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27th August 2020
08:17am BST

Conor Fitzgerald makes a carry against Munster in December 2019. (Credit: Sportsfile)[/caption]
Munster's losing bonus point, against Leinster, was all it took to mathematically end Connacht's already feint hopes of a place in the Guinness PRO14 knock-out stages. Friend's side were too good for Ulster, in their return to rugby, and another 2020/21 marker can be laid down against Munster.
The current Connacht squad has four former Munster players in their senior squad, with Sam Arnold and Alex Wootton surely badgering Friend to be included in the matchday squad - along with the Fitzgeralds - at the weekend.
Munster outhalf JJ Hanrahan was one of the reasons Fitzgerald could not get a look-in at his home province, but the Kerry native is pleased to see how well he has fared with Connacht.
"Fitzy is a great player. I know Zeebs used to call him Young ROG when he was down here, when he first came into the academy. "He's a quality player. Sometimes there can be a bit of a backlog here. He went up there and he got a second lease. Andy Friend has put an awful lot of confidence in him and he's played him an awful lot. "He's been playing really well, goal-kicking and kicking well out of hand. He's a quality young player and a quality young talent in a good backline that Connacht have. I'm sure he'll be raring to go at the weekend."Munster are still in the hunt for the knock-out stages so they will save the pleasantries for after the final whistle. For a lively competitor like Fitzgerald, he will have no problem parking the sentimentality too.
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