CONNACHT COACH ANDY Friend says his team can be even better in next weekend’s semi-final in South Africa after they stunned Ulster to reach the last four of the URC.
The western province will face either the Stormers or the Bulls depending on who wins tomorrow’s all-South African quarter-final and Friend welcomed the challenge of going on the road again.
His team were deserved 15-10 winners in Belfast tonight and could have won by a bigger margin if they had been more accurate in attack.
“I’m immensely proud and I’ll keep reverberating that because we are immensely proud,” said Friend post-match.
“We normally are a team that has to get everything right to win but tonight we showed that we don’t. We weren’t the team that got everything right tonight but we still won. That shows enormous growth as a footy side and it’s an enormous compliment to everybody, players and coaches.
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“The belief is now there. I thought we were good tonight but I reckon we can be so much better. That’s the exciting thing. We get another chance to show it next weekend and I don’t care where we go, to be honest with you.”
Friend plans to head on a camper van trip around Europe and on to the World Cup in France with his wife once this season is done, but he’s happy to keep it parked up for now.
“It’ll get a fair workout come June but I’m really stoked to not have to be jumping in that early.”
Connacht’s defensive breakdown work was key against Ulster as they repeatedly won big turnovers, while captain Jack Carty – who kicked all 15 points off the tee – was delighted with how they limited Ulster’s strengths.
“I think the difference was our ability to keep them away from our 22,” said Carty.
“Obviously they play for penalties in terms of looking to get access into your 22 and look for mauls.
“I think we took that away from them with our kick choice and how we manipulated our back-three; we kept them away from our half.
“Our breakdown in terms of targeting their wide breakdown was phenomenal. They were the things we said we were going to do, and we got the result for it.”
The Connacht skipper echoed his head coach in stressing that there’s more to come from them in South Africa next weekend.
“We were massively, massively wasteful and I think that’s what the excitement part is,” said Carty.
“That’s where the growth is.
“If we take those opportunities next week, we will be closer to a final. I don’t think many people gave us a chance but we were confident coming up.”
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'I don’t think many people gave us a chance but we were confident'
CONNACHT COACH ANDY Friend says his team can be even better in next weekend’s semi-final in South Africa after they stunned Ulster to reach the last four of the URC.
The western province will face either the Stormers or the Bulls depending on who wins tomorrow’s all-South African quarter-final and Friend welcomed the challenge of going on the road again.
His team were deserved 15-10 winners in Belfast tonight and could have won by a bigger margin if they had been more accurate in attack.
“I’m immensely proud and I’ll keep reverberating that because we are immensely proud,” said Friend post-match.
“We normally are a team that has to get everything right to win but tonight we showed that we don’t. We weren’t the team that got everything right tonight but we still won. That shows enormous growth as a footy side and it’s an enormous compliment to everybody, players and coaches.
“The belief is now there. I thought we were good tonight but I reckon we can be so much better. That’s the exciting thing. We get another chance to show it next weekend and I don’t care where we go, to be honest with you.”
Friend plans to head on a camper van trip around Europe and on to the World Cup in France with his wife once this season is done, but he’s happy to keep it parked up for now.
“It’ll get a fair workout come June but I’m really stoked to not have to be jumping in that early.”
Connacht’s defensive breakdown work was key against Ulster as they repeatedly won big turnovers, while captain Jack Carty – who kicked all 15 points off the tee – was delighted with how they limited Ulster’s strengths.
“I think the difference was our ability to keep them away from our 22,” said Carty.
“Obviously they play for penalties in terms of looking to get access into your 22 and look for mauls.
“I think we took that away from them with our kick choice and how we manipulated our back-three; we kept them away from our half.
“Our breakdown in terms of targeting their wide breakdown was phenomenal. They were the things we said we were going to do, and we got the result for it.”
The Connacht skipper echoed his head coach in stressing that there’s more to come from them in South Africa next weekend.
“We were massively, massively wasteful and I think that’s what the excitement part is,” said Carty.
“That’s where the growth is.
“If we take those opportunities next week, we will be closer to a final. I don’t think many people gave us a chance but we were confident coming up.”
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Connacht Reaction Semi Finals Ulster URC West's awake