Andy Friend and Jack Carty have backed Connacht to beat defending champions, the DHL Stormers, and contest the Vodacom United Rugby Championship final.
Connacht secured a maiden spot in the URC semi-finals after captain Carty booted five penalties to clinch a shock 15-10 victory against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night.
The Irish outfit will travel to South Africa next weekend to face the inaugural URC winners, who opened their title defence with a bonus-point win over Connacht in round 1.
Speaking post-match on Friday, head coach Friend told reporters: “We weren’t the team that got everything right [on the night] but we still won. That shows enormous growth as a footy side and it’s an enormous compliment to everybody, players and coaches.”
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The Australian, who leaves Connacht at the end of the season after five years at the club, also shared his belief for the rematch against the Stormers, adding: “We get another chance to show it next weekend and I don’t care where we go, to be honest with you.”
Carty acknowledged his troops’ wastefulness in their win against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium, but remained confident in their chances against the URC title-holders.
“If we take those opportunities next week, we will be closer to a final,” he said. “I don’t think many people gave us a chance, but we were confident coming up.”
The Stormers and Connacht will face off in a 4pm kick-off at Cape Town Stadium next Saturday, with the hosts being the only South African team left in the 2022-23 URC.
The remaining teams in the playoffs are Irish giants Leinster and Munster, with their last-four knockout scheduled to kick off at 6:30pm (SA) in Dublin.
Photo: @connachtrugby/Twitter