Friend says all pressure is piled on Ulster for Friday's quarter-final showdown

Connacht have been beaten twice this season by Ulster, losing 36-10 on the opening weekend in Belfast and then going down 22-20 at the Sportsground in December, but Friend says they have improved enormously since then.

PRESSURE ON ULSTER:Andy Friend says all of the pressure is heaped on Ulster in Friday night’s URC quarter-final clash. Pic:Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Andy Friend says all of the pressure is heaped on Ulster in Friday night’s URC quarter-final clash in what will be his final game in charge of Connacht if they lose in Belfast.

But Friend, who is leaving Connacht after five years, is boosted by the availability of Irish internationals Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen, both of whom missed their final scheduled game away to Glasgow Warriors the weekend before last through illness.