Connacht have announced that Director of rugby Andy Friend will leave the province when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Australian took over as Head Coach of the province in 2018 before taking on the role of Director of Rugby at the beginning of this term. In his four years as head coach, Friend masterminded a first win away from home to Ulster in 58 years, and just last year, the Irish province qualified for the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time in their history.
In a statement released on Connacht Rugby's website, Friend stated that the decision to leave at the end of this season was made when he signed a two-year contract extension in 2021.
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“My wife Kerri and I have made the decision that our time at Connacht Rugby will finish at the end of this season," begins Friend's statement.
"This was always on the cards when I signed my two-year extension in 2021, and one that I discussed openly with Willie and Connacht Rugby.
"It’s certainly not an easy decision to make as we have both genuinely loved everything about our time here in the West of Ireland. From the minute we arrived we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel very much a part of the community and the rich history of the Club.
"I am very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve both on and off the field as a Team since our arrival, and am driven to do everything in my power to ensure this season is the best one yet.”
In the same statement, Connacht CEO Willie Ruane paid tribute to the impact Friend has had on the province since his arrival four years ago.
“We’ve been fully aware from when Andy signed his last contract extension with us, that this would be his last, and that he would be moving on at the end of this season," said Ruane.
"While we are sad to see him go and he will be sorely missed across the organisation, we are very thankful for all he has done for the province in the past five seasons, both on and off the field.
"In that time, he has led us to many successful days, buying into the Connacht ethos and brand of rugby while overseeing significant changes to our Professional player & coaching profiles.
"He also embraced life in the West of Ireland, engaging fully with our grassroots clubs around the province and all levels of our Player Pathway Programme. That is evident in the number of players that Andy has promoted from our Academy to make their Connacht debuts in recent years.
"I’d like to wish Andy, his wife Kerri and the rest of their family every health and happiness for the future.”
Prior to taking the job, Friend had never stayed in a role for more than three seasons. At the end of this campaign, he will have been with Connacht for almost five years.
To date, Friend's record stands at 51 wins in 105 games. 51 players have been handed their Connacht debuts by the Australian, with 21 of those coming through the Connacht academy program.
The Province have stated that the task of finding Friend's replacement is already under way.
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