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 Team Manager Tim Allnutt Head coach Andy Friend Forwards Coach Jimmy Duffy Backs Coach Nigel Carolan Defence Coach Peter Wilkins Senior Video Analyst Simon Kavanagh Head of Strength and Conditiong David Howarth Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach Johnny O'Connor Academy Manager Eric Elwood
Players Senior playing squad Connacht Rugby Pro14 squadProps Jack Aungier Finlay Bealham Denis Buckley Matthew Burke Jordan Duggan Conor Kenny Paddy McAllister Dominic Robertson-McCoy*
Hookers Shane Delahunt Dave Heffernan Jonny Murphy
Locks Cormac Daly ST Ultan Dillane Óisín Dowling Niall Murray Quinn Roux Gavin ThornburyBack row Paul Boyle Jarrad Butler* (c) Cillian Gallagher Eoghan Masterson Seán Masterson Seán O'Brien Conor Oliver Abraham Papali'i
Scrum-halves Caolin Blade Stephen Kerins Kieran Marmion Colm Reilly
Fly-halves Jack Carty Conor Dean Conor FitzgeraldCentres Bundee Aki Sammy Arnold Tom Daly Tom Farrell Peter Robb
Wings Matt Healy Ben O'Donnell John Porch Peter Sullivan Alex Wootton L
Fullbacks Stephen Fitzgerald Tiernan O'Halloran (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. L denotes a player on loan at the club. ST denotes a short-term signing at the club. Players and their allocated positions from the Connacht Rugby website.
Academy squad Connacht Rugby Academy squadProps Charlie Ward (1)
Hookers Declan Adamson (2) Eoin de Buitléar (1) Dylan Tierney-Martin (3)
Locks Darragh Murray (1) Cian Prendergast (1)Back row Ciaran Booth (1) Donnacha Byrne (1) Hubert Costello (1) Joshua Dunne (3) Óisín McCormack (2)
Scrum-halves None
Fly-halves Cathal Forde (1)Centres Shane Jennings (rugby union, born 2001) (2) Seán O'Brien (rugby union, born 1998) (3)
Wings Diarmuid Kilgallen (1) Oran McNulty (3)
Fullbacks Colm de Buitléar (4) (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players, number in brackets indicates players stage in the three-year academy cycle. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Connacht Rugby website.
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.
Players in PR Jack Aungier from Leinster PR Jordan Duggan promoted from Academy LK Cormac Daly from Clontarf LK Óisín Dowling from Leinster LK Niall Murray promoted from Academy BR Seán Masterson promoted from Academy BR Conor Oliver from Munster BR Abraham Papali'i from Bay of Plenty SH Colm Reilly promoted from Academy FH Conor Dean promoted from Academy CE Sammy Arnold from Munster WG Ben O'Donnell from Australia Sevens WG Peter Sullivan promoted from Academy WG Alex Wootton from Munster (season-long loan)
Players out HK Tom McCartney retired PR Rory Burke released PR Peter McCabe to Bristol Bears LK Joe Maksymiw to Dragons BR Robin Copeland to Soyaux Angoulême BR Colby Fainga'a to Lyon BR Eoin McKeon released SH Angus Lloyd retiring FH David Horwitz to Randwick CE Kyle Godwin to Western Force WG Niyi Adeolokun to Bristol Bears FB Darragh Leader released
Player's name in italics indicates a transfer that took place after the start of the season
Results Pro14
Regular season
Rainbow Cup
League stage
Champions Cup
Pool B
Challenge Cup
Round of 16
Notes
References