Connacht rugby head coach Pete Wilkins insists side need to start ...
PETE WILKINS has called on Connacht to start the season strong when they host Ospreys.
Wilkins became head coach in the summer after replacing Andy Friend.
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But he knows the importance of the Westerners getting off to a fast start with home games against Glasgow and Ulster to come.
Wilkins said: “I don’t think there’s an easy game.
“But we have to recognise that starting off with three home matches is a massive opportunity.
“It’s only a great start if you win them. Pre-season has gone well.
“It has been a different challenge and there has been a different rhythm to it and like most other teams, we have broken it up in terms of training.
“The way we staged the training has been right.”
Wilkins will have to make do without Ireland trio Mack Hansen, Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham for the next few weeks.
But new signings Joe Joyce, JJ Hanrahan and Andrew Smith make their competitive bows.
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CONNACHT: A Smith; D Kilgallen, T Farrell, C Forde, B Ralston; JJ Hanrahan, C Blade; D Buckley, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier; O Dowling, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler. Reps: T McElroy, P Dooley, D Robertson-McCoy, N Murray, S O’Brien, C Reilly, J Carty, L McNamara.
