Connacht take on Bristol Bears as preseason preparations step up a notch

The Stuart Lancaster-era in Connacht gets under way in earnest this week when he sends a side out for the first time in a behind closed doors clash away to Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears today.

The former England head coach can’t wait to hit the ground running as Connacht come to the end of a sixth week of what will be an 11-week preseason campaign, including a couple of weeks off and a camp in Westport.

Today’s low-key clash in Bristol will be followed by a second preseason game a week later when they travel to play Sale Sharks, and other than an open training session the week before the league starts, Connacht fans will have to wait until the first URC game of the season when they host Benetton Rugby at the nearly-completed new stadium on College Road on Saturday September 27 (7.45pm).

Lancaster has been working hard since his shock appointment at the start of June. The six Connacht players, five of them debutants, who featured in the Irish summer tour to Georgia and Portugal are back in the fold, while their three Lions will return to training next month.

The new head coach is pleased with what he has seen so far from his new charges and has set two targets which he thinks they are capable of achieving.

“Well in the first year it’s to get into the play-offs and to get back into Europe for sure. And obviously then put our best foot forward should that happen,” said Lancaster.

“A Challenge Cup I think is an achievable goal for Connacht and to get into the play-offs is an achievable goal and then we back ourselves ideally at home in a quarter-final, semi-final, final.

“If we’re playing well, I think we’ll be a difficult team to beat. I knew the team pretty well anyway, but really did my research, I thought actually even though the team had come 13th, there’s a hell of a lot more potential in the team and I felt I could improve the team.”

The squad for the 2025/26 season was completed before he arrived so he has had no input into who he will be coaching as he takes up the head coach reins again after parting way with Racing 92 back in February.

Versatile back Sam Gilbert is the only primary signing, joining from the Highlanders where he was predominantly a goalkicking full-back, but he can also play on the wing, centre or out-half.

Academy backs John Devine, Finn Treacy, and Harry West have been promoted to the 41-man senior squad, 14 of whom are now full senior internationals.

Argentine full-back Santiago Cordero has departed Connacht after a disappointing spell which began with a disastrous serious knee injury in his first training session in 2023.

Pictured: Cathal Forde and Joe Joyce in action for Connacht in the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Racing 92 back in April. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.