BACK CONN TRACK
Hero Aki responds for Friend in need to pick up first result
Connacht 33 Scarlets 20 NEW Connacht coach Andy Friend hailed Bundee Aki after the Irish centre inspired a superb win in his first start for the province in five months.
But Friend was quick to credit all his side following a priceless win which gives them a perfect boost as they prepare to host champions Leinster next weekend.
Friend said their theme all week was ‘unrelenting’ as they tried to bounce back from defeat in Edinburgh.
He said: “Bundee was unrelenting in the way he continued to put that opposition under pressure with and without the football.
“That gives the rest of the boys massive confidence and he puts the fear of god in the opposition.”
But Friend stressed that the quality of their performances and the positive vibes around the Sportsground were not down to his arrival from Australia.
“It may look like I have come in with a magic wand, I haven’t. I have come in and backed people and said just go do what you do. They are doing it. To me the accolade should be thrown that way.
“We have got a great attacking system, we have got a very good defensive system. They are actually not my systems. They are Nigel Carolan’s attack system and Pete Wilkins’ defence system, and owned by the team as well.
“But we have got to keep building too. We can’t get complacent. That’s a good win out there but it’s game four of the season,” he said.
Connacht never trailed in a cracking contest where both sides showed a great willingness to run the ball from deep.
Aki was awesome in the opening stages, laying down a marker with a blistering start of hits and runs and it was no surprise when he cracked the Scarlets defence to set up centre partner Tom Farrell after five minutes.
Aki’s earned the man-ofthe-match gong but it could just as easily have gone to out-half Jack Carty.
The Athlone man had a near flawless display. He kicked seven from seven off the tee, delivered some massive touch-finders and kept the Scarlets defence guessing and on edge throughout.
It was a timely occasion to produce such a stunning show with Joe Schmidt watching in the stand.
“Jack’s got better with every game I’ve seen him,” added Friend. “The way he’s controlling that game at the moment for us, in attack and defence has been really impressive.
“He’s got a skill-set that’s quite immense: he can pass off both sides, kick off both sides, he can turn opposition and if you leave him alone to it he’s a running threat.
“Long may it continue.”
Bundee gives the rest of the boys massive confidence and puts the fear of God into the opposition