Connacht fans were left reeling on Monday morning over the news that Pat Lam would be leaving the province at the end of the season.
After four memorable seasons with the Westerners, Lam will move onto Bristol. The English outfit are expected to drop down to the second tier after losing all 10 of their Aviva Premiership games this season.
Talk about rubbing salt into the wounds https://t.co/w28G7pwy88
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 5, 2016
Lam admitted in a statement that his decision to leave the province was one of the ‘most difficult decisions of his life’. This will come as little consolation to Connacht supporters though, as they lose the man who guided the province to their first ever Guinness Pro12 title last season.
The news comes shortly after the departure of another key member of the province’s coaching staff.
Two months ago, it was confirmed that backs and skills coach Dave Ellis would return to New Zealand to take up a full-time role as skills coach for the Blues.
Pat Lam and @bundeeaki12 – The two pillars of @connachtrugby's remarkable PRO12 season https://t.co/uKL5w6FDAn
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 20, 2016
The news hasn’t gone down well with Bundee Aki. Connacht’s New Zealand-born centre turned down offers from Bordeaux and Munster in October in order to commit his future to the province by signing a two-year extension.
His two-word, one emoji tweet minutes after the announcement went public seemed to suggest he did not approve of the move in the slightest.
https://twitter.com/bundeeaki12/status/805714990921609220
WATCH: Liverpool BOTTLED the title race 🤬 | Who will win the Premier League?
