THERE ARE A few ways to keep rugby on a roll in Connacht; academy systems, crowd numbers, television, finance, European Cup qualification, and big name signings.
With Mils Muliaina, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw and Kieran Marmion all lining out in Galway next season it will be the first time since the days of Geoghegan and Jim Staples that they’ll have as exciting a backline as the other three provinces.
Rob Penney suggested that the Muliaina signing may hold back young Irish talent, which is in line with the views of a lot of fans around the country, but Leinster, Ulster and Munster only made their breakthroughs with the help of some brilliant foreign players.
Every team needs a kickstart, and Connacht’s ambitions off the field merely reflect the fact that in the next few years, if they’re to survive, they’ll have to start finishing ahead of other Irish teams in the Celtic League. With Scotland and Italy guaranteed one side in Europe, and with fewer Rabo Pro slots available overall, Connacht are now up against the other Irish provinces as much as they are against those from other countries, which partially explains Penney’s comments yesterday.
Pat Lam says Connacht’s player budget wasn’t increased, but either way they reportedly outbid Leinster and Munster for Bundee Aki (the best centre currently on the market according to Bernard Jackman), which is maybe the most interesting part of this whole chapter — either they have put all their cash in the Aki/Muliaina basket, the IRFU are guiding things, or Leinster and Munster don’t have much spare cash.
Connacht are still adrift of the big three in terms of crowd numbers, success on the field and finance but in relative terms the four provinces have never been closer in standard.
Having at one point looked like they could be a dominant force in Europe for a decade, Leinster have now slipped to the point where they may be the third best Irish team next year. O’Driscoll, Sexton and Leo Cullen are gone, and their only big signing in the last two years was Zane Kirchener at fullback, who so far hasn’t got picked in the big games.
Its difficult to judge what sort of job Matt O’Connor has done this year; they are consistent and dogged and defiant and direct, but this is also the most conservative side the province have produced. It doesn’t seem possible that skill levels would peak and trough depending on who the coach is but if you were to judge them on the Toulon and Ulster performances then you would have to conclude there is a problem in this area.
Ulster now have the best stadium, the best recruitment strategy, and the smartest director of rugby, but still lack self belief and until they win something will not consider themselves proper heavy hitters. For all the improvements they have made, the pressure will only increase if they don’t win the Rabo Pro this year.
Of the four, Munster are the most difficult to judge. Apparently adding more strings to their bow and building something very different to anything seen in the province before now, yet losing the coaches and one of the key players (Casey Laulala) that defined this period. Anthony Foley inherits a side that have made two European Cup semis in a row, but he may also have to completely restructure the backline play next season.
Connacht know they will only be given a few years to bridge the gap to the big three, but they also know that the big three have major flaws at the moment. Tradition, fan numbers and playing populations are all factors they’ve to overcome, but the Western Force (Perth, Australia) are a good example of how quickly things can change.
They’ve only produced one Western Australia born professional rugby player, are usually bottom of the Super Rugby table, and didnt exist until 2006 but this season they’re arguably the best side in Australia, have their own superstar Nick Cummins, they’re getting bigger crowds than the NSW Waratahs and have a real shot at making the playoffs. It can be done.
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“Ulster now have the best stadium”? Surely Thomond…
If we had a 10 to match rest of backline we be laughing
Our lack of a consistent goal kicker may cost us next season..
Carty and Ronaldson decent players with good potential but they tend leave alot of points behind them from the tee..
Hope Clarke is given green light and Heenan and Faloon fit for next season
Exciting times!
Very good piece of journalism by mr hick.
Quite pathetic remarks from penny in my opinion.
I’d agree Liam team is still light in a few positions, hopefully lam has another ace or two up his sleeve.
The Pro12 will be very interesting next year.
“Leinster have now slipped to the point where they may be the third best Irish team”??? seriously?
Honestly this author always has a load of nonsense in his pieces
He said may be. There is not a whole between 3 of them really but jury is still very much out on O’connor. That said, there is no guarantee Foley will deliver next yr either. With some big departures in Ulster this yr too, maybe Connacht really can narrow the gap.
Connacht are doing the right thing. They don’t come under the same rules as the other provinces so they can use that to their advantage, if they didn’t their not doing their job. If they can raise the profile of the team it means bums on seats, more commercial revenue which all leads to better players coming in and hopefully success on the pitch. Fair play to them.
I think it’s time that IRFU started to realise that if our provinces are to compete in Europe in the next few years, there has to be more private ownership/funding. Yes it’s brilliant for Connacht and That they can attract players like Aki and Mils Muliana, but how can Munster be competitive if all they can sign from abroad is a 29 year old Australian journeyman, who is known as a crash ball centre when they desperately need distribution skills ? It’s time to get our own millionaires involved in provincial rugby, while still prioritising the national team !
It’s not that easy though is it. Generally speaking millionaires won’t part with their money unless they can have input into how things are run, if you want their millions then they will expect to have a say in things and then you have a conflict of interests between the IRFU wanting to develop the national team and club investors who only care about their club.
Ulster now have the best stadium, the best recruitment strategy, and the smartest director of rugby: They got worse from last year; recruitment is just go down to South Africa and ask anyone if they want to play a game
They lose their captain and 2 starting props this year.
Munster- who exactly has been their great signings over the last 2 years?
The reason Kirchener doesn’t play in big games is because its so hard to get in to the team… just Jordi Murphy
Leinster have won at least 17 games in the Rabo each of the last 3 years (if they win their final game this year) Only 3 other teams have won 17 games in the same period… in any year.
You are correct of course and all your red thumbs are from bitter disgruntled supporters of other teams.
Laulala defined the recent Munster form for sure :
Great reputation , but very patchy
People forget that not just ROG and Howlett moved on but Warwick , Mafi and Tipoki did too , and then closer to home guys like Barry Murphy , Ian Dowling etc had to quit.
Not sure about the signing of Mils. There was a time when he’d be worth the entry fee to any matvh he was involved in on his own. But those days are past andnthe fact that he got his big pay cheque in Japan, then came back to NZ for more Super Rugby but has now chosen to hean to Connacht for no HC/New HC comp rugby says this is about one thing only, a last decent pay check in Euro.
I don’t blame him or anything like that for this, he has to look out for himself and his family financially, but I don’t Connacht are going to get as much out of this move as he is. Hopefully his experience and attitude can be learned from by Henshaw et al. Doubtless he has a huge amount to offer in those terms I just wont be holding my breath in respect of him scoring or setting up tries like he could in 2011.
It’s good to see Connacht via Pat Lam calling in some talent, looking primarily at Bundee in that respect, Muliaina is interesting, pretty sure he’ll be earning his coaching spurs with Lam giving him a helping hand and game time from time to time, Connacht in the old format Heineken wasn’t the best development atmosphere, it’s pressure and intense over short bursts and a team of their size suffered in the league adjusting to that but now is the chance to build a solid and structured outfit that’ll do well in the pro12 and RCC tier 2 cup, Success will of course bring them into the NIQ structure with the others but in time, expand the fan base, the ground and the game in the province first
Leinster may slip to 3rd best Irish team? Ulster have the best stadium?
Attention seeking much?
Penney 100% right, the hugely resourced connacht/ irfu conspiracy is hampering the development of funding starved munster, imagine how good munster could be if they were treated as an equal over the past several decades, were let keep their best players, were properly funded etc anyway connacht already have a good player, he should be made leave