By JOHN FALLON

CONNACHT’S four internationals may be held back for the Christmas derby games and not feature over the next two weekends in Europe.

Mack Hansen, Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Cian Prendergast have been given this week off after the autumn internationals and will not feature against Zebre at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night (8pm) when Connacht open their Challenge Cup campaign.

Connacht are in Europe’s second tier competition after failing to finish in the top half of last season’s URC and with a home league clash against Leinster coming five days after their second Challenge Cup game in France, the Irish players may not play away to Perpignan on Sunday week.

“They’ll have this week as a down week to recover from that international window, and we expect them back to train with us the following week,” said Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins.

“We’ll ramp them back up to playing, whether that’s Perpignan or whether that’s for Leinster the following week, we’ll treat each one individually.”

Lock Joe Joyce and winger Shayne Bolton are set to miss Saturday’s clash after picking up foot injuries in the URC home loss to the Bulls last weekend, while out-half Josh Ioane is not expected back from injury until the festive derbies.

Wilkins said they were taking the Challenge Cup seriously this season but that it was also an opportunity to give fringe players an opportunity to impress.

“Certainly, it is a good time to get some minutes into players that have been banging on the door, but through consistency of selection haven’t had an opportunity in the URC.

“It is also a good opportunity to reward a couple of the younger guys who really impressed us so far through pre-season, the early part of the season. That said, I don’t think there’ll be too much change, certainly not this week,” he added.

The two pool matches before Christmas against Zebre and Perpignan, will be followed in January by a home game against Lyon and an away clash with Cardiff, and Wilkins knows they have a good chance.

“We’re certainly taking the competition seriously,” he said. “I think we spoke as a group at at the start of the season, and, you know, we recognise that the Challenge Cup is an opportunity to, I suppose, blood some players that may not have had minutes so far this season.

“We want to see if we can make a dent in the Challenge Cup. In terms of where the games fall, well, you’ve got to be cognizant, I guess, of what’s around them. But we’ll be going all out to to do as well as possible in these first four pool games.

“And if we can secure a a knockout berth and if you can then secure a home knockout berth, I think you put yourself in the conversation. But there are some strong teams in the competition as well.

“I think, there’ll be a whole bunch who are looking at those pool stages to say if we can win three out of four then the intensity around their ambitions and the competition will grow as well.”

Pictured: Connacht’s Cathal Forde on the attack against the Vodacom Bulls in the United Rugby Championship at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday evening. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.