'It was just turned down by the IRFU because he is a foreigner. Mitch was going to cost nothing'

Pat Lam said an effort to bring his own son in for three weeks to help offset an injury crisis in Connacht was shot down by the IRFU because he is a foreign player.

Mitch Lam played for the Connacht Eagles and Galwegians earlier this season but efforts to draft in the 23-year-old in the midst of a crippling spate of injuries to his backline were unsuccessful, even though it would not have cost Connacht money.

Connacht, with big South African signing Marnitz Boshoff out until March and Craig Ronaldson and Shane O’Leary not back yet after lengthy spells out, could now be heading to play Ospreys this weekend with replacement scrum-half Caolin Blade playing at out-half.