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Connacht

2020–21 season
Head coach	Andy Friend
Chief executive	Willie Ruane
Captain	Jarrad Butler
Pro14	2nd, Conf. B
Pro14 Rainbow Cup	6th
Champions Cup	Pool stage (10th)
Challenge Cup	Round of 16
Top try scorer	All: Alex Wootton (11)
Top points scorer	All: Jack Carty (131)
Average home attendance	N/A
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 2019–20

The 2020–21 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's twentieth season competing in the Pro14, and the team's twenty-fifth season as a professional side. It was Andy Friend's third season in charge of the side.

In addition to the Pro14, Connacht competed in the European Champions Cup. This was confirmed in August 2020, as the tournament was expanded to 24 teams on a one-season basis. The Champions Cup pool stage finished prematurely after just two rounds. As one of the bottom eight teams at that point, Connacht were entered into the Challenge Cup in the round of 16 where they were beaten by the Leicester Tigers.

Coaching and management team

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Individuals may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Role	Name	Union
Chief Executive	Willie Ruane	Ireland
Team Manager	Tim Allnutt	New Zealand
Head Coach	Andy Friend	Australia
Forwards Coach	Jimmy Duffy	Ireland
Backs Coach	Nigel Carolan	Ireland
Defence Coach	Peter Wilkins	England
Senior Video Analyst	Simon Kavanagh	Ireland
Head of Strength and Conditiong	David Howarth	Australia
Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach	Johnny O'Connor	Ireland
Academy Manager	Eric Elwood	Ireland

Players

Senior playing squad

Academy squad

Senior team transfers

Unlike most seasons, where the bulk of transfers occur during the summer pre-season the 2019–20 season saw two separate periods of major transfer activity. Many moves scheduled to happen at the end of the season instead took place during the extended hiatus from March to August 2020. Despite these moves technically happening during the previous season, they are included in the transfers listed here.

• Player's name in italics indicates a transfer that took place after the start of the season

Results

Pro14

2020–21 Pro14 table view · watch · edit · discuss
Conference A
	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TBP	LBP	PTS
1	Leinster (CH)	16	14	0	2	576	285	+291	82	33	14	1	71
2	Ulster	16	14	0	2	469	263	+206	65	34	8	0	64
3	Ospreys	16	8	0	8	301	318	-17	34	39	1	3	36
4	Glasgow Warriors	16	6	0	10	335	377	-42	40	47	2	4	30
5	Dragons	16	6	0	10	215	394	-79	36	50	2	3	29
6	Zebre	16	4	0	12	237	508	-271	22	69	0	1	17
Conference B
	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TBP	LBP	PTS
1	Munster (RU)	16	14	0	2	413	250	+163	49	26	7	2	64
2	Connacht	16	8	0	8	396	353	+43	53	36	7	6	45
3	Scarlets	16	8	0	8	319	333	-14	36	38	3	4	39
4	Cardiff Blues	16	8	0	8	265	284	-19	30	32	3	1	36
5	Edinburgh	16	5	1	10	247	344	-97	29	43	1	4	29*
6	Benetton	16	0	1	15	252	415	-164	34	53	1	6	7*
* Cancelled fixture: Edinburgh awarded four match points.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams that will compete in the Pro14 Final, and also earn a place in the 2021–22 European Champions Cup Blue background indicates teams outside the play-off places that earn a place in the 2021–22 European Champions Cup Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2021–22 European Rugby Challenge Cup. (CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up. (PO) Champions Cup play-off winners.

Regular season

Connacht	28–24	Glasgow Warriors (1 BP)

(1 BP) Cardiff Blues	29–7	Connacht

(1 BP) Edinburgh	26–37	Connacht (1 BP)

(1 BP) Connacht	14–20	Scarlets

Zebre	12–47	Connacht (1 BP)

(1 BP) Connacht	31–14	Benetton

Connacht	19–32	Ulster

(1 BP) Leinster	24–35	Connacht (1 BP)

(1 BP) Connacht	10–16	Munster

(1 BP) Connacht	20–26	Ospreys (1 BP)

Dragons	20–30	Connacht (1 BP)

(1 BP) Connacht	32–17	Cardiff Blues

(1 BP) Benetton	17–19	Connacht

Munster	20–17	Connacht (1 BP)

(1 BP) Connacht	14–15	Edinburgh

(1 BP) Scarlets	41–36	Connacht (2 BP)

Rainbow Cup

Pro14 Rainbow Cup watch · edit · discuss
	Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Try bonus	Losing bonus	Pts
1	Benetton	5	4	1	0	125	78	+47	14	10	2	0	22**
2	Munster	5	4	0	1	170	75	+95	23	8	3	1	20
3	Glasgow Warriors	5	4	0	1	121	117	+4	17	15	3	0	19
4	Leinster	5	3	0	2	124	87	+37	19	10	2	1	15
5	Cardiff Blues	5	3	0	2	124	123	+1	16	16	2	1	15
6	Connacht	5	3	0	2	109	133	–24	15	18	2	0	14
7	Scarlets	5	1	2	2	110	115	–5	13	15	2	1	13*
8	Ospreys	5	2	1	2	103	88	+15	14	11	2	1	11**
9	Edinburgh	5	1	1	3	126	140	–14	18	19	2	2	10
10	Ulster	5	1	1	3	85	116	–31	12	18	2	2	8*
11	Dragons	5	1	0	4	117	156	–39	14	22	2	1	7
12	Zebre	5	0	0	5	88	174	-86	10	23	0	3	3
* Cancelled fixture: Scarlets awarded four match points. ** Cancelled fixture: Benetton awarded four match points.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: number of matches won; the difference between points for and points against; the number of tries scored; the most points scored; the difference between tries for and tries against; the fewest red cards received; the fewest yellow cards received.
Green background (row 1) is the play-off places and earn a place in the final against the 1st placed Rainbow Cup SA team.

League stage

(2 BP) Ulster	24–26	Connacht (1 BP)

Connacht	21–50	Leinster (1 BP)

(1 BP) Munster	20–24	Connacht

Benetton	20–12	Connacht

(1 BP) Connacht	26–19	Ospreys (1 BP)

Champions Cup

Pool B

Team v t e	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
Lyon	2	2	0	0	83	10	+73	12	1	1	0	10
Racing 92	2	2	0	0	75	29	+46	11	4	2	0	10
Toulouse	2	2	0	0	57	22	+35	8	3	2	0	10
Munster	2	2	0	0	60	38	+22	5	5	0	0	8
Clermont	2	1	0	1	82	77	+5	11	8	2	0	6
Bristol Bears	2	1	0	1	65	69	-4	9	9	2	0	6
Exeter Chiefs	2	1	0	1	42	28	+14	6	4	1	0	5
Gloucester	2	1	0	1	48	89	-41	6	12	1	0	5
Ulster	2	0	0	2	56	67	-11	7	9	1	2	3
Connacht	2	0	0	2	40	53	-13	5	8	0	1	1
Harlequins	2	0	0	2	14	70	-56	2	9	0	0	0
Glasgow Warriors	2	0	0	2	0	70	-70	0	10	0	0	0

(1 BP) Racing 92	26–22	Connacht (1 BP)
Try: Colombe 6' c Beale 17' c Taofifénua 24' m Bird 51' c Con: Machenaud (1/1) 7' Iribaren (2/3) 19', 52'	Report	Try: Healy 40'+1 m Wootton 62' c Oliver 76' c Con: Daly (2/2) 63', 76' Pen: Carty (1/1) 12'

Connacht	18–27	Bristol Bears (1 BP)
Try: O'Halloran 57' c Porch 75' m Con: Carty (1/2) 58' Pen: Carty (2/2) 40'+2, 67'	Report	Try: Byrne 35' m Holmes 48' c O'Conor 51' c Lloyd 72' m Con: Sheedy (2/4) 49', 52' Pen: Sheedy (1/1) 79'

Challenge Cup

Round of 16

Leicester Tigers	48–32	Connacht
Try: Clare (2) 11' m, 65' c Porter 14' c Moroni 27' m Henry 31' c Wells 73' c Wiese 78' c Con: Henry (2/4) 15', 32' McPhillips (3/3) 66', 74', 79' Pen: McPhillips (1/1) 57'	Report	Try: Marmion 6' m E. Masterson 43' c Wootton 56' c Boyle 71' c Con: Carty (2/3) 44', 59' C. Fitzgerald (1/1) 71' Pen: Carty (2/3) 23', 40+5'

Notes

1. Replaced Pascal Gaüzère who was originally appointed to the fixture but changed to Jones on 26 March

References

1. "Connacht set to play in 24 team Champions Cup Rugby 2020/21". Sports News Ireland. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
2. "Connacht appoint Willie Ruane as new CEO". Irish Independent. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
3. ^ "Connacht Rugby | Senior Squad". Connacht Rugby. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
4. ^ "Connacht Rugby | Academy Squad". Connacht Rugby. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
5. @connachtrugby (30 August 2020). "CHANGES Matt Healy misses out so Academy player Diarmuid Kilgallen starts on the wing for his pro Connacht debut. Meanwhile Bundee Aki is named on the bench replacing Peter Robb. #MUNvCON Green circle #GuinnessPRO14" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 August 2020 – via Twitter.
6. ^ "Connacht announce signings of four players ahead of 2020/21 season". Connacht Rugby. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
7. ^ "Connacht promote six exciting academy prospects into their senior squad". The42. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
8. "Former Ireland U20 international to provide second-row cover for Connacht". The42. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
9. ^ "Connacht Rugby announce signings of Ben O'Donnell and Abraham Papali'i". Connacht Rugby. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
10. "Player Update | Alex Wootton". Munster Rugby. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
11. "Connacht's McCartney to hang up boots". Irish Examiner. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
12. ^ "Connacht Rugby confirm departing players". Connacht Rugby. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
13. ^ "Bristol sign Niyi Adeolokun, Peter McCabe & Keiron Assiratti on short-term deals". BBC Sport. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
14. "Joe Maksymiw: Dragons sign Wales-qualified lock from Connacht". BBC Sport. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
15. "Connacht's Robin Copeland signs for French club on a three-year deal". The42. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
16. "#TRANSFERT. Colby Fainga'a sera Lyonnais". Lyon OU Rugby (in French). 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
17. "A complete team-by-team guide to the 2020 Shute Shield". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020. Former Waratah Dave Horwitz also returns from overseas to start at No.10
18. "Force confirm Godwin, Holmes signings". Rugby.com.au. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
19. Competition Rule 3.1.4 "Summary of Key Rules". Pro14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
20. Competition Rule 3.1.4 "Summary of Key Rules". Pro14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
21. "Pool Tables". Heineken Champions Cup. EPCR. Retrieved 29 October 2020.

• Connacht Rugby seasons
• 2020–21 Pro14 by team
• 2020–21 in Irish rugby union