Lam enjoyed plenty of success with the Irish province as director of rugby, winning the PRO12 in 2016 and guiding them to several Challenge Cup quarter-finals before moving to Bristol in 2017.

Bristol forwards coach John Muldoon also spent all his playing career at Connacht, before hanging up his boots and joining Lam at the English Premiership outfit.

With both sides needing a win following defeats in their opening Heineken Champions Cup matches, Friend stressed the rivalry between the two sides and the quality that the Challenge Cup holders possess.

“Bristol is a team that continues to grow and get better,” said the Australian. “I thought they had a very good Premiership last year and then to go and win the Challenge Cup was a great honour for them.

“Pat Lam, John Muldoon and a few others are coming back to Galway, so they’ll be very keen to put in a winning performance on what used to be their home turf.

“At the same time, we’ll be very keen to make sure that doesn’t happen, so it will be a great rivalry.”

Friend noted the step up in level from domestic matches to Heineken Champions Cup ties, with his side having performed admirably to take a losing bonus point from their 26-22 defeat at 2020 finalists Racing 92 last weekend.

“You probably just know that the standard of the opposition is a level up,” he added. “So, in terms of getting up for that game, it becomes very, very easy for the players because they know they’re up against world-class players and world-class teams.

“You know when you’re in the Heineken Champions Cup, you’ve got to be on your best performance and you know that if you’re not on your best performance, the opposition are going to hurt you.

“At the same time, if you are, it’s probably the greatest test that you’re going to get to see where you are as a squad and where you are as an individual.”

Connacht Rugby head coach Andy Friend has stated that his side are ready for “a great rivalry” when Pat Lam’s Bristol Bears visit Galway on Sunday in a Heineken Champions Cup Round 2 clash.