IF THERE IS to be a miraculous comeback, then it starts here.
Connacht’s Champions Cup campaign, which looked so healthy until around an hour into their visit to Toulouse, is dangerously close to seeing its end.
Last weekend’s bonus point loss leaves them with just four points after three matches. A maximum return from here on out is an extremely tall order and even then they would need results and points tallies in other pools to fall kindly.
As long as it remains possible, though, Connacht and their high-tempo, frenetic all-action style are tough to rule out fully. Head coach Andy Friend, who spoke about the confidence struggles of Jack Carty in the wake of the loss in England, has rolled the dice with his selection.
The Ireland international is moved from 10 to fullback to accomodate the in-form Conor Fitzgerald and the move to twin playmakers promises no shortage of excitement in Connacht’s game when they take the field at the Sportsground at 12.45 (BT Sport) Saturday.
John Porch, who was a bright spark for the western province when deployed as a makeshift fullback, reverts back to the wing. It’s in the pack where the strains of the six-day turnaround are felt as Friend retains just two of the eight who started in Kingsholm and a 6-2 split on the bench signals an intent to finish strong.
Gloucester have been thinking along the same lines, mind, with Danny Cipriani, Franco Mostert and Ben Morgan among six front-liners bumped to the bench. The Cherry and Whites, on the verge of meeting their European fate last weekend, can now count themselves in the hunt for a quarter-final.
Without wishing to sound like Our Tory Friends, Europe is not the be all and end all. And the way Connacht’s away fixtures have panned out in recent weeks there is a growing sense that they would be best-served by shifting focus off the Heineken Cup and onto the Pro14. Plough onwards from their current second-place in Conference B to qualification for the Champions Cup in 2020/21 rather than attempting to spin both plates.
Of the four provinces, Connacht are the one who must cut their cloth the tightest. Friend highlighted that fact last month when noting that he and his team travel to Dublin for a commercial flights while their inter-pro rivals charter planes and can fill them out with supporters club and other stakeholders.
There is an acute awareness of resources on the field too, particularly in a season in which Connacht are beset by injury. Colby Fainga’a suffered a recurrence of a knee injury and joins a group of sidelined players that includes Matt Healy, Tom Farrell, Sean O’Brien, Gavin Thornbury, Cillian Gallagher and Tiernan O’Halloran.
The benefit of that stretch comes for 20-year-old Athlone man Niall Murray who gets a place on the bench. Quinn Roux has been taken out of the firing line after playing all 80 minutes for three straight weeks. Friend clearly feels he is running the second rows hard as it is without pushing his primary lock to the limit.
“We’re working off three second rowers and we’ve got to manage those men too,” the Australian said post-match on Sunday.
“When you have only got three fit and available for you they are getting every rep in training as well. You can wear them out of you are not careful.
“So it is just how we manage those things as well. We want to be winning in the Sportsground, there’s no doubt about that. It’s a game we want to win and I still feel that if everything goes our way we can still get our out of this pool.”
Whatever happens from here on for Connacht, they’ll be well worth watching.
Connacht
15. Jack Carty
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Kyle Godwin
12. Bundee Aki
11. John Porch
10. Conor Fitzgerald
9. Caolin Blade
1. Peter McCabe
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Dominic Robertson McCoy
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Joe Maksymiw
6. Eoin McKeon
7. Jarrad Butler (Capt)
8. Paul Boyle
Replacements
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Buckley
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Niall Murray
20. Eoghan Masterson
21. Stephen Kerins
22. Tom Daly
23. Robin Copeland
Gloucester
15. Matt Banahan
14. Louis Rees-Zammit
13. Billy Twelvetrees
12. Mark Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley
10. Lloyd Evans
9. Callum Braley
1. Josh Hohneck
2. Todd Gleave
3. Fraser Balmain
4. Alex Craig
5. Gerbrandt Grobler
6. Freddie Clarke
7. Lewis Ludlow (Capt)
8. Ruan Ackermann
Replacements:
16. Franco Marais
17. Alex Seville
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Franco Mostert
20. Ben Morgan
21. Joe Simpson
22. Danny Cipriani
23. Chris Harris
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Why is there a Hollywood star in the picture lads?
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Didn’t go for glory at the end either, just passed the ball on to COB to put the game away. Israel Folau should take note.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: sporting icon
Fair play to Leinster, it got sticky in a game that should have been straight forward but they hung in there and got the job done and came home with the bonus point win. There were some very average performances in the first half, especially from the all international front row who were all outplayed but the half time chat got them all more focussed. Fardy did well and Deegan put in some big numbers. Thought o brien did well at 12 too and so did Gibson Park. Perfect result for Cullen, maximum points but plenty of work ons for the young lads come Monday morning.
Porter is one of the most overrated players at the moment. Has little to no influence over a game and is average at best. Without bias to munster I would put him below stephen archer
@The_Muffin_Man: good joke im sure stephen archer is in the ireland squad too
@The_Muffin_Man: well for the bench, Ryan a better all round option maybe.
@The_Muffin_Man: about time someone called this. Porter is really struggling for form at the moment and it’s a worry if Furlong gets injured. The gulf is massive
@The_Muffin_Man: what absolute shite talk. Porter is still firmly 2 for Ireland.
@The_Muffin_Man: I cringe watching him trot around the park. Nothing in open play but excellent in the scrum.
@The_Muffin_Man: 1 bad game, he is a class ahead of Ryan. Deluded
Carty has to start against Italy
@Anthony: why?
@Jim Demps: Because he’s a Connacht player and Anthony is extremely biased towards Connacht players.
@Ian Verdon: had he led with Ultan Dillane, he would have snapped up 50 recs by now. Dillane was outstanding. Looks like he’s really enjoying his rugby.
@grandslamkbo: Yeah dillane is back to his destructive best, it’s brilliant to see. His carriers were so explosive tonight and I would love him to start against Italy.
@Ian Verdon: haha keep biting lads lol
Lucky lucky boys
@rowan hill: A lucky 16 point, 6 try win away? I’ll take it!
@Oval Digest: Yep. They really dicked about in those 10 minutes before half time. Lost composure everywhere and the state of that Dave Kearney ‘tackle’ for the 3rd Zebre try!! Their conference is as good as over but some of the players are trying to get back in the national squad. They need to do much better. But, like you, I’ll take it. Plenty of home games left aswell.
10 points from securing 1st place at this stage. The league is brutal at stages (teams not sending teams to win away) tied in with Leinster being very good in others.
Watched it again, COB , Doris, deagan and moloney where all very good.
The best player on the pitch was JGP. His box kicks were very good and not for the first time this season set up a box kick and sniped a sneaky pass from the base allowing massive yards
You might aswell have called them “Zebra”