IT IS HARD to know who had the more daunting diary dates in September and October, Liz Truss or Connacht Rugby.
The former managed to bury the Queen, the pound and her own party within six weeks. The only team Connacht buried in the same period was Munster.
You can understand why. Last season, Ulster, Stormers, Bulls and Leinster contested the URC semi-finals. Connacht met all four teams in the province’s opening five games, three away from home.
Already, they’re behind the eight ball. With one win so far this season, they’ve entered must-win territory, and it’s only round six of the competition.
After tonight, they’ll be one third of the way through the season, so if they chalk up another defeat on the board, then they really are staring at a long way back.
Considering how they have struggled to win bonus points in their season to date, the reality is that Connacht need nine, perhaps 10 wins from their concluding 13 matches to make the end-of-season play-offs. A home win against a lower-half side such as tonight’s opposition Scarlets (kick-off 7.35pm, TG4) is a must.
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The feeling then is that we’ve landed at a crossroads moment in their season. Director of Rugby, Andy Friend, admitted as much after last week’s 10-0 loss to Leinster. He’s targeting this game tonight and next weekend’s trip to Ospreys as pivotal moments in their season.
Connacht's Carty after last week's defeat. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where they need to improve if they’re to turn things around. Attack wise, they have scored the fewest points (59) of any teams in this season’s URC, managing the fewest offloads (24) and try assists (2).
Discipline wise, they’re also bottom of the table, conceding an average of 13.2 penalties per match, six from the lineout. Otherwise, they’ve had some moments, showing resolve to beat Munster despite not playing all that well, showing bite to stay in the contest last weekend against Leinster, despite a rough start.
They should find things easier tonight because, to be blunt, Scarlets may be in the same competition as Stormers, Ulster, Leinster, Bulls, but are not in the same class.
Still, Connacht must look at them, at Benetton, Cardiff and Edinburgh as their chief rivals this season, rather than Leinster, Ulster or Munster, because when it comes to scrapping for a quarter-final place, these will be the teams they’ll be jostling with for that spot.
They can get there. The one advantage of getting such a horrific start is that you inevitably will get easier matches at some stage. Seven of Connacht’s remaining games are at home while the six away ties include trips to Zebre and Dragons. There’s still time then for them to turn this season around but they need to start soon.
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (CAPT), Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Leva Fifita, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Colm Reilly, Cathal Forde, Alex Wootton
Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny, Johnny McNicholl, Steff Evans, Jonathan Davies (CAPT), Ryan Conbeer, Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy, Steff Thomas, Ken Owens, Harri O’Connor, Jac Price, Tom Price, Josh Macleod, Dan Thomas, Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Iwan Shenton, Dane Blacker, Rhys Patchell, Corey Baldwin
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There is still time for Connacht to turn their season around - but they need to start soon
IT IS HARD to know who had the more daunting diary dates in September and October, Liz Truss or Connacht Rugby.
The former managed to bury the Queen, the pound and her own party within six weeks. The only team Connacht buried in the same period was Munster.
You can understand why. Last season, Ulster, Stormers, Bulls and Leinster contested the URC semi-finals. Connacht met all four teams in the province’s opening five games, three away from home.
Already, they’re behind the eight ball. With one win so far this season, they’ve entered must-win territory, and it’s only round six of the competition.
After tonight, they’ll be one third of the way through the season, so if they chalk up another defeat on the board, then they really are staring at a long way back.
Considering how they have struggled to win bonus points in their season to date, the reality is that Connacht need nine, perhaps 10 wins from their concluding 13 matches to make the end-of-season play-offs. A home win against a lower-half side such as tonight’s opposition Scarlets (kick-off 7.35pm, TG4) is a must.
The feeling then is that we’ve landed at a crossroads moment in their season. Director of Rugby, Andy Friend, admitted as much after last week’s 10-0 loss to Leinster. He’s targeting this game tonight and next weekend’s trip to Ospreys as pivotal moments in their season.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where they need to improve if they’re to turn things around. Attack wise, they have scored the fewest points (59) of any teams in this season’s URC, managing the fewest offloads (24) and try assists (2).
Discipline wise, they’re also bottom of the table, conceding an average of 13.2 penalties per match, six from the lineout. Otherwise, they’ve had some moments, showing resolve to beat Munster despite not playing all that well, showing bite to stay in the contest last weekend against Leinster, despite a rough start.
They should find things easier tonight because, to be blunt, Scarlets may be in the same competition as Stormers, Ulster, Leinster, Bulls, but are not in the same class.
Still, Connacht must look at them, at Benetton, Cardiff and Edinburgh as their chief rivals this season, rather than Leinster, Ulster or Munster, because when it comes to scrapping for a quarter-final place, these will be the teams they’ll be jostling with for that spot.
They can get there. The one advantage of getting such a horrific start is that you inevitably will get easier matches at some stage. Seven of Connacht’s remaining games are at home while the six away ties include trips to Zebre and Dragons. There’s still time then for them to turn this season around but they need to start soon.
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (CAPT), Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Leva Fifita, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Colm Reilly, Cathal Forde, Alex Wootton
Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny, Johnny McNicholl, Steff Evans, Jonathan Davies (CAPT), Ryan Conbeer, Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy, Steff Thomas, Ken Owens, Harri O’Connor, Jac Price, Tom Price, Josh Macleod, Dan Thomas, Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Iwan Shenton, Dane Blacker, Rhys Patchell, Corey Baldwin
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
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Connacht Time to kick on