Connacht may trail European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 3 leaders Sale Sharks by three points with two rounds to go, but the second-placed Irish province already have their sights set on bigger things, according to back-row forward Paul Boyle.
They are keen to capitalise on the Heineken Champions Cup place allotted to the Challenge Cup winners and Boyle sees Saturday’s game against the English club at The Sportsground as the ideal chance to stake a claim to that slot.
Boyle told the Connacht Rugby website: “There’s really good cohesion in training and we’re getting better come game time, so we’re excited coming into a big challenge this weekend against Sale.
“It’s another opportunity and another way into Champions Cup rugby, and that’s what we want for next season. Champions Cup is what we want.”
Head coach Andy Friend is optimistic of a positive result after guiding Connacht to six wins in their last eight games and with the two defeats being by only four and seven points respectively against Champions Cup teams Leinster Rugby and Munster Rugby.
He told the Connacht Rugby website: “It’s going to be another tough challenge for us, but I’m really impressed with the way the boys keep rising to the occasion and we will do that this weekend.”
The current table looks as follows:
