Bad English run isn’t on our minds
Newcastle Falcons v Connacht 5.30pm
ANDY FRIEND claims ending Connacht’s appalling run of results in England is not being used as a motivating factor for the final Challenge Cup pool game.
A bonus point will be enough to secure home advantage in the first of the knockout phases.
Maximum points could even ensure they would not have to leave Ireland again if they were to go all the way to the final at the
Aviva Stadium in May.
But they have won just twice in 29 visits to England, while their three previous visits to Kingston Park resulted in a trio of drubbings.
Friend is paying little heed to history and said the record there hasn’t been brought up all week.
He said: “We have not mentioned it. All that does is add additional pressure so we certainly won’t be raising that. I believe we are in a good space as a team at the moment.
“We will go over there and we will play the rugby we know that we can play – and we demonstrated last weekend – and we will be a tough team to beat.”
The big carrot is home advantage for the last 16 round and possibly from there on if they advance.
“It’s massive having home advantage and we know there could be teams from South Africa in it but we haven’t thought that much into it,” added Friend.
“What we do know is that we are playing at The Sportsground. This is becoming our fortress and that’s the most important thing. We want to be here if we are playing knockout footie.”
Friend and head coach Pete Wilkins have made six changes to the side which hammered Brive 61-5 last week. Two of their four Irish squad members take part but Bundee Aki is rested.