A method of manufacturing a connection system comprising a composite connector (2, 102) and a fluid transfer conduit, the method comprising: manufacturing a tubular pre-form (310, 600) which extends substantially parallel to a central axis, the tubular pre-form (310, 600) comprising continuous circumferentially-oriented fibre reinforcement (110, 312, 604); manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net (300, 400, 500), the pre-form net comprising a support layer (306, 406, 506) and continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504), the continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504) being secured by being stitched to the support layer (306, 406, 506); placing the tubular pre-form (310, 600) and the pre-form net (300, 400, 500) together into a mould to form a tubular hub portion (6, 106) from the tubular pre-form (310, 600) and a flange portion (8, 108) from the pre-form net (300, 400, 500), the flange portion (8, 108) extending from the hub portion (6, 106) at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector (2, 102) comprising the flange portion (8, 108) and the hub portion (6, 106); forming an adjacent pair of fixing points (10, 114, 308, 408, 508) in the flange portion (8, 108) including arranging the continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504) in the pre-form net (300, 400, 500) to encircle the adjacent pair of fixing points (10, 114, 308, 408, 508); and connecting a fibre-reinforced fluid transfer conduit to the hub portion, wherein the composition and orientation of the fibre reinforcement (110, 312, 604) within the hub portion (6, 106) is selected such that the coefficient of thermal expansion and/or the stiffness of the hub portion (6, 106) substantially matches that of the fluid transfer conduit. manufacturing a tubular pre-form (310, 600) which extends substantially parallel to a central axis, the tubular pre-form (310, 600) comprising continuous circumferentially-oriented fibre reinforcement (110, 312, 604); manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net (300, 400, 500), the pre-form net comprising a support layer (306, 406, 506) and continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504), the continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504) being secured by being stitched to the support layer (306, 406, 506); placing the tubular pre-form (310, 600) and the pre-form net (300, 400, 500) together into a mould to form a tubular hub portion (6, 106) from the tubular pre-form (310, 600) and a flange portion (8, 108) from the pre-form net (300, 400, 500), the flange portion (8, 108) extending from the hub portion (6, 106) at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector (2, 102) comprising the flange portion (8, 108) and the hub portion (6, 106); forming an adjacent pair of fixing points (10, 114, 308, 408, 508) in the flange portion (8, 108) including arranging the continuous fibre reinforcement (112, 304, 404, 504) in the pre-form net (300, 400, 500) to encircle the adjacent pair of fixing points (10, 114, 308, 408, 508); and connecting a fibre-reinforced fluid transfer conduit to the hub portion, wherein the composition and orientation of the fibre reinforcement (110, 312, 604) within the hub portion (6, 106) is selected such that the coefficient of thermal expansion and/or the stiffness of the hub portion (6, 106) substantially matches that of the fluid transfer conduit.