BUNDEE AKI PLACED his chair on the dog track that separates the Clan Stand from the pitch at the Galway Sportsground, giving him the best seat in the house.

Next to him, Ultan Dillane was wearing a matching baseball cap. Neither man did much sitting, each up onto their feet to shout out instruction or encouragement – Connacht’s super fans. There was a time, and it wasn’t too long ago, when you wouldn’t have held out much hope of Connacht pulling off a win like this – six tries to zero against a former European Cup finalist – without either player on the pitch.

There was another time, again not that long ago, when you wouldn’t have fancied their pack to cope without Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan or Finlay Bealham starting. Those who got their chance in the front row yesterday certainly had their issues at scrum time, yet Connacht survived. They won 36-9 and did so with a good few others: Gavin Thornbury, Paul Boyle, Tom Daly, Tom Farrell, Mack Hansen.

Yet even when they are down men, they were still able to pick and choose. Dillane and Heffernan were both available to start but Andy Friend trusted the alternatives, Shane Delahunt and Oisin Dowling. Niall Murray was equally outstanding.

Murray steals a line-out. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

“In fairness to Ultie he’d been crooked during the week,” said Andy Friend, Connacht’s coach. “We had Leva (Fifita) pull out late, we had Ultie crooked, we have Gav Thornbury still on the injury list so we had Ultie there just in case, because we thought we were going to be another lock down yesterday. There’s a great contest in that spot.” 

And not just in the second-row.

“Finlay Bealham – our international tighthead – pulls out yesterday morning and up steps Dom (Robertson-McCoy) and Jack Aungier and we go OK. It’s nice seeing that depth that we’re building.”

It’s going to be needed. Leicester Tigers, the Premiership leaders, are next at Welford Road. Then there are the Christmas interpros, two rounds of Europe coming after that, a relentless schedule. Often, what we’ve noticed with Connacht in the past, is that the fixture list catches up with them when we least expect, like earlier this season when they were beaten at home by Dragons of all teams.

So, you could see the logic in Friend’s thinking yesterday. Rest Dillane and Heffernan when you can, especially when their direct replacements, Oisin Dowling and Shane Delahunt, can be trusted to deliver.

Porch scores one of Connacht's six tries. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

“Our line-out was outstanding yesterday,” said Friend.

Other things were, too. Ten minutes from the end, the score was 19-9. Stade pushed Connacht back in two successive scrums and were showing more interest in the fight than at any other stage of the afternoon.

There were so many times last year when Connacht had moments like this and ultimately came up short, especially against the better resourced sides. This time they went for the kill, scoring three tries in the final 10 minutes.

“My message to the boys in the dressing room afterwards was simple,” said Friend. “It was a frustrating game; because I didn’t feel we got going, but at the same time I’m extremely pleased with the way we rallied to get the (late) scores.

“It’s a different way of winning than we’ve won this year. Our A-zone completion;  and Jack was instrumental in that, was excellent. So far this season, (the moves for our tries stemmed) from a little bit further out. We won yesterday in a different style.”

You kind of have to do that in Europe, for despite the presence of 16 teams from five different countries, the URC can seem a bit samey from week-to-week.

Here it’s harder. You come across more internationals on the opposition team-sheet; bigger men, bigger salaries, bigger tests. The one next week is as hard as it gets.

“We struggled at times to contain Stade’s maul yesterday, and there are a few things we’ll have to adapt to next week, because Leicester Tigers will throw more of that at us.

“We were over at Welford Road last year. That scoreline blew out the tail end but with 15 minutes to go there was two points in it. We’re a better side this year, as are they, but if we play our style of rugby they’ll have to work hard to contain it. If they play their style, we’ll have to work hard; it should be a good contest.”