Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CONNACHT FEELING CONFIDENT THAT JACK’S GETTING BACK TO HIS VERY BEST FORM NOW
BY
CONNACHT’S Jack Carty is the Irish out-half regaining his pre-rwc 2019 form – and being unfairly pilloried over his place-kicking.
The out-half’s lethargic post-japan form which saw him dropped/switched to fullback and followed by a succession of injuries are fading into the rear-view mirror.
An October return to the his province’s No.10 shirt coincided with wins over Munster, Scarlets and Ospreys.
Head coach Pete Wilkins said: “Jack is someone who works incredibly hard at all the aspects of his game.
“He is coming back from a long lay-off, is starting to find a rhythm in matches and I think all aspects of his game will keep growing and getting better.
“He’s been in and around the national reckoning for a while and that’s due to all aspects, he’ll get better the more he plays and goal kicking will be included in that.”
Connacht are hoping to add to those three Carty-led league wins from eight URC matches against Benetton in Galway on Saturday (3.15pm).
It is all very well, notes Wilkins (inset), being a team that can beat anybody on any given day but there are bread-andbutter encounters to be finished off too.
“I’d rather be in the bracket of teams that can beat anyone on the day than the bracket of teams that don’t beat anybody at all so in that sense it could be worse.
“Every team is striving for a consistency of performance and consistency of wins. “Sometimes we have been below the standard we should be operating at and sometimes we have done alright and the opposition has been excellent on the night.
“I don’t think there is any one reason for it but a change-up for something like the Challenge Cup (home and away to Brive and Newcastle this season) is exciting for the players and the coaching staff.
“More wins there can be taken back into the URC so we are looking forward to it and are excited about it.
“But for now, it is an extra reason to try and do well, get things right this week against Benetton.”