Search Results for 'Andy Friend'

Connacht Rugby set an early season standard with a six-try haul last weekend, and the challenge now is to maintain that, even away from home, when they return to Wales to face Dragons in Rodney Parade on Saturday (7.35pm).

Connacht are back in the Sportsground on Saturday looking to open their home account in this season's PRO14 campaign against an ever-improving Benetton Treviso.

Connacht are back in the Galway Sportsground on Saturday looking to open their home account in this season's PRO14 campaign against an ever-improving Benetton Treviso.

World Cup year again, and everyone remembers Connacht's march to a first major trophy four season ago.

Connacht Rugby's head coach Andy Friend says he was "gutted" scrumhalf Kieran Marmion missed out on making the final 31 of Joe Schmidt's World Cup squad.

Connacht Rugby returned to Russia yesterday evening ahead of a challenge fixture against the Russian national side in Moscow's newly developed VTB Arena on Saturday evening (5pm Irish time).

Connacht Rugby has been given a reasonable chance of seizing silverware in the Pro14 next season after bookmakers released odds for the 2019/20 campaign. Defending champions Leinster are understandably the favourites to win the trophy, but only four teams have shorter odds than Andy Friend’s men. Munster, Glasgow and Ulster are all tipped to challenge for glory, but Connacht are next in line at 20/1 along with Scarlets and Ospreys.

Connacht will face two trips to the south of France and a jaunt over to the West Country in England as the province returns to European club rugby's top table after a two year absence.

"Disappointed men and some tears" was the natural response in the immediate aftermath of Connacht's 21-13 loss to Ulster in this season's Guinness PRO14 quarter-final, but the club can reflect on more positives, none more so than achieving its primary aim of qualifying for Champions Cup rugby for only the second time on merit.

Unashamedly and deservedly, the ‘Fields of Athenry’ was ringing loud and clear in Kingspan Stadium seven months ago. The hurt and frustration of failing to record a single win against Ulster in Belfast in 59 years ended - a ghost laid to rest at last.