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Benetton 18

Connacht's season took a significant leap forward when the squad headed to South Africa on Tuesday to play in the first United Rugby Championship semi-final.

Connacht delivered a winning performance against English premiership side Sale last weekend, providing a positive portent of the season to come.

Mack Hansen, Andy Friend's Australian find, has signed a new contract that keeps him at the Sportsground till 2025.

Linley MacKenzie

As a new-look Connacht takes shape for the coming season, head coach And Friend has had plenty of time to think about how to achieve on-field success. Day 11 of a 14 day quarantine in a hotel in Australia, Connacht Rugby coach Andy Friend is counting down the hours before being released. It is the first time he has been 'home' in three years - Covid having stymied any plans to visit family and friends. So when he signed a new contract to stay on at the Galway Sportsground for another two seasons, it was a stipulation that he be able to head home this summer.

Connacht desperately want a repeat performance over Leinster when they meet in Saturday's Rainbow Cup second-round fixture at the Sportsground (7.35pm).

It had all the hallmarks of a rip-roaring inter-provincial. Despite the uncertainty of this new Rainbow Cup competition, and a troubled start with South African teams unable to travel, as far as inter-pros go, they don't come much more intense than Connacht's meeting with Ulster in Kingspan Stadium.

Andy Friend’s Connacht and Pat Lam’s Bristol go head-to-head in a showdown which will determine which team is likely to progress in the newly structured Champions Cup this Covid season.