HOOKER DYLAN Tierney Martin says Connacht can take nothing for granted when they take on Top 14 basement side Montauban on Saturday in a game they need to win to ensure safe passage to the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup.

Two defeats in their three pool games, both of them suffered away to Ospreys and Montpellier when they coughed up substantial leads, have left Stuart Lancaster’s men going into their final match needing to win.

That should be easily achieved against a Montauban side who have lost all three pool games, including a home loss last weekend to Georgian selection side Black Lion, who Connacht defeated 52-0, at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday night.

But experienced hooker Tierney Martin said they won’t underestimate the reigning ProD2 champions, who face Perpignan in a relegation clash next week.

“Look, they’ve got great players, and they are a good team. I know it’s being said they’re struggling, but there’s still loads there in terms of the shape they play in. And what they’ve put out in the Top 14, it hasn’t been as bad as maybe the table looks for them.

“They’ve individuals like Vaea Fafita. He’s an unbelievable lineout operator, especially in defence. So there are huge threats across the park. 

“This week, more so than anything, we’re just looking to build on what that was on the weekend and keep that going, get some momentum back into our performances. It’s five points, and we’re at home. That’s what we expect at home. And five points is the only thing that’s going to get us into the knockout,” said the 26-year-old.

Connacht produced some of their best rugby of the season in Montpellier, but while they didn’t close out the deal, Tierney Martin said they are heading in the right direction.

“What we see on the training pitch, it’s hard for the fans to see that. We’ve been frustrated over the last few weeks with results, and the last few months, even. But what we’ve seen on the weekend is what we see day in, day out here.

“The effort and the drive and the will, the want to win. I think we’ll start to see more performances as we did on the weekend.

“Stuart’s come in, he’s been unbelievable from day one. And I think the biggest difference with him is just the standards that he demands are way higher than what, not what previously, but it’s just a lot more that he wants from us. And that’s going to take teething time.

“The performance on the weekend was a lot more like what you’d expect from us and what we expect from ourselves and what we see day in, day out. And the younger guys come in, and they have a fresh energy because sometimes it is hard to shake those déjà vu moments, I guess, from the scars of before.

“But, definitely, it is more like what we expect. Now, it’s not the result of what we expect, but there were definitely ‘the intangibles,’ I’d call them. It was more what we’d expect, just the fight, the will, [when] something goes wrong.

“There was a stage there in the first half where we had three maul defences, and we gave away a penalty. But everyone just stuck to the plan, and there was just that heart, that willingness to not let them pass. And then we get that turnover, and you can see the energy that brings throughout the team. And that’s a bit more like what we’re looking for,” added Tierney Martin.