2020–21 Connacht Rugby season

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Connacht
2020–21 season
Head coachAndy Friend
Chief executiveWillie Ruane
CaptainJarrad Butler
Pro142nd, Conf. B
Pro14 Rainbow Cup6th
Champions CupPool stage (10th)
Challenge CupRound of 16
Top try scorerAll: Alex Wootton (11)
Top points scorerAll: Jack Carty (131)
Average home attendanceN/A
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
← 2019–20

The 2020–21 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's twentieth season competing in the Pro14, and the team's twenty-fifth season as a professional side. It was Andy Friend's third season in charge of the side.

In addition to the Pro14, Connacht competed in the European Champions Cup. This was confirmed in August 2020, as the tournament was expanded to 24 teams on a one-season basis.[1] The Champions Cup pool stage finished prematurely after just two rounds. As one of the bottom eight teams at that point, Connacht were entered into the Challenge Cup in the round of 16 where they were beaten by the Leicester Tigers.

Coaching and management team[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Individuals may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Role Name Union
Chief Executive Willie Ruane[2]  Ireland
Team Manager Tim Allnutt[3]  New Zealand
Head Coach Andy Friend[3]  Australia
Forwards Coach Jimmy Duffy[3]  Ireland
Backs Coach Nigel Carolan[3]  Ireland
Defence Coach Peter Wilkins[3]  England
Senior Video Analyst Simon Kavanagh[3]  Ireland
Head of Strength and Conditiong David Howarth[3]  Australia
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach Johnny O'Connor[3]  Ireland
Academy Manager Eric Elwood[4]  Ireland

Players[edit]

Senior playing squad[edit]

Connacht Rugby Pro14 squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.
L denotes a player on loan at the club.
ST denotes a short-term signing at the club.
Players and their allocated positions from the Connacht Rugby website.[3]

Academy squad[edit]

Connacht Rugby Academy squad

Props

  • Ireland Charlie Ward (1)

Hookers

  • Ireland Declan Adamson (2)
  • Ireland Eoin de Buitléar (1)
  • Ireland Dylan Tierney-Martin (3)

Locks

  • Ireland Darragh Murray (1)
  • Ireland Cian Prendergast (1)

Back row

  • Ireland Ciaran Booth (1)
  • Ireland Donnacha Byrne (1)
  • Ireland Hubert Costello (1)
  • Ireland Joshua Dunne (3)
  • Ireland Óisín McCormack (2)

Scrum-halves

  • None

Fly-halves

  • Ireland Cathal Forde (1)

Centres

  • Ireland Shane Jennings (2)
  • Ireland Seán O'Brien (3)

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players, number in brackets indicates players stage in the three-year academy cycle.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.
Players and their allocated positions from the Connacht Rugby website.[4][5]

Senior team transfers[edit]

For player movement in the Pro14 from the mid-season hiatus to the end of the 2020–21 season, see List of 2020–21 Pro14 transfers.

Unlike most seasons, where the bulk of transfers occur during the summer pre-season the 2019–20 season saw two separate periods of major transfer activity. Many moves scheduled to happen at the end of the season instead took place during the extended hiatus from March to August 2020. Despite these moves technically happening during the previous season, they are included in the transfers listed here.

  • Player's name in italics indicates a transfer that took place after the start of the season

Results[edit]

Pro14[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 Pro14
2020–21 Pro14 table view · watch · edit · discuss
Conference A
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP PTS
1 Ireland Leinster (CH) 16 14 0 2 576 285 +291 82 33 14 1 71
2 Ireland Ulster 16 14 0 2 469 263 +206 65 34 8 0 64
3 Wales Ospreys 16 8 0 8 301 318 -17 34 39 1 3 36
4 Scotland Glasgow Warriors 16 6 0 10 335 377 -42 40 47 2 4 30
5 Wales Dragons 16 6 0 10 215 394 -79 36 50 2 3 29
6 Italy Zebre 16 4 0 12 237 508 -271 22 69 0 1 17
Conference B
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP PTS
1 Ireland Munster (RU) 16 14 0 2 413 250 +163 49 26 7 2 64
2 Ireland Connacht 16 8 0 8 396 353 +43 53 36 7 6 45
3 Wales Scarlets 16 8 0 8 319 333 -14 36 38 3 4 39
4 Wales Cardiff Blues 16 8 0 8 265 284 -19 30 32 3 1 36
5 Scotland Edinburgh 16 5 1 10 247 344 -97 29 43 1 4 29*
6 Italy Benetton 16 0 1 15 252 415 -164 34 53 1 6 7*
* Cancelled fixture: Edinburgh awarded four match points.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[19]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams that will compete in the Pro14 Final, and also earn a place in the 2021–22 European Champions Cup

Blue background indicates teams outside the play-off places that earn a place in the 2021–22 European Champions Cup
Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2021–22 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
(CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up. (PO) Champions Cup play-off winners.

