Positive progress of the two ‘lesser’ provinces is good news for Farrell
THERE is a buzz around Connacht these days.
Smart, inventive and skilful, the western province are everyone’s ‘second team’ and with good reason.
There is a lot to like about the whole operation, beginning with head coach Andy Friend at the front of house.
The Australian was exactly what Connacht needed after the difficult year under Kieran Keane. Thoughtful, open and honest, Friend is a breath of fresh air who understands how to tap into the culture of the province. He is armed with emotional intelligence in spades.
It helps that he is an exceptionally good coach, too.
Connacht are very much the great entertainers, but there is a steeliness to them this season as well. Not many sides have gone to Welford Road this term and made a game of it. Steve Borthwick’s side were 12 from 12 in all competitions before Friend’s men rolled into town last weekend.
The visitors looked on course for a big European win on the road before Borthwick sent on some heavy-duty replacements in the second half. Leicester went back to basics and wrestled the game away from Connacht.
They would settle for a losing bonus point in the end, thanks to a late drop goal from Jack Carty, a growing sign of the maturity of this squad and their No10 for good measure.
They are picking up big scalps all over the place these days. Thomond Park, the RDS and Kingspan have all been conquered under Friend’s watch. Ultan Dillane’s confirmed departure this week was a blow, but there are plenty of key players who are staying put. Finlay Bealham and Tom Daly were the latest to sign contract extensions this week.
Word on the street was that Munster were very interested in bringing Daly to Limerick. Damian de Allende is out of contract and the former Leinster midfielder would have been an able replacement.
Daly is thriving in Galway, however. Under Friend, he has grown and matured, so much so that Andy Farrell has invited him into several Ireland training camps this year.
There is a sense now that Connacht is a viable route to Ireland recognition.
The likes of Paul Boyle, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Daly and Alex Wootton were all deemed surplus to requirements at rival provinces and are flourishing out west now.
Perhaps a few more fringe players in the Leinster, Munster and Ulster squads might feel the same way and decide to join the revolution at the Sportsground next season?
Who wouldn’t want to play under a coach like Friend and in a team with an attacking philosophy like this?
The memories of the thumping they suffered at the hands of Leinster at the Aviva Stadium earlier this season will be fresh in the memory.
There is also a buzz around Belfast these days and it is a pity these two entertaining outfits lost the opportunity to go up against each other this evening at Ravenhill because of Covid disruption.
A shame for the respective squads as much as the supporters because, like Connacht, Ulster have plenty of candidates for international elevation.
Dan McFarland has been equally transformative since he arrived at to take over at Ravenhill and, having inherited a team that had undergone its share of turbulence and controversy, McFarland steadied the ship and has started to gradually build towards ending the province’s trophy drought that extends all the way back to 2006.
Leinster and Munster are traditionally regarded as the ‘Big Two’ in Irish rugby and, to be fair, have the trophies to back up that status but the ‘lesser’ lights of Connacht and Ulster starting to throw a few shapes can only be good news for Ireland.