CONNACHT SCRUM AND contact coach Colm Tucker believes that out of the mayhem of his side’s 43-40 defeat to the Ospreys will come enough positives to help them take on Munster in a vital derby clash in the next round of the URC.
It was definitely a case of it being an unlucky 13th round of matches for Tucker’s men, who matched the Ospreys try for try in a 12-try thriller to secure two points from their tough away trip.
But the way they hit back after falling 24 points behind in the second half meant it could have been more.
“It must have been a brilliant game to watch for the neutral,” said Tucker. “The momentum swings were massive and both times the teams capitalised on the swing.
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“We are frustrated in not leaving with five points, but will take the positives out of getting two from a tough place to come.
“I was proud of how the team came out of the difficult periods and at the end of the game, we had a young side doing all they could to try to win it.
They kept fighting for the jersey and the club. They showed incredible resilience and they could have won it in the end.
“We are very pleased to score 40 points away from home, but not at conceding 43, so there is still plenty to work on. There are positives to take into next week and we are looking forward to a huge occasion.”
There was only one point between the two teams in the league table at the start of the game, but it was the Ospreys who moved up five places to reach seventh with their five-point haul. Even with two points, Connacht slipped to 12th.
It means they will go into their sold-out Castlebar clash with Munster this weekend two points off the top eight and three points behind their Irish rivals, who are in sixth after their defeat in Glasgow.
“There were some freakish tries in there but there was no panic at half time. We didn’t feel we were being dominated physically,” said returning Connacht skipper Joe Joyce.
“The last three or four games have been must-win games and we haven’t had a chance to focus on Munster yet. That will start on Monday and we know it’s going to be a special game in front of a sold out crowd.
I’ve been in games with high scores before but this one just felt weird. It is a crazy season and there are no easy fixtures.
“When you do win, you can’t get carried away, and when you do get a punch in the face like today, you can’t get too down.”
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'When you do get a punch in the face like today, you can’t get too down'
CONNACHT SCRUM AND contact coach Colm Tucker believes that out of the mayhem of his side’s 43-40 defeat to the Ospreys will come enough positives to help them take on Munster in a vital derby clash in the next round of the URC.
It was definitely a case of it being an unlucky 13th round of matches for Tucker’s men, who matched the Ospreys try for try in a 12-try thriller to secure two points from their tough away trip.
But the way they hit back after falling 24 points behind in the second half meant it could have been more.
“It must have been a brilliant game to watch for the neutral,” said Tucker. “The momentum swings were massive and both times the teams capitalised on the swing.
“We are frustrated in not leaving with five points, but will take the positives out of getting two from a tough place to come.
“I was proud of how the team came out of the difficult periods and at the end of the game, we had a young side doing all they could to try to win it.
“We are very pleased to score 40 points away from home, but not at conceding 43, so there is still plenty to work on. There are positives to take into next week and we are looking forward to a huge occasion.”
There was only one point between the two teams in the league table at the start of the game, but it was the Ospreys who moved up five places to reach seventh with their five-point haul. Even with two points, Connacht slipped to 12th.
It means they will go into their sold-out Castlebar clash with Munster this weekend two points off the top eight and three points behind their Irish rivals, who are in sixth after their defeat in Glasgow.
“There were some freakish tries in there but there was no panic at half time. We didn’t feel we were being dominated physically,” said returning Connacht skipper Joe Joyce.
“The last three or four games have been must-win games and we haven’t had a chance to focus on Munster yet. That will start on Monday and we know it’s going to be a special game in front of a sold out crowd.
“When you do win, you can’t get carried away, and when you do get a punch in the face like today, you can’t get too down.”
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Connacht Reaction Rugby URC