PREVIEW: Connacht V Munster

07 January 2021

PREVIEW: Connacht V Munster
By John O'Sullivan

 

Head coach Andy Friend says that Connacht will need to replicate the level of performance shown in their victory over Leinster when they entertain Munster in the Guinness PRO14 this Saturday at 7:35 PM. 

 

The Westerners sealed their 35-24 win at the RDS last weekend -- which was their first win away to Leinster since 2002 -- through a performance built on intensity on both sides of the ball. The attack yielded four tries, while the defence was organised and aggressive.

 

Friend believes that Connacht will need to produce a similar showing against a Munster team coming to the Sportsground looking to make amends for losing away to Ulster in their last interprovincial clash.

 

"It's a  crucial game for both", the Australian said of the upcoming Interpro derby.

 

"I think we'll get what you always going to get from Munster. They're going to be physical. When they get a penalty, they're going to kick to the corner and maul you or they'll kick three points.  That's how they get their points, so we'll have to make sure we're squeaky clean with our discipline and make sure we don't give them easy access.

 

"When they do get in(Connacht territory) which they will, no doubt, we've gotta make sure that we're as brave as we were on Saturday, which was really impressive. We know we're going to have to bring that for 80 minutes. We know exactly what's coming from Munster. They're a quality outfit and they'll have a point to prove."

 

Friend, meanwhile, praised the leadership characteristics of his squad and that of the several Connacht players who have lead the team out as captains already this season and in the recent past.

 

Quinn Roux -- who skippered the team versus Leinster -- Paul Boyle, and Jarrad Butler have all captained the team this season and Friend said that their different methods of leadership have helped the squad as a whole.

 

"It's one of the things we have been trying to build, is our leadership group," the Australian said.

 

"You will have seen Jarrad's been our captain, but we've also had Caolin Blade, Dave Heffernan, and Paul Boyle as captain and they all bring something different. Eoghan Masterson has stepped in there, too. All those blokes are in our leadership group and they all have a different way of doing it.

 

"It's just about trying to get a blend of the best bits of their respective leadership qualities and using it at the time. Quinn certainly the way he speaks is, 'I demand this from you and I want you to deliver for me', whereas some of the other leaders are 'follow me, watch what I do and see if you can emulate that."

 

Elsewhere, centre Tom Daly complimented the culture that Friend and his coaching staff have created at Connacht and says that is has helped him  -- and indeed other players -- play to the best of their abilities.

 

The 27-year-old continued his impressive run of form with a try versus Leinster -- which capped a strong all-round performance against his former club -- and he said that the opportunity for game time with the Westerners, coupled with the team spirit at the Sportsground, has helped him acclimatize after his move to the province in December 2018.

 

"The culture is obviously brilliant here," the Carlow native said.

 

"I think the main thing is getting minutes on the pitch. I'm just really enjoying my time here. I love Galway and I love the lads in the squad. I get on really well with Friendy as well. I think he's such a good head coach and he's built such a good culture at this club. I think if you ask anyone in this squad are they happy, they're all pretty happy whether they're playing or not."

 

Daly said that he has enjoyed forming a midfield pairing with Sammy Arnold and that the Irish international's work rate is helping the team, both in attack and defence. The pair have been regular partners in the centre this season and the former Irish Sevens player said that Arnold's defensive work has allowed him to express himself in an attacking sense.

 

"I'm enjoying playing with Sammy, to be honest," the former Lansdowne player said of his centre partner.

 

"He's a bit of a dog on the pitch and I think and some of the work he does goes unnoticed. He brings really good line speed outside me and that gives me confidence. He does a lot of the unseen work that frees me up to carry a little bit more.

 

"We share the load quite well and we're kinda building a bit of a combination now. He's really easy to play with and he talks loads outside me and I'm really enjoying it and I think the move has worked out well for him coming down from Munster. I think he's played every game this year and he's covered a few positions, so he's a real valuable member of that squad and he's playing very well."