STUART LANCASTER’S FIRST season in the west of Ireland saw the former Leinster and England coach make significant improvements with a group who were in need of a lift. The second season is about making his Connacht side a more consistent force, and one who truly belong at the right end of the URC table.
In his first campaign, Lancaster lifted a squad who finished 13th in 2024/25 to eighth, and while they just about squeezed into the final play-off position, the condensed nature of the table saw the province just one point off fifth-placed Munster.
Connacht won 10 and lost eight of their 18 URC regular-season games, but more instructive was the manner of their growth. Over the first half of the season, Connacht struggled, losing seven from 10 with some dark days along the way. After a concerning 48-28 loss at the Dragons last December, Lancaster admitted his team were “miles off what I expect”.
Across the second half of the campaign, with the newly-developed Dexcom Stadium fully operational, Connacht surged, winning eight of their last nine and playing some scintillating rugby along the way. That blistering form will be hard to repeat, but they are now better placed to deliver a more steady return across the season.
And while Connacht’s attacking qualities caught the eye, the most important improvement was a new-found defensive solidity. Marry the two on a consistent basis, and Connacht will climb even higher this time around.
Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
And it’s a team with a more settled look to it. Lancaster was happy to rotate across the first block last season, but by January, he was outlining his plans to trim down the squad and double down on his faith in youth.
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The summer business was smart. Ciarán Frawley is the headline signing of 11, and rightly so. We all know Frawley’s qualities as an out-half but across his career, the platforms to showcase those qualities have been too scattered. As a result, any of his few more recent outings at 10 for Leinster/Ireland have felt like make-or-break opportunities to seize his chance. Now, he gets the time and space to take control and grow into the role.
A player who has made just 21 senior starts at out-half (including Ireland A games) in his career could conceivably come close to doubling that in his first year wearing a new crest. With Josh Ioane providing the competition, it’s an exciting prospect for Connacht supporters.
So too the addition of Will Connors, who adds experience and quality to a back row that already looked Connacht’s strongest area on the pitch. Get fit (he’s due to return to training in early October), and stay fit, and the flanker could be another potential game-changer for Lancaster. Like Frawley, Connors is a man who knows exactly what their old Leinster boss expects, and where he’ll expect his new recruits to add value.
South African prop Francois van Wyk adds power up front while Jerry Cahir had some fine moments across his incredible journey with Leinster last season.
Connacht have lost considerable experience, with Jack Carty and Denis Buckley among the 15-strong list of departures, with Joe Joyce now at Gloucester, Jack Aungier at Munster and Matthew Devine up the road in Ulster.
Quality players to lose, but there’s a fine crop of younger talent who are starting to make this team their own.
Sean Jansen had an outstanding season in 2025/26. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Young props Sam Illo (25) and Billy Bohan (20) were two of last season’s feel-good stories, while Ben Murphy (25) is an increasingly consistent presence at scrum-half. Sean Naughton (21) and Harry West (23) also impressed, while on the more established side, Sean Jansen (27) – who has agreed a two-year contract extension – is entering his peak years and shone on Ireland’s summer tour.
Then there’s the Mack Hansen factor. The Ireland international only featured once for the province last season due to a troublesome foot injury which required surgery. Now he’s back, Hansen has been challenged to be consistently ‘world-class’ by Lancaster. The 28-year-old is one of the most exciting players in Irish rugby and his creative touch adds another dimension to their improved attacking game, with next year’s World Cup in Australia a massive motivator.
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Connacht should avoid the bedding-in issues that plagued their start last season, but now, they also have a tricky Champions Cup return to negotiate. A January schedule that includes games against Toulouse (home) and La Rochelle (away) wedged in between a run of URC inter-pros looks particularly testing, and while a scalp or two would be nice, prioritising the league must be the primary focus.
Mack Hansen is back fit after missing nearly all of last season. Dan Clohessy / INPHO
Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
Those European outings could threaten to stretch Connacht’s resources, especially as more of the group step into Ireland camp and therefore become less available to their province. That’s starting already, with none of the seven who toured with Ireland this summer – Bundee Aki, Bohan, Frawley, Illo, Jansen, Darragh Murray and Cian Prendergast – available for Friday’s home opener with the Stormers.
Aki (36) and Finlay Bealham (34) remain key leaders, but may need to be more carefully managed in a World Cup year, given their considerable miles on the clock. And while some areas of the squad have been strengthened, the depth at second row is a potential concern.
With a season under his belt, Lancaster will have a clear idea of what the next step for this group looks like. Harlequins’ Gerard Mullen has replaced Rod Seib to help run the attack, while Trevor Woodman replaces Cullie Tucker as scrum coach, with Tucker now fully concentrated on his role as Ireland U20s head coach.
A good season would include pushing further up the playoff places, but with their URC schedule finishing away in South Africa (v Sharks and Bulls), they’ll want to hit the home stretch with a healthy number of points on the board.
From what we’ve seen so far under Lancaster, there’s every reason to feel that’s entirely within their reach.
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Connacht look ready to become a more consistent force in Lancaster's second season
STUART LANCASTER’S FIRST season in the west of Ireland saw the former Leinster and England coach make significant improvements with a group who were in need of a lift. The second season is about making his Connacht side a more consistent force, and one who truly belong at the right end of the URC table.
In his first campaign, Lancaster lifted a squad who finished 13th in 2024/25 to eighth, and while they just about squeezed into the final play-off position, the condensed nature of the table saw the province just one point off fifth-placed Munster.
Connacht won 10 and lost eight of their 18 URC regular-season games, but more instructive was the manner of their growth. Over the first half of the season, Connacht struggled, losing seven from 10 with some dark days along the way. After a concerning 48-28 loss at the Dragons last December, Lancaster admitted his team were “miles off what I expect”.
Across the second half of the campaign, with the newly-developed Dexcom Stadium fully operational, Connacht surged, winning eight of their last nine and playing some scintillating rugby along the way. That blistering form will be hard to repeat, but they are now better placed to deliver a more steady return across the season.
And while Connacht’s attacking qualities caught the eye, the most important improvement was a new-found defensive solidity. Marry the two on a consistent basis, and Connacht will climb even higher this time around.
And it’s a team with a more settled look to it. Lancaster was happy to rotate across the first block last season, but by January, he was outlining his plans to trim down the squad and double down on his faith in youth.
The summer business was smart. Ciarán Frawley is the headline signing of 11, and rightly so. We all know Frawley’s qualities as an out-half but across his career, the platforms to showcase those qualities have been too scattered. As a result, any of his few more recent outings at 10 for Leinster/Ireland have felt like make-or-break opportunities to seize his chance. Now, he gets the time and space to take control and grow into the role.
A player who has made just 21 senior starts at out-half (including Ireland A games) in his career could conceivably come close to doubling that in his first year wearing a new crest. With Josh Ioane providing the competition, it’s an exciting prospect for Connacht supporters.
So too the addition of Will Connors, who adds experience and quality to a back row that already looked Connacht’s strongest area on the pitch. Get fit (he’s due to return to training in early October), and stay fit, and the