Connacht's Lam predicting tight finish in race for play-offs

Injury-hit Connacht endured a difficult trip to Thomond Park at the weekend, conceding six tries as Munster ran out 42-20 winners.

In truth, the first hour was a much closer affair than the scoreline suggests, with Connacht trailing just 14-6.

But, led by man of the match CJ Stander, Munster clocked up four further tries with backs Simon Zebo, Andrew Smith, Denis Hurley and Keith Earls adding to earlier scores from Billy Holland and Duncan Casey.

Miah Nikora and Shane O'Leary also crossed for Connacht but it did little to affect the scoreline and a result which leaves the Galway side in the top half on points difference alone.

And with four games left to stay in the mix, Lam knows his side need to dust themselves down and go again.

"It (the final stage of the game) is not a reflection of who we are and the work that we have done but also the work we are doing in the previous 55 minutes," he told the Irish Examiner.

"These boys do work hard and some of the tries were good bounces of the ball, a bit of fortune and a lot of good Munster play. So we just have to, as I said to the boys, not get too down on that.

"It's in our control still and we haven't dropped out of it for the whole season. Certainly, we have got four games to try and stay in there. It is going to be a close finish right through."

Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to our YouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12