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Connacht head coach Andy Friend. Craig Watson/INPHO

'We are chasing now' - Friend admits Connacht face uphill battle after Edinburgh loss

The head coach also provided an update on prop Finlay Bealham, who was taken off on a stretcher in the opening minutes.

A LACK OF composure cost Connacht the chance to jump ahead of the Scarlets and into a Guinness PRO14 play-off spot – though they might have lost it anyway when the Welsh club play the Southern Kings on Sunday – but Andy Friend, the head coach, promised the battle is far from over even though his squad picked up even more injuries that will cause problems in weeks to come.

He thought that after conceding two first half tries and as many penalties to Edinburgh to go 20-0 down, his players had wrestled back control of the game and when his side brought themselves to within a score, he believed they could go on to win.

“We gave away control, there were a couple of crucial errors and it was one of those nights where the team that makes the most out of the other team’s errors is the team that is going to win – that was Edinburgh,” he admitted afterwards.

“We didn’t manage the game as well as we needed to. We started the second half well, we got within six points but lost a crucial turnover down in the bottom corner and from the ensuing scrum, they scored and the game got away from us.”

They could not stop Edinburgh adding three second half tries to add a scoring bonus point to their night’s work and make sure Friend’s side came away with nothing.

“We are chasing now, which won’t be sweet. We said this block [during the Six Nations] was really important. We got five points out of the first game no points out of the Edinburgh game so the next one [against the Kings in South Africa] is crucial. We’re still alive,” Friend said.

“It was really disappointing. The opening 40 minutes, we just had too many errors and that gave them the chance to build a lead. We started to try to chase it down but left ourselves too much work.”

To make things even worse prop Finlay Bealham was taken off on a stretcher in the opening minutes after damaging an ankle and was still in hospital later, suggesting he could be out for a while, while there were numerous other lesser injuries that might affect next week’s selection.

“We had a couple of shoulders and necks and all the rest, we will have to see how they get on,” Friend added. “We’ve had that all year – it’s been one of those years but we’ll keep working through it, there is a long way to go yet.

Andy Dunne and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to tee you up for Sunday’s big one. The lads try to figure out where the winning and losing of the game will be, field a The42 member’s question as to what extent the media plays a role in Ireland’s performance, and Andy explains why Henry Tuilagi haunts his dreams at night.


The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud

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    Mute ExactlyLikeFrBigley
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    Jun 25th 2015, 12:27 PM

    It isn’t sexist to deride the standard of women’s football. I could get a team of men from the local astro park and beat any women’s team in the world in an 11-a-side game.
    Even Father Romeo Sensini could do a job on them.

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    Mute Jack Hackett
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    Jun 25th 2015, 12:36 PM

    I used to be a great footballer in my prime. Even with an entire bottle of dreamy sleepy nighty snooze snooze in me I could still do a job

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    Mute Enda Connolly
    Favourite Enda Connolly
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    Jun 25th 2015, 12:41 PM

    Not a chance mate. Not without balls, which you clearly lack. But you are right, its not sexist to harbour such an opinion. Its bigotry.

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    Mute ExactlyLikeFrBigley
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    Jun 25th 2015, 12:50 PM

    That attempt at an insult highlights your petulance EC and inability to have a discussion. The USA women lost 8-2 to their 16 year old male counterparts, so I’m confident I can get a team of men – colleagues and friends – together and beat any women’s team on the planet.

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    Mute Arthur Pewty
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    Jun 25th 2015, 3:07 PM

    link to when they lost 8-2 to their 16 year old male counterparts

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    Mute Diarmuid Farrell
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    Jun 26th 2015, 1:50 AM

    That is an utterly ridiculously sexist comment to make, I occasionally play 5 a side with an two girls from the US and Canada and they are both seriously good footballers, technically they are better than 80% of the lads there, the standard is decent enough, we are not superstars but I’m telling you now these two girls and three of their mates would more than likely wallop your colleagues and friends, you know absolutely nothing.

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