Andy Friend blasts Ulster for using 'captain's challenge' to try and get Abraham Papali’i carded

NOT HAPPY: Connacht head coach Andy Friend was 'cranky' after Ulster used a challenge to try and get one of his players sent to the sin bin.

Connacht coach Andy Friend was peeved that Ulster used the new ‘captain’s challenge’ to try to get No 8 Abraham Papali’i carded in the closing stages of their Rainbow Cup clash at Kingspan Stadium.

Papali’i, a former rugby league player in his native New Zealand and France, was sent off twice in his opening four games for Connacht after making the move last summer.

But Friend said that Papali’i, who is 6’4” and weighs over 19 stone, has worked extremely hard on his tackle technique and executed a perfect hit on Matty Rea just before Ulster’s Dave Shanahan got in for a try to edge in front six minutes from time.

“It was a really good tackle. He lined him up and he hit him fair and square,” said Friend after his side's dramatic 26-24 win. “Sometimes when you get hit by a truck you want to ask ‘what just happened’ but I got really cranky with that call.

“That man has been working so hard on his tackle technique and what he doesn’t need is a really clean tackle then being put under the microscope.

“I was frustrated by that one because they had just scored a try, leave it alone, that’s a footy collision and it was a good collision and they wasted their captain’s challenge on it.”

Papali’i endured a nightmare start to his Connacht career, picking up a three-match ban when he was sent off against Munster on his debut in August. He was banned for five matches when he was again red-carded against Zebre in his third game after returning from suspension.

Friend said it wasn’t for him to wonder if the earlier red cards were a factor in Ulster’s decision to use their challenge but he spoke briefly to Ulster coach Dan McFarland about it afterwards.

Connacht snatched victory at the death when stand-in skipper Eoghan Masterson used his captain’s challenge to win a penalty and replacement winger Peter Sullivan scored in the corner after they went to touch.

“In talking quickly with Dan (McFarland) he said the bloke who got hit thought he had got hit high but it wasn’t and that’s what happens when you get hit by a good rugby shot,” added Friend.

“I thought Abraham was fantastic and I thought we used our captain’s call really, really wisely and I’m pleased we had it there at the tail-end.

“Abraham has put a lot of work into his tackle technique and other elements of his game. We knew when we brought him over here as a project and in fairness to Abe he has worked really, really hard after not the best start.

“I thought it was unfair when he got the second five-week suspension but he has kept his patience. His wife is living over in New Zealand, he hasn’t dropped his bundle, and he gets over there and performs like that. He’s a very exciting player and I couldn’t have been more proud of him,” Friend added.