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Champions Cup secured, it would be easy for Connacht Rugby to drift towards the end of the season, knowing their primary aim is secured.

Champions Cup secured, it would be easy for Connacht Rugby to drift towards the end of the season, knowing their primary aim is secured.

Connacht's minds are now concentrated solely on Guinness PRO14 action, and the first of the final trio of conference games sees Andy Friend's side travel to Italy to take on Michael Bradley's Zebre on Saturday (6.30pm Irish time).

The stakes are getting higher for Connacht as they head into tomorrow evening's European quarter-final against English premiership side Sale at the AJ Bell Stadium (7.45pm).

Maybe not a meteoric rise, but something of a slow and determined slog, Jack Carty, now 26, seems to have been around Connacht Rugby for a long time.

Connacht coach Andy Friend believes his team have what it takes to make the Champions Cup after watching them destroy a hapless Dragons side on Saturday. James Cannon and Colby Fainga’a scored their first tries for the province in a 33-12 bonus point win that carried them up to fifth in the Pro14 Conference A table. Seven Pro14 teams qualify for the Champions Cup and Friend reckons his squad can kick on and grab one of the spots. They are certainly benefiting from the impact of Australian imports David Horwitz and Fainga’a and optimism currently abounds.

Andy Friend, after this first 10 weeks as the new Connacht coach, believes his squad is capable of being a Champions Cup rugby team.

Connacht Eagles suffered a last-minute Celtic Cup defeat to Welsh visitors Ospreys, losing 27-22 at Dubarry Park on Friday evening.

On-field rugby action for the season commences with a hugely attractive match between Connacht and Wasps at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Saturday afternoon.

Connacht, having been forced to relinquished any remote hope of attaining a Champions Cup place, now must summon all their pride to face top-of-the-table Glasgow Warriors in Scotland tomorrow evening (7.35pm).