CONNACHT RUGBY CEO Willie Ruane says the province’s players were left shocked by the news today that Pat Lam will leave at the end of the season.
The Guinness Pro12-winning coach will depart for a job with Bristol next m.
“I spoke to the players immediately after Pat spoke to them this morning,” he said on Off The Ball this evening. “They were shocked and that’s the truth. It came as a bit of a bolt out of the blue for many of them; one or two of them might have heard a rumbling over the weekend.
“For the vast majority of them, they had no idea this was coming. It was a little bit of a shock to them and I don’t mind saying that they were a little taken aback for the rest of the morning. But as the day went on, they’ve had time to digest it and I caught up with some of them again after lunch.
“After they started to get their head around it, they are very much focused on the fact that it’s a Champions Cup week. We’ve a job to do this weekend and the following weekend. It’s amazing how quick the guys can kick into that mode.
“In one way it’s difficult to hear news like this but in another way they have to re-focus and get on with the job. That’s what they’re doing.”
Ruane continued when asked about how he found out: “He told us Friday. I met with him on Friday and he explained the situation. It came as a bit of a shock in fairness, I didn’t get up that morning thinking I was going to hear it. But at the same time, he was pretty straight up with what the situation was.
“And as I say, we’re disappointed, but we can’t be anything but very grateful for what Pat has done for Connacht Rugby since he’s arrived here.
“Look, I won’t pretend I hadn’t heard some element of speculation that was out there, that there might have been some conversation.
“It’s not like we weren’t having conversations with Pat about his future. The specific news with regards to Bristol, that didn’t arrive until Friday. I said to Pat was there anything we could do in terms of convincing him to reconsider before he made the final decision. But he’s his own guy, he would have thought that well through before I would have spoken to Pat.
“He was very honest. He said he had made his decision at that stage, understanding all the factors that go into making any such decision.
“When you’re dealing with someone like Pat or anyone at that level, it’s not that you’re going to twist their arm and convince them otherwise. He’s very much his own guy and we very much wanted to keep him and expressed that to him, but he would have thought it well through before I had sat down with him,” he added.
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