AFTER WATCHING HIS team let a home URC win against Leinster slip out of their hands on Saturday night, Pete Wilkins found himself feeling mixed emotions. 

There was frustration with elements of Connacht’s performance, including costly lineout malfunctions and missed opportunities in Leinster’s 22. Yet Wilkins was also pleased with how his team fought their way back into the contest – overturning an 11-point deficit to lead heading into the final 10 minutes, and keeping Leinster out with some impressive defensive sets in their own 22.

Yet ultimately Connacht conceded four tries and were left to rue some poor game management in the closing moments. Next up it’s a Champions Cup opener at home to Bordeaux on Friday night. Wilkins believes there was enough to like about their performance against Leinster to be positive about their chances heading into the first round of European action.  

“I hate to paint a silver lining at this stage because I’m still processing the result and the outcome of that,” Wilkins said, “but we talked in the changing room really frankly about what we’d done well.

“We talked about our frustration and probably a little bit of anger in terms of not coming away with the result. And what an opportunity, to have a Friday night game hopefully in front of another full house against Bordeaux, a massive French club in terms of resources and reputation, in the Champions Cup again.

“You couldn’t wish for a better platform to unleash all of that frustration and there’ll be some of it building across the week, there’s some of it there now, and we’ll channel it and channel it, and I hope we’ll make a really big statement on Friday night.”

While Leinster were inaccurate and wasteful at times, some of the visitors frustrations came as a result of a dogged Connacht defensive effort. Leinster dominated much of the play in the first half but were limited to one Charlie Ngatai try.

Connacht’s new defence coach Scott Fardy – who spent four seasons with Leinster – was a notably vocal presence on the sideline as the home side came under pressure on their tryline.

Yeah, he’s a character. He brings that edge and energy to his coaching that he had as a player. I think you’re starting to see the fruits of that in our defence.

“I was really, really pleased with our defensive performance overall. I say that because when we were in South Africa, obviously we were under pressure at times against that quality of opposition and we leaked some line breaks. And as much as we solved those line breaks I felt like we never quite re-asserted ourselves and got back on the front foot defensively.

“But I think this evening, when Leinster had moments of quality or maybe an error from us that gave them an opportunity, you saw us that not only did we solve that most of the time but we got back on the front foot with line speed, with physicality, with slowing the ball down at the breakdown and ultimately that enabled us to win penalties and turnovers.

“So although they dominated that period of possession and territory in that second quarter or the final 30 minutes of the first-half, I think there was a renewed intensity about us and a determination to get the ball back, and a lot of that is down to the work that Scott is doing.”

There have been signs of growth in Connacht’s performances across the opening block of URC fixtures, but Saturday felt like an opportunity missed as the province prepare to head into the busy Christmas period.

“If you went down there (to the dressing room) they’re the type of team and squad that if you ask anyone in the ‘23’ they’ll willingly tell you they could have done something better, and that’s part of the high standards they’re holding themselves to account now.

“It’s part, I suppose it’s a cliché, of the growth mindsets in the group that they just want to keep learning and keep improving, and not being satisfied with what they’ve got. Caolin Blade got the man of the match award and even he would look back and say there’s things he wants to work on.

“We’ve got to allow them to do that and facilitate that growth, but at the same time remind them how good they are and how close we were this evening.”  

Connacht hope to have Bundee Aki back for the Bordeaux game, but will await updates on Tiernan O’Halloran and Jack Aungier – who both sustained ankle injuries against Leinster – while Oisín Dowling picked up a shoulder problem.