Flagging Connacht in dire need of a spark
RUGBY out west could do with a boost. Fresh from a 37-man Ireland squad that featured only two Connacht players – a Kiwi (Bundee Aki) and an Australian (Finlay Bealham), with another nailed-on selection (Aussie Mack Hansen) out injured – it has not been a great week for the rugby folk of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon.
Next Tuesday will mark the 21st anniversary of the famous Friends of Connacht march on IRFU offices when the union was threatening to pull the plug on the province’s professional set-up. While there have been significant improvements in Connacht since then, notably in terms of facilities and support base, they are still very much the runt of the Irish rugby litter – unable to gain consistent ground on their bigger and better resourced Irish rivals.
The full house that will jam a sure-to-be freezing Sportsground this evening is testament to the progress made off the field, but the fact they are on the verge of ejection from the Champions Cup after one point from three outings highlights the ongoing issues on it.
The visit of Bristol brings a reminder of better times in the shape of head coach Pat Lam, who guided Connacht to league glory back in 2016, the greatest achievement in the province’s rugby history.
Lam has selected a powerful side, with high-profile names such as Kyle Sinckler at prop, Virimi Vakatawa at centre and full back Max Malins while another exConnacht stalwart, AJ MacGinty, steers the side from No10.
Lam knows how oppressive a vibrant Sportsground can be for visiting sides, having done much to build that reputation during his stint out west, and opposite number Pete Wilkins will be keen to get the home crowd onside as soon as possible.
On that basis, the return of the international trio of Aki, Bealham and full back Tiernan O’Halloran will undoubtedly help.
Cian Prendergast in the backrow and Caolin Blade at scrum half are others who will be desperate to make a big impact, following their exclusion from Six Nations duty while this would be a good occasion for JJ Hanrahan to unleash his running talents to maximum effect on the fast artificial surface.
But aside from any individual motivations, it is the collective need that dominates. They may only have one win from their last seven outings, but it was a notable one against Munster on New Year’s Day, and it was at home.
While progress in Europe is nothing more than a remote, mathematical possibility, Connacht are still well within striking distance in the URC, and victory this evening – ahead of a significant break from competitive action – could be just the spark needed to ignite a secondhalf surge this season.
CONNACHT: T O’Halloran; A Smith, D Hawkshaw, B Aki, S Bolton, JJ Hanrahan, Caolin Blade (capt); D Buckley, T McElroy, F Bealham, N Murray, J Joyce; C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, J Butler.
Reps: D Heffernan, P Dooley, J Aungier, O Dowling, C Oliver, M McDonald, J Carty, O McNulty.
BRISTOL: M Malins; K Ravouvou, V Vakatawa, B Janse van Rensburg, G Ibitoye; AJ MacGinty, H Randall; J Woolmore, G Oghre, K Sinckler; J Caulfield, J Batley; S Luatua, F Harding (capt), M Bradbury. Reps: W Capon, S Grahamslaw, M Lahiff, J Owen, D Thomas, K Marmion, J Williams, P O’Conor.
REFEREE: P Brousset (France). TV: Connacht v Bristol, Sportsground, kick-off 8pm, LIVE on BT Sport 2.