Ryan Bailey reports from Thomond Park
GIVEN CONNACHT ARRIVED with a reconfigured side and more than one eye on the serious business around the corner, Andy Friend wanted to assess his side’s performance against Munster through the prism of three criteria; pride, opportunities and momentum.
“Pride, tick,” the head coach began. “Opportunities, tick. Momentum, we lost but it wasn’t a bad performance.”
Even in defeat, Connacht’s first in five Pro14 outings, there were positives to extract for the western province as they head into their quarter-final showdown with Ulster.
The visitors more than played their part in an entertaining inter-pro at Thomond Park, fronting up in the physicality stakes despite arriving with nothing tangible to play for, while a number of players seized their starting opportunities with standout displays.
Overall, it meant Friend was very pleased with his much-changed side’s showing.
“Disappointed with the loss, however, quite pleased with a few performances out there,” he continued. “I thought we didn’t stop trying and whilst it’s a loss, that’s the end of the regular season and now we focus towards Ulster.
“We certainly didn’t go backwards. We haven’t lost momentum. A win there would have given us massive momentum, but the mood in the changing room at the end there was, we didn’t win, we played okay and let’s get all eyes on Ulster now.”
With Friend using the dead-rubber to rest a number of his front-liners, and then withdraw the likes of Bundee Aki and Jarrad Butler early in the second period after they had enjoyed useful work-outs, this was a relatively pleasing evening for Connacht.
No new injury concerns, coupled with the sharp performance of Kieran Marmion and the encouraging showing from Conor Dean on debut, means Connacht go into the play-offs with selection headaches and no shortage of confidence.
With their first victory over Ulster in Belfast since 1960 still fresh in the minds, the western province feel they are ‘in good shape’ as they prepare for next Saturday’s all-Irish quarter-final.
“There’s good confidence within the group, there’s a closeness and a bond amongst the players and the staff,” Friend added.
“There’s clarity around what it is we’re doing. We’ll see how we pull up on Monday but in there now, there doesn’t seem to be any serious injuries. I think we’re heading into a quarter-final week in good shape. We just have to make sure we know our detail for Ulster and then it’s about getting out there and performing.
“The important thing there, we know we can win up there. We have played them twice this year, we know we have beaten them twice this year. It is knockout football, it is another four months into the season since we last played them, they will be a different rugby side but we are a different rugby side.
“You are always looking for different mental edges if you can but we certainly know we can go up there and win because we have done that.”
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Well done Ulster, great result.
Well done Ulster. A home fixture is deserved at this stage.
Well done ulster but after this result against an average side ulster fans think they’re going to win the world Cup and should have 15 players on the lions, it’s absolutely hilarious
@Michael Oats: what’s with the sour grapes? They got their deserved win and the fans are within their rights to celebrate and dream of big things. The Challenge Cup is not an easy competition to win either, the ruthless needed in the knock out stages is as ferocious as you’d expect and fair dues to Ulster for the win. As for players on the Lions that depends on Gats and what he wants from individuals fitting into HIS team, not the performance of Ulster as a team.
@Michael Oats: Michael, you need to get out a little more. Where did this come from? As. Leinster fan, I cheered them to the finish an celebrated a great performance. It augurs well for the future of both Ulster and Irish rugby. What was it Brendan Behan said about the begrudgers?
@SPQH: ah theres no sour grapes here. I actually like Dan mcfarland as a coach – has been very good everywhere he’s coached – and some of the players are alright club players too tbf. It’s the fans that make them out to be spartan warriors and world beaters after every game they win against poor opposition gets me in fits of laughter every time… On a side note “Gats” You know him personally do ya? Lol
@Michael Oats: you are a very embittered Musterman. I won’t call you a Munster supporter as they are fair-minded.
@Michael Oats: that’s a very odd comment to be making unprompted. Just say well done and ignore the chip on your shoulder
@Trevor Johnston: Munster Abu trev
@Michael Oats: why so bitter? That’s 2 away wins on the trot in England, and Saints are a decent side. It’s a great win and chance of a cup. And a couple of Lions is a possibility, don’t be so odd
@Michael Oats: They probably are the 2nd best province
@Trevor Johnston: he is probably just annoyed that if Ulster won silverware, Munster will be the only province not to have won a competition in the last decade.
@Michael Oats: troll harder
@Joe Vlogs: I rather we didn’t win a second rate trophy tbh. Challenge Cup against what? English teams rolling out second strings. Treviso were in the quarter final and agen were in the last 16, neither of those teams have won a game all year. But go on ulster have your day. Lol
@rugbyanbeer: this is the kind of fan I’m talking about. Hahaha
@Michael Oats: ulster play a great brand of rugby and have been the 2nd best side in the league and in Ireland for a while now. Some of their home grown talent are simply fantastic rugby players. You need to find a different sport if you can’t appreciate how ulster play rugby.
@Michael Oats: a) I’m not from Ulster b) I guess that explains why Munster don’t win anything…they don’t really want to, you know. Saving their tinder for the Rainbow cup or something serious like that.
Congratulations Ulster
Great win and have to say did not look likely at HT. Hope Lowrey learns a lot from that game for he is an exciting prospect. …..but he’s not going to suck in defenders and offload in the tackle very often and running up blind alleys gets him turned over like you would a baby in a cot. His strength is that he’s a space user not a space creator . Get him running off the shoulders of fellas that can take the hit and offload in the tackle and not sure 15 is suited to him…might be worth giving him a protracted run at 10. Played last night like a chap that has started to believe the hype. Some of his decision making was poor.
@Michael Murray: not his best game. Hopefully he will learn.
@Trevor Johnston: …looks every inch a footballer….I’m sure he will. Given he is such a unique package with incredible potential ,his coaches and mentors have a hell of a responsibility to help get the best out of himself and reach his full potential.
@Michael Murray: to be fair he is a 10 playing at 15. He has been impressive in general but these blips will happen
@Dave O Keeffe: I know and that makes it even more important that he’s looked after particularly well.
@Michael Murray: Super talented but because of his size has to be used properly. Has the skills for 10 but I doubt he’d be able for the hits Sexton has taken over the years.
FB would appear to be his best option. Wasn’t great yesterday but any player can have an off day.
After 2 away wins Ulster definitely deserve a home game. Great for Irish rugby if they can pull it off.