Connacht's Heineken Champions Cup challenge hangs by the thinnest of threads after a convincing four-try defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm on Sunday afternoon.

Connacht produced a frustrating and sloppy performance on their way to a bonus point victory over Southern Kings in the PRO14 on Saturday.

It’s amazing how quickly something can turn for a player and when Conor Fitzgerald was let go from the Munster academy 18 months ago the last thing on his mind would have been lighting up the home of Toulouse with an awesome display in the Heineken Champions Cup.

A nerveless Conor Fitzgerald penalty 13 minutes from time clinched European victory for Connacht as Andy Friend’s side battled bravely to launch their Champions Cup campaign with an impressive Sportsground win.

Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

Five-try Connacht picked up their second bonus-point victory in a week as Andy Friend’s side overwhelmed Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Andy Friend has knocked down a few barriers since arriving in Galway 15 months ago, and this evening (kick-off 7.35pm) hopes to win in Wales for the first time since he took charge of Connacht.

Connacht’s focus for the remainder of the season will be trying to claim a knockout spot in the PRO14 and a place in next season’s Champions Cup but they will be disappointed to bow out of the Challenge Cup without firing a decent shot.

Jack Carty returned to the Sportsground after his Irish debut in the Six Nations to guide them to a priceless victory in their quest for a knockout place and Champions Cup rugby next season.

Connacht host Benetton Rugby at the Sportsground this evening hoping for a victory to keep their PRO14 play-off ambitions on track.

Andy Friend believes his players let themselves down after they missed a golden opportunity to move into the PRO14 play-off places by slipping to a narrow defeat against the Cardiff Blues in Wales.

It says a lot about Connacht under Andy Friend that they were disappointed not to claim a bonus-point win over Top 14 outfit Bordeaux-Bègles as both teams tested the extent of their squads. But the coach left his players in no doubt that they have to improve their discipline or risk being dropped.

It’s a measure of how much things have changed at Connacht since they won the PRO12 title in Murrayfield two years ago that 10 of the 23 players involved that day are no longer at the Sportsground.

Connacht 26 Glasgow Warriors 27

Connacht’s decline after winning the PRO 12 title in 2016 started immediately in the first game of the defence of the crown when they fell to a record 41-5 loss to Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground.

Michael Cheika has been appointed as the new Australia head coach.