Kiwi duo rule out move to Connacht

Connacht’s search for a successor to Pat Lam will continue without two of the fancied contenders following confirmation that former All Blacks Tony Brown and Jono Gibbes are not in the running.

Former All Blacks out-half Tony Brown emerged as a favourite over the weekend but has since dismissed the move, while in France, Gibbes has made it clear he is not leaving Clermont Auvergne.

Brown will coach the Highlanders during the 2017 Super Rugby season before returning to Japan to link up full-time with head coach Jamie Joseph through to the end of the 2019 World Cup, which will be hosted there.

Browne, who worked with Japan during November’s test matches, was queried on the suggested move by Japanese media but told Kyodo News he knew nothing about it. “That’s the first I’ve heard about it. I am contracted to Japan until after the World Cup in 2019,” said the 41-year old.

Sources in France confirmed Gibbes is not in the running to succeed Lam.

An indirect approach was made to Gibbes to check his level of interest, but the former Leinster forwards coach made it clear he would not be in the running.

Meanwhile, Connacht are hopeful Jack Carty will be fit for their trip to France this weekend to take on Toulouse with a first ever Champions Cup quarter-final spot on the line.

The out-half said at the weekend that the knee injury picked up against Ospreys was not as bad as first feared.

Scrum-half John Cooney converted to the No 10 position for the first time in his career and produced a superb display in the 66-21 rout of Zebre on Saturday. Lam will still be hoping that Carty can make it this weekend.

Lam said they have learned over the past few seasons to take each game on its merits and while he has billed this clash with Toulouse as possibly the biggest in Connacht’s history, the key to another win at Stade Ernest Wallon will lie in the quality of their training this week.

“We’ve always been about process regardless of winning and losing, what you do well and what you can do better, and that hasn’t changed,” said Lam.

“Sticking to that process for four years now has enabled us to isolate the things we can do better, rather than being bogged down by thinking things are terrible.”

A losing bonus point could be enough for Connacht to qualify but they will head into the final round leading the pool from four-time winners Toulouse and Wasps.