CONNACHT COACH ANDY Friend remains hopeful of keeping Irish lock Quinn Roux at the Sportsground next season.

The 30-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and was not included on the list last month when Connacht named 21 players who had penned new deals.

Negotiations are ongoing at the moment and Friend is keen to retain the lock who is presently recovering from shoulder surgery.

“We are really hopeful he will be with Connacht next season. We are waiting for another few weeks before we can make a decision on that,” said Friend.

“Connacht definitely want Quinn Roux to stay because he is a hell of a personality and a hell of a player for us as a province so the intention is that we will have a decision in a few weeks.”

Roux, who won the last of his 16 caps against Scotland before Christmas, underwent surgery in February on a shoulder injury which he picked up just prior to the start of the Six Nations.

The South African had been included in Andy Farrell’s original Six Nations squad but returned to Connacht for medical assessment after suffering the injury in the lead-up to the Welsh game.

“He is working well through his injury. He had that shoulder surgery and is making good progress with that,” added Friend.

Meanwhile, Bundee Aki will miss Connacht’s three derby games in the Rainbow Cup through suspension.

Aki was banned for four games when he was sent off for a high tackle on England’s Billy Vunipola in the Six Nations.

The 31-year old, the first Irish player to be sent off twice in Test games, missed the Challenge Cup loss to Leicester Tigers and will serve the remainder of ban as Connacht take on Ulster, Leinster and Munster in the coming weeks.

Captain Jarrad Butler, sent off in the Pro14 against Edinburgh, has now served a three-match ban but is struggling with a leg injury to be fit for Friday night’s opening game in the Rainbow Cup away to Ulster.

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