Pat Lam: Connacht will learn from mistakes

Pat Lam has urged his young players to learn from the mistakes that cost them so dearly in Grenoble last weekend and has told his players that they could do worse than look towards Munster, their opponents this Saturday in Galway, for inspiration.

The Connacht coach was in the twilight of his playing career when his Northampton Saints side edged past Munster in the 2000 Heineken Cup final at Twickenham, thanks in part to a quartet of missed kicks by Ronan O’Gara.

Lam spoke yesterday of the pressure the Saints placed on the young O’Gara that day, but pointed to the manner in which the out-half absorbed the experience as he went on to enjoy a legendary career in the green of Ireland and the red of both Munster and the British and Irish Lions.