Pat Lam plea to bolster Connacht squad rejected

European rugby’s governing body has turned down an appeal from Connacht’s Pat Lam to add two extra backs to his injury-torn squad ahead of Sunday’s return visit to Newcastle.

With some 11 backs sidelined with injury, Lam had sought to include Academy players, fullback Ciaran Gaffney and outhalf Conor McKeon, but European Professional Club Rugby cannot “bend” its rules.

“No conversation [with EPCR], just an email,” says Lam. “No, the rules are the rules, and we only had the one change available in the front row.”