partnership, while Lancaster is putting faith in youngsters, hooker Matthew Victory and tighthead Sam Illo, who will join experienced hooker Francois van Wyk in the frontrow.

Darragh Murray and Josh Murphy form the secondrow partnership, while there is a tried and tested backrow of captain Cian Prendergast, alongside New Zealanders, number eight Sean Jansen and Seamus Hurley-Langton.

On the bench, tighthead prop Thomas Connolly could make his first appearance for Connacht, while Academy winger Daniel Ryan is also named.

It is a big ask for Connacht up against a star-studded Saracens outfit, which includes Owen Farrell, Jamie George and captain Maro Itoje.

“Saracens will be bringing their attacking game,” said Lancaster. “They bring a lot of their fundamentals based on their set-piece dominance, their maul and their kicking game.

“We’ve got one or two enforced changes ... We need to be smart about how we coach, but we also need to put our best foot forward in Europe.

“From experience in Leinster and France, if you get a home win first up, you are up and running, and often teams can qualify for the last 16. You just want to be in the fight,” said Lancaster.

“Last year if you saw the Montpellier games and how well we competed, then it’s not beyond the realms of possibility we could quality. We fight for that.”

Connacht: S Gilbert; F Treacy, C Forde, B Aki, S Jennings; C Frawley, C Reilly; F van Wyk, M Victory, S Illo; D Murray, J Murphy; C Prendergast (capt), S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen. Replacements: E de Buitlear, B Bohan, T Connolly, N Murray, S O’Brien, C Blade, J Ioane, D Ryan.

Saracens: E Daly; N Calorie, N Tompkins, S Va’enuku, R Segun; O Farrell, T Williams; E Mawi, J George, M Street; O Sodeke, H Tizard; M Itoje (capt), T Knight, B Earl. Replacements: E Clarke, P Brantingham, C Weilbach, N Isiekwe, N Michelow, A Barbeary, T James, F Burke.

Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra).