Connacht Forwards Put Through Their Paces By Smal

Gert Smal, Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning forwards coach, put the Connacht forwards through their paces when he participated in a training session at the Sportsground last Friday morning.

Gert Smal was assistant coach for South Africa’s World Cup-winning campaign in 2007 and forwards coach for Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning run earlier this year.

On Friday, the big South African, fresh from Ireland’s training camp in Belfast, was a welcome visitor to the Sportsground in Galway as he coached the Connacht forwards along with Connacht’s specialist forwards coach Dan McFarland.

And with just two weeks to go until the first of the westerners’ pre-season friendlies against Harlequins in London, the players were very pleased with the input Smal had.

Following Connacht’s first pre-season friendly away to Harlequins on Friday week (August 14), they will then travel to Gloucester the following Saturday (August 22).

After that, they will entertain Rotherham Titans at the Sportsground on Friday, August 28, a week before the Magners League kicks off for them with a home tie against the Ospreys.