Andy Friend predicts that Bundee Aki will be in 'warrior' mode when he wins his 100th Connacht cap on Sunday.
The westerners boss reckons Aki is in the shape of his life after working hard through lockdown - and that Munster will feel the brunt of that work.
"What’s been really impressive is just the way he’s changed his body shape," said Friend.
"He’s looking lean, he’s looking big and he wants to put that on show on Sunday and in any other game he plays.
"I've only known him for two years but he's as fit as I've seen him in those two years.
"I remember watching him in a video when Connacht won the Pro12 in 2016 and Bundee was a wrecking ball.
"He was in the early 100 (kg) and he got down to the low 90s for the World Cup.
"And now he's in between, if not up the higher end of that, which I think suits his game.
"He's a warrior and his route is route one - so he'll go over the top if he tries to. And if he's got that additional weight and it's good weight, he'll be a pretty hard man to stop.
"You know what Bundee is, he’s a warrior - he’s a super, super competitor.
"Given that it’s his 100 on Sunday that’s just added incentive for him, no doubt.
"But Bundee gives his best whenever he’s playing whether it’s his first cap, 100th cap , 50th cap whatever it is. You know you’re going to get something positive out of him."
Friend expects Tiernan O'Halloran to be fit but Matt Healy is returning from a leg injury and is likely to be involved, along with Oisin Dowling.
