Connacht 22

Newcastle Falcons 8

JOHN FALLON AT THE SPORTSGROUND

IT’S hard to find optimism competing in the European Challenge Cup. Connacht have played in it more often than any team in Europe and fair play to Andy Friend, he’s open enough to admit no team wants to be in it.

He would probably face some repercussion from his own bosses at the Sportsground, and by extension the EPCR, were it not for the fact that he’s packing up and going at the end of the season and, refreshingly in a professional sport where most media utterances are washed, Friend speaks his mind.

He’s hoping they use the Challenge Cup to broaden their squad base. It was revealing that head coach Pete Wilkins selects the side to play and Friend, now director of rugby, rubber stamps it.

In those circumstances, it’s hard to believe how Wilkins will not be top dog next season at the Sportsground. But, if that’s the case, why don’t Connacht just announce it? Players need to know who exactly they are playing for.

Considerable progress has been made in the past few seasons under Friend and they now need to get rid of uncertainty and build on it, or at least clarify if they are going to the open market to find Friend’s successor.

Friend believes that Connacht can strengthen their squad by using the Challenge Cup to try out players and he said the policy paid a rich dividend on Saturday when they defeated a strong Newcastle Falcons side despite making a dozen changes to the team which beat Benetton the previous week.

He’s now hoping they can build on that in Brive this Friday night and take another step towards a knockout spot in the second tier competition.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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