Bradley wants Connacht to build on tough pre-season campaign

Written by John Fallon

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Connacht coach Michael Bradley says that their tough pre-season campaign will stand to them when they open their Magners League season on Friday week at the Sportsground (kick-off 6pm) against Newport Gwent Dragons.

Connacht wound up their pre-season friendlies when Harlequins came with a late three-try salvo to win 31-8 at The Stoop on Friday evening.

"We have had four very good, very tough pre-season games and they will stand to us,” said Bradley, whose side played back-to-back ties with Castres having kicked off against South Africa.

Bradley said the key one was to improve in the areas which were shown up in the games to date.

“We needed those four games to shake the cobwebs off the pre-season and we’ve done that. The result didn’t go our way but we said all along that if we are going to lose games then preseason is the time to do that and we need to learn the lessons from that.

"I think we’re in quite a strong position going forward to the start of the magners league. Having said that we’re under no illusions as to which areas we need to improve on with a view to getting a good start to the Magners League,” he added.

Connacht hit the front at The Stoop when outhalf Tim Donnelly slotted over a penalty after eleven minutes from 45 metres.

However, a Danny Care try helped the home side to a 13-3 at half time lead as both sides used the fixture to experiment.

Harlequins crossed for three tries before Conor O’Loughlin, back for his first game since February, was instrumental in the move which saw Connacht cross for a good try from Colm Rigney.

Harlequins:
Tries: Care, Stegmann, Volley
Cons: Malone, Brown
Pens: Malone (4)

Connacht:
Tries: Rigney
Pens: Donnelly

Harlequins: M Brown; T Williams, U Monye, J Turner Hall, S Keogh; C Malone, D Care; C Jones, A Croall, M Ross; O Kohn, J Evans; C Robshaw, P Volley, T Guest.Replacements: T Masson for Monye, 4mins; C Amesbury for Masson, 17mins; J Brooks for Ross, half time; P Davies for Guest, 44mins; S Jewell for Turner Hall, 55mins; S Stegmann for Care, 61mins; R Nebbett for Brooks, 62mins; N Spanghero for Evans, 64mins; C Laurent for Croall, 64mins; R Manyika for Malone, 72mins.

Connacht: D Riordan; A Wynne, M Deane, K Matthews, D Yapp; T Donnelly, T Tierney; J Lyne, A Flavin, R Morris; A Browne, A Farley; M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J Muldoon.

Replacements: J Fogarty for Flavin, half time; P Durcan for Donnelly, half time; M Swift for Browne, half time; C McPhillips for Tierney, half time; B Wilkinson for Lyne, half time; C Rigney for McCarthy, half time; K Moran for Morris, 54mins; M McCarthy for Swift, 61mins; C O'Loughlin for Matthews, 64mins; A Browne for McCarthy, 74mins.
Referee: Ashley Rowden (ERU).