CONNACHT will look for some stability in a season that is taking on the look of one of transition when they host Brive in the Challenge Cup on Saturday (5.30pm), knowing a win will book their place in the knockout stages with a game to spare.

Having already announced the departure of head coach Andy Friend at the end of the season, the province confirmed this week that Mossy Lawler is ending his eight-year spell on the coaching staff at the province to return to his native Munster for the 2023/24 campaign.

With a top-eight finish in the URC looking unlikely, despite last weekend’s bonus-point win over South African visitors, the Sharks, it is to Europe that Connacht will turn for some comfort, with the Challenge Cup looking like it should take priority for the rest of the season.

Friend doesn’t see things like that, saying that both competitions were not only important to the province, but were still “alive” when asked if the Challenge Cup is now more in focus than the ‘domestic’ league.

“Both competitions are important to us, we said that at the front end of the year, and both are still alive to us. It is good to be back in the Challenge Cup where we are two from two and we would like to keep that momentum going.

“In terms of the squad, I think the rotation has worked well for us in keeping things fresh, we have a few injuries that are starting to mount, so I think you will see some familiar faces [this weekend] along with some fresh ones,” he said.

Adam Byrne (calf), Matthew Burke (neck), Paul Boyle (shoulder), Oisín Dowling (knee), and David Hawkshaw (ankle) will all be out for anything between two (Byrne) and six (Hawkshaw) weeks. Gavin Thornbury’s season has been ended with a knee injury, while there is no timeline for the return of Sean Masterson from an Achilles injury

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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