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Cullie Tucker is keeping quiet on whether or not he will apply for the head coach role at Connacht.

The province's scrum coach is in interim charge for the rest of the season, after Connacht confirmed the departure of Pete Wilkins with immediate effect last week.

Wilkins had been on sick leave since March, with Tucker stepping up to lead the management team for the last five games, and he will remain in charge for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.

But, speaking ahead of Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship meeting with the Lions in Johannesburg, Tucker wouldn't be drawn on whether or not he will be putting his name in the mix for the permanent job.

"My focus is on the Lions and not beyond that," he said.

"It's too important a game [this week] so that's where all my energy is going into."

The province remain in the hunt for the URC play-offs and Champions Cup qualification, although they may need to finish the season with three wins in a row to make a late surge into the top half of the table.

Connacht came agonisingly close to a major win in Cape Town on Saturday, when Santiago Cordero scored a late try against the Stormers, the conversion of which would have won the game.

However, their celebrations were cut short when the TMO cancelled the try for crossing in the build-up to the score.

FT: STO 34-29 CON
Connacht denied at the death. Santiago Cordero's try not given because of an earlier obstruction infringement.