Regular season[edit]

3 October 2020
17:15
Connacht Ireland28–24Scotland Glasgow Warriors (1 BP)
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Craig Evans
10 October 2020
19:35
(1 BP) Cardiff Blues Wales29–7Ireland Connacht
Rodney Parade
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi
25 October 2020
19:35
(1 BP) Edinburgh Scotland26–37Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Murrayfield
Referee: Adam Jones
14 November 2020
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland14–20Wales Scarlets
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Sam Grove-White
22 November 2020
15:30
Zebre Italy12–47Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Referee: Daniel Jones
4 December 2020
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland31–14Italy Benetton
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Eoghan Cross
27 December 2020
19:35
Connacht Ireland19–32Ireland Ulster
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Sean Gallagher
2 January 2021
19:35
(1 BP) Leinster Ireland24–35Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
RDS Arena
Referee: Chris Busby
9 January 2021
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland10–16Ireland Munster
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Frank Murphy
24 January 2021
15:00
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland20–26Wales Ospreys (1 BP)
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Frank Murphy
5 February 2021
19:35
Dragons Wales20–30Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Rodney Parade
Referee: Craig Evans
20 February 2021
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland32–17Wales Cardiff Blues
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Andrew Brace
26 February 2021
17:30
(1 BP) Benetton Italy17–19Ireland Connacht
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
Referee: Marius Mitrea
5 March 2021
19:35
Munster Ireland20–17Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Thomond Park
Referee: Chris Busby
13 March 2021
19:35
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland14–15Scotland Edinburgh
Galway Sportsgrounds
Referee: Chris Busby
22 March 2021
20:00
(1 BP) Scarlets Wales41–36Ireland Connacht (2 BP)
Parc y Scarlets
Referee: Ben Whitehouse

Rainbow Cup[edit]

Main article: Pro14 Rainbow Cup
Pro14 Rainbow Cup watch · edit · discuss
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Pts
1 Italy Benetton 5 4 1 0 125 78 +47 14 10 2 0 22**
2 Ireland Munster 5 4 0 1 170 75 +95 23 8 3 1 20
3 Scotland Glasgow Warriors 5 4 0 1 121 117 +4 17 15 3 0 19
4 Ireland Leinster 5 3 0 2 124 87 +37 19 10 2 1 15
5 Wales Cardiff Blues 5 3 0 2 124 123 +1 16 16 2 1 15
6 Ireland Connacht 5 3 0 2 109 133 –24 15 18 2 0 14
7 Wales Scarlets 5 1 2 2 110 115 –5 13 15 2 1 13*
8 Wales Ospreys 5 2 1 2 103 88 +15 14 11 2 1 11**
9 Scotland Edinburgh 5 1 1 3 126 140 –14 18 19 2 2 10
10 Ireland Ulster 5 1 1 3 85 116 –31 12 18 2 2 8*
11 Wales Dragons 5 1 0 4 117 156 –39 14 22 2 1 7
12 Italy Zebre 5 0 0 5 88 174 -86 10 23 0 3 3
* Cancelled fixture: Scarlets awarded four match points.
** Cancelled fixture: Benetton awarded four match points.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[20]
  1. number of matches won;
  2. the difference between points for and points against;
  3. the number of tries scored;
  4. the most points scored;
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against;
  6. the fewest red cards received;
  7. the fewest yellow cards received.
Green background (row 1) is the play-off places and earn a place in the final against the 1st placed Rainbow Cup SA team.

League stage[edit]

23 April 2021
20:15
(2 BP) Ulster Ireland24–26Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Ravenhill Stadium
Referee: Andrew Brace
8 May 2021
19:35
Connacht Ireland21–50Ireland Leinster (1 BP)
Galway Sportsgrounds
14 May 2021
18:00
(1 BP) Munster Ireland20–24Ireland Connacht
Thomond Park
29 May 2021
18:15
Benetton Italy20–12Ireland Connacht
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
4 June 2021
18:00
(1 BP) Connacht Ireland26–19Wales Ospreys (1 BP)
The Sportsground

Champions Cup[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup

Pool B[edit]

Team
 P W D L PF PA Diff TF TA TB LB Pts
France Lyon 2 2 0 0 83 10 +73 12 1 1 0 10
France Racing 92 2 2 0 0 75 29 +46 11 4 2 0 10
France Toulouse 2 2 0 0 57 22 +35 8 3 2 0 10
Ireland Munster 2 2 0 0 60 38 +22 5 5 0 0 8
France Clermont 2 1 0 1 82 77 +5 11 8 2 0 6
England Bristol Bears 2 1 0 1 65 69 -4 9 9 2 0 6
England Exeter Chiefs 2 1 0 1 42 28 +14 6 4 1 0 5
England Gloucester 2 1 0 1 48 89 -41 6 12 1 0 5
Ireland Ulster 2 0 0 2 56 67 -11 7 9 1 2 3
Ireland Connacht 2 0 0 2 40 53 -13 5 8 0 1 1
England Harlequins 2 0 0 2 14 70 -56 2 9 0 0 0
Scotland Glasgow Warriors 2 0 0 2 0 70 -70 0 10 0 0 0

[21]

13 December 2020
16:15
(1 BP) Racing 92 France26–22Ireland Connacht (1 BP)
Try: Colombe 6' c
Beale 17' c
Taofifénua 24' m
Bird 51' c
Con: Machenaud (1/1) 7'
Iribaren (2/3) 19', 52'		ReportTry: Healy 40'+1 m
Wootton 62' c
Oliver 76' c
Con: Daly (2/2) 63', 76'
Pen: Carty (1/1) 12'
Paris La Défense Arena
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
20 December 2020
17:30
Connacht Ireland18–27England Bristol Bears (1 BP)
Try: O'Halloran 57' c
Porch 75' m
Con: Carty (1/2) 58'
Pen: Carty (2/2) 40'+2, 67'		ReportTry: Byrne 35' m
Holmes 48' c
O'Conor 51' c
Lloyd 72' m
Con: Sheedy (2/4) 49', 52'
Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 79'
The Sportsground
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Challenge Cup[edit]

Main article: 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup

Round of 16[edit]

3 April 2021
20:00 BST
Leicester Tigers England48–32Ireland Connacht
Try: Clare (2) 11' m, 65' c
Porter 14' c
Moroni 27' m
Henry 31' c
Wells 73' c
Wiese 78' c
Con: Henry (2/4) 15', 32'
McPhillips (3/3) 66', 74', 79'
Pen: McPhillips (1/1) 57'		ReportTry: Marmion 6' m
E. Masterson 43' c
Wootton 56' c
Boyle 71' c
Con: Carty (2/3) 44', 59'
C. Fitzgerald (1/1) 71'
Pen: Carty (2/3) 23', 40+5'
Mattioli Woods Welford Road
Attendance: 0
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)[a]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Replaced Pascal Gaüzère who was originally appointed to the fixture but changed to Jones on 26 March

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Connacht set to play in 24 team Champions Cup Rugby 2020/21". Sports News Ireland. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Connacht appoint Willie Ruane as new CEO". Irish Independent. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Connacht Rugby | Senior Squad". Connacht Rugby. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Connacht Rugby | Academy Squad". Connacht Rugby. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  5. ^ @connachtrugby (30 August 2020). "CHANGES Matt Healy misses out so Academy player Diarmuid Kilgallen starts on the wing for his pro Connacht debut. Meanwhile Bundee Aki is named on the bench replacing Peter Robb. #MUNvCON Green circle #GuinnessPRO14" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 August 2020 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ a b c d "Connacht announce signings of four players ahead of 2020/21 season". Connacht Rugby. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Connacht promote six exciting academy prospects into their senior squad". The42. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Former Ireland U20 international to provide second-row cover for Connacht". The42. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Connacht Rugby announce signings of Ben O'Donnell and Abraham Papali'i". Connacht Rugby. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Player Update | Alex Wootton". Munster Rugby. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Connacht's McCartney to hang up boots". Irish Examiner. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d "Connacht Rugby confirm departing players". Connacht Rugby. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Bristol sign Niyi Adeolokun, Peter McCabe & Keiron Assiratti on short-term deals". BBC Sport. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Joe Maksymiw: Dragons sign Wales-qualified lock from Connacht". BBC Sport. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Connacht's Robin Copeland signs for French club on a three-year deal". The42. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  16. ^ "#TRANSFERT. Colby Fainga'a sera Lyonnais". Lyon OU Rugby (in French). 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  17. ^ "A complete team-by-team guide to the 2020 Shute Shield". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020. Former Waratah Dave Horwitz also returns from overseas to start at No.10
  18. ^ "Force confirm Godwin, Holmes signings". Rugby.com.au. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  19. ^ Competition Rule 3.1.4 "Summary of Key Rules". Pro14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  20. ^ Competition Rule 3.1.4 "Summary of Key Rules". Pro14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
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