Sean Farrell reports from the Sportsground
CONNACHT HEAD COACH Andy Friend believes his team will be better for the experience of losing to a suffocating Leinster performance.
In form after beating the Scarlets last time out, Connacht came into the Galway clash with confidence high, but the mood was sombre after they finished the 3-20 defeat with 13 men.
For long stretches of the opening half, Connacht were the more threatening side, cranking up pressure through long sets of phase-play borne out of excellent skills and intent.
However, they found precious few of the line-breaks they sought. Though stretched time and again, Leinster’s line was rarely breached.
“There were moments of that game where we certainly matched Leinster. But that’s why they’re a champion side, they can hold on and keep that consistency for 80 minutes and there’s no let-up. That’s what champion sides do
For us to learn that lesson in round five is a good thing for us. We’re a developing side and we no know where we sit. We’ve the yardstick now of what makes a champion side.”
Though soundly beaten by 17 points, a performance of this calibre would likely go a long way towards victory against opposition that is not a fully-loaded and vengeful Leinster side.
After hammering at the door through the opening quarter, Connacht trailed at the interval and once Garry Ringrose broke free to score inside a minute of the second half, Leinster made sure it was a long road back.
“Half-time 6-3 is probably a fair reflection,” says Friend, “it was a bit of an arm-wrestle. The try after half-time really hurt us.
“You couldn’t find fault with them. They’re a quality outfit. That’s why they’re European champions. Full credit to them, they earned the victory today.”
“We’ve got to make sure we take learnings out of that game and make sure we’re better next week.”
Away to Ulster next week, Connacht will likely be without Dominic Robertson-McCoy (who will be hearing from the disciplinary committee), Matt Healy pulled out of the starting line-up for this clash and is a doubt for Belfast too, though Friend hopes to see Jarrad Butler pull through.
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