Search Results for 'Leo Cullen'

New Year tests do not come much bigger for Connacht than Sunday’s URC fixture with eight-time champions Leinster.

New Year tests do not come much bigger for Connacht than Sunday’s URC fixture with eight-time champions Leinster.

Connacht head to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday with fond memories. Just six months ago they produced a 36-11 victory over Ulster, and now they can relish the prospect of taking another Irish scalp when they face Leinster on Friday evening.

Connacht boss Andy Friend is in no mood to make concessions for his side's collapse against Leinster at the Sportground on Saturday.

It is one of Connacht's toughest annual challenges - taking on Leinster, the PRO 14 champions for the last four years, in Dublin's RDS.

Nothing beats New Year cheer, and Connacht delivered a bucket load in one 80 minute performance on Saturday. That it came in the RDS against Leinster is all the more special.

Connacht have heaped more pressure on themselves as they head to the capital for Saturday's final festive PRO14 interprovincial after recording losses to both Munster and Ulster this Christmas.

Champions Cup rugby returns to the Sportsground after a two-year hiatus when Connacht open their 2019/20 campaign against visitors Montpellier on Sunday (1pm).

Leinster will provide Connacht's improving maturity under pressure with a litmus test on Saturday when the Guinness PRO14 champions arrive in Galway for the first of this season's much-anticipated interprovincial clashes.

Historical baggage can be incentive or curse, or as Connacht coach Andy Friend now believes, it should be ignored.