PAT LAM’S FIRST job this morning is to count the number of fit bodies available to start preparing for the St Stephen’s Day PRO12 showdown with an Ulster side on a high after their superb double over Toulouse.
Lam was unable to bring a full squad with him to Sunday’s 29-5 Challenge Cup loss to Newcastle Falcons, with 19 of the registered players out through injury.
And that casualty list increased in their first defeat of the campaign with centre Peter Robb going off with a head injury in the opening half, and versatile back Danie Poolman doubtful for the festive clashes with Ulster and Leinster with a rib injury.
“When you finish a game with (scrum-half) Caolin Blade on the wing, and (out-half) Jack Carty back at full-back, you just have to be grateful that we got through,” said Lam.
“We get back and assess the numbers and get ready for a big week back at home.”
He said they were disappointed to lose their first Challenge Cup game this season, but stressed that their fate is in their own hands after Christmas when they travel to Brive and then entertain Russian side Enisei-STM in their final pool game.
“We knew coming in, that we had a bit of breathing space. So we park this competition now, we get back and hopefully we get a bit of a better injury run and we get over to Brive when we come back and we finish with Enisei-STM.
“It’s still in our hands but like in everything, we have got to take the lessons out of this and the learnings. We spoke about that in the changing room,” he said.
Connacht currently sit in second spot on the PRO12 table, one point behind Scarlets. Ulster lie six points and three places behind the Westerners in the standings.
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