A FRIEND IN NEED
CONNACHT coach Andy Friend wants his trend-setters to smash their poor record against Cardiff and give them a dose of the Blues in the battle for a knockout spot.
The last time Connacht reached the knockout stages of the PRO14 in 2016 they went on to win the competition.
Victory today over the Welsh side will wrap up their play-off place and put them three wins from a second title.
Friend’s side are four points ahead of Cardiff in Conference A, so a loss for the Westerners today would probably mean they need a win from their final round away game against Munster to progress.
Even that might not be sufficient so the pressure is on to finish off the job this afternoon.
With so much on the line both coaches have opted for arguably their strongest available teams. It’s the first time since they faced Ulster at Christmas Friend has been afforded that chance.
Other than the ill Quinn Roux and the injured Finlay Belaham, all of his internationals are available with the likes of Bundee Aki, Jack Carty, Tiernan O’halloran, Matt Healy and Ultan Dillane starting.
Only six of this Connacht team started at the Arms Park in January, a game that Cardiff won 8-7.
And history suggests the Blues can repeat that feat at The Sportsground where the home side has only claimed victory in five of the 15 meetings.
But Friend says he isn’t bothered by history.
He countered: “I’ve heard of the Connacht-cardiff battles and Cardiff tend to win them – but Ulster tended to win when we were away from home as well until this year. Zebre won the last two years over there but we are finding ways to win, to throw those hoodoos and records out and create our own patch which is what it’s about this year.
“It’s all well and good to look through the history books and to know that’s been there but we’re a different football team and we’ll continue to grow and stretch.”
The PRO14 records of both teams over the eight-month season are remarkably similar and they could yet face being separated by scoring difference.
But Friend is confident his team will respond to the below par win at Zebre and he said: “The intensity we had at training is one of the highest we’ve had all season. There is a lot of anxiety and energy out there and I think we’re going to get a good reply.
“There is a belief in the squad about the way we have been playing this year, in our systems and some of the combinations that have been developed. If you start to focus outwards on things that we can’t control that’s when you get yourself in a place that you can get over anxious and you can’t control it.
“All our messaging and all our energy is around us this week and we’ll play a game that we really think can stretch Cardiff.
“Everything is for us to play for this weekend at our home stadium. I know the boys are going to be up for that.”
In a blow to the Blues, Nick Williams misses out again through injury but they are still packed with dangermen
There is a belief in the squad about way we’ve been playing