Pete Wilkins hails impact of Pacific Island duo at Connacht

“I think both of those lads have been very important to us in the last couple of weeks in particular,” said Wilkins.

26 February 2022; Leva Fifita of Connacht is tackled by Steven Kitshoff of DHL Stormers during the United Rugby Championship match between Connacht and DHL Stormers at The Sportsground in Galway. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Connacht senior coach Pete Wilkins has praised the impact of two Pacific Islanders in helping turn their season around over the past two weekends with victories away to Scarlets and at home to the Stormers putting them right back in the mix for the business end of the URC and Champions Cup qualification.

Tongan lock Leva Fifita was man of the match against the South Africans, just a week after a try-scoring performance against the Scarlets ended with a controversial seconding-off after two yellow cards which merited no further action. The 32-year old, who had played under current Connacht forwards coach Dewald Senekal at Grenoble, was signed last summer after Quinn Roux left for France.