Prendergast expecting Connacht backlash on Friday

Munster have to be braced for a Connacht backlash in this Friday's Interpro against Connacht in Galway, according to assistant coach Mike Prendergast.

The province picked up their first win of the BKT United Rugby Championship last Saturday with a 21-5 win against Zebre at Musgrave Park, but still appear to be struggling to gel together under the new coaching team.

And while Munster have been unconvincing, they've at least got off the mark with a win and two losing bonus-points, unlike Connacht, who are bottom of the table, without a single point from their defeats to Ulster, Stormers and Bulls.

Friday night's game will be Connacht's first at home this season, and their first on the new 4G surface at the Sportsground.

Andy Friend's side handed Munster a chastening defeat when the sides last met in Galway on New Year's Day, and Prendergast believes their neighbours will have circled this game in the diary in recent weeks.

"I'm sure the place will be rocking on Friday night, and they'll look at it as a good opportunity for them," he said.

"If you look at the fixtures for them, the last few weeks have been challenging. The have had challenging games, but they've been away together, which is a good thing at the start of a season, bringing people together for two weeks.

"We know it'll be a big challenge. They'll come out at 100%, gunning, and we will too.

"We're disappointed, we know better than anyone that we came up short over the last number of weeks. There's an element of bedding in new systems, but we know we need to get better, and that's how we're looking at this game, but we know it'll be a big challenge."

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