In-form Alex Wootton surpassing expectations at Connacht 

Head coach Friend confirmed yesterday that Wootton is available to face Munster under the terms of his loan from the province

Connacht's Alex Wootton scores a try in the PRO14 win over Leinster. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

He was not exactly set for the glue factory but when Andy Friend took Alex Wootton on a season-long loan from Munster last summer he was not expecting to get a thoroughbred racehorse.

The Cheshire-born wing’s try against Leinster at the RDS last Saturday as Connacht upset the form books to inflict a first Guinness PRO14 defeat on the champions since April 2019 was the 26-year-old’s seventh in nine appearances for the westerners and tees up his renewal of acquaintances at the Sportsground on Saturday with his parent province nicely.