Stephen Ferris has claimed now might be the best time for Connacht to get a result against Munster ahead of their clash on Friday.
Connacht come into the game off the back of three straight losses, with heavy defeats to Ulster, Stormers and the Bulls.
In their first home game of the season, Andy Friend’s side take on a Munster team who have only one win themselves, and haven’t impressed in any of their opening three games.
While this fixture always delivers, not many people would have thought there would be so much importance attached to it this early in the season.
Connacht vs Munster
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Speaking to Balls.ie in association with Ladbrokes, Stephen Ferris claims tomorrow could be the moment where Connacht kick-start their season on a historical night.
I think it’s draw a line now, and you start your season fresh on Friday night against Munster. If there’s ever a time to get Munster, I think it’s now.
"There’s a new 4G pitch just being laid in Galway in the Sportsground stadium, it will hopefully make for a better spectacle for the fans to come along and watch.
"They’ll run around and try and throw the ball about, make it more of a carnival atmosphere on match nights.”
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While Munster got their first win of the season last weekend against Zebre in Musgrave Park, Stephen Ferris claims they are still struggling, with a big job on Graham Rowntree’s hands.
They had a good win against Zebre last weekend in Cork, but it feels like they are struggling.
There’s a lot of negativity. Everybody thought when Johann Van Graan was going to disappear at the end of last season that things were going to change overnight, and they really haven’t.
There’s huge amounts of time for Munster to change their season, but it was only last week it was Connacht and Munster sitting at the foot of the table without a win each.”
With both sides needing a win in a huge provincial derby, which delivered two very close victories for each side last season, Stephen Ferris is expecting a very physical battle at the Sportsground.
I’m expecting a very physical encounter. I think Andy Friend will say to his side, ‘boys, first three games, we weren’t good enough, we draw a line under it and our season starts now.
In years gone by Connacht were a team that threw it around under Pat Lam, ran it from their own 22 and didn’t mind making mistakes.
But the hardest games I remember in Galway were the ones where Connacht really rolled up their sleeves and get physical stuck into you, and I think that’s what they need to get back to a little bit.
All the other stuff will come. They are a talented side, they are a very skilful side. This is going to be the game of the weekend.”
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