Connacht's fine run needs final push in tight URC play-off race
CONNACHT FANS CAN already feel excited about how they are shaping up for next season, but the next two weeks could ensure a promising campaign ends on a real high for Stuart Lancaster’s side.
Entering the final two rounds of the URC regular season, Connacht go into games against Munster (home) and Edinburgh (away) looking to squeeze into the top eight and with that, reach the play-offs and qualify for next season’s Champions Cup.
This time last year Connacht were 14th on just 35 points, needing a miracle to make a late surge up the table. Twelve months on, they look revitalised and have momentum on their side heading into the crunch weeks of the season.
The 25 April loss to the Lions ended Connacht’s six-game winning run in the URC and while that result stalled their progress, the impressive work over the previous weeks and months ensures they remain right in the hunt.
Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
Connacht were ninth in the table heading into this weekend’s games, and after last night’s results the province are five points off the eighth-place Bulls.
Finishing in the top eight would be an excellent end to an encouraging season, but if they fall short it won’t wipe out the progress made under Lancaster, even if it would feel an underwhelming end to their current run. Last season Connacht limped home in 13th place, losing 12 of their 18 URC fixtures, so this campaign has already been a marked improvement.
We recently covered how a core of young players have seized their chance under Lancaster, and given the Englishman is still in his first season out west, it will be fascinating to see how Connacht develop once he starts to put more of his own shape on the squad.
Connacht are losing a huge amount of experience over the summer, with the long-serving Jack Carty and Denis Buckey both finishing up, while second-row Joe Joyce (32) and promising scrum-half Matthew Devine (24) are also packing their bags.
Yesterday it was confirmed that Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Peter Dooley, David Hawkshaw, Chay Mullins, Oisín McCormack and Temi Lasisi will also finish up at the end of the season.
That reads something like an exodus, but does match up with a plan Lancaster pointed to earlier this year. Speaking in January, the Connacht boss said: “We ideally need to bring more quality in and in some ways reduce the size of the squad at the moment and actually trust the young players more.”
Indeed, the province have made some exciting moves which suggests they will have an even stronger group heading into next season.
Earlier this week it was announced that The Dexcom will be the next stop on Jerry Cahir’s remarkable journey, while experienced loosehead Francois Van Wyk will also join from Bath.
Despite links with a move abroad, Shamus Hurley-Langton has signed up for another season and will become Irish-qualified next year. With Leinster’s Will Connors also on board for next season, Connacht will boast nice depth at openside.
Connors, 30, has had his injury troubles and has been limited to just eight games this season, but if he can stay fit he should have plenty of road left in his legs.
At 28, Ciarán Frawley is in his prime years and will join Connacht on the back of an excellent season with Leinster, during which he worked his way back into Andy Farrell’s Ireland plans.
Frawley has continued to be used as a versatile backline option for Leinster – his only starts this season coming at 12 and 15 – but could be revitalised as an out-half with Lancaster’s Connacht. Already an experienced international player, there is a temptation to believe the Skerries man’s best years are waiting for him in the west.
This is in addition to some of the positive moves already made over the last year.
Sam Gilbert has been a quality addition at fullback. Steve Haag Sports / Darren Stewart/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / Darren Stewart/INPHO / Darren Stewart/INPHO
Along with the emerging promising young talent on the books, Sam Gilbert has been an assured, quality addition at fullback and quickly established himself as a key man under Lancaster.
In his first season Gilbert has started 16 games and despite the famously challenging kicking conditions at his home stadium, the New Zealander tops the URC kicking stats (nailing 30 of his 34 attempts for an 88.24% success rate).
An exciting future is shaping up, but Connacht have enough on their plate to keep the focus on the coming weeks.
They must sense opportunity against a depleted Munster in Galway tonight [KO 7.45pm, TG4/Premier Sports], who arrive on the back of another troubling week.
It’s understood Munster staff have been informed of plans to seek compulsory redundancies within the organisation, while separately, the messy Roger Randle story won’t go away any time soon. While an independent review is expected to take place around that situation, Clayton McMillan appeared to question whether he has the IRFU’s support to continue as Munster head coach. McMillan also made it clear he feels changes are needed within Munster if he is to continue in the job.
With Tadhg Beirne and Jack Crowley among the key men missing tonight, it looks a tall order for a Munster side who at least have a little wiggle room heading into the closing rounds.
For all the noise surrounding the province, victory at a sold-out Dexcom Stadium would secure Munster their play-off place and leave them eyeing up a home quarter-final. In fact, Connacht are the only team outside the top eight who can catch Munster over these next two rounds.
Connacht have more pressure and expectation on their shoulders as they look to book their spot in the top eight. Given the permutations in a tight play-off race, the province simply need to do their own job and hope results elsewhere fall in their favour.
Find the form they’ve shown since the turn of the year, and they look well capable of doing just that.
CONNACHT: Sam Gilbert; Shane Jennings, Harry West, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Billy Bohan, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Sam Illo; Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy; Cian Prendergast (capt), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Eoin de Buitléar, Peter Dooley, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Paul Boyle, Matthew Devine, Jack Carty, Seán Naughton.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Alex Nankivell, Dan Kelly, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey (capt); Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Michael Ala’alatoa; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, Conor Bartley, Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson, Ben O’Donovan, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Peter Martin [IRFU].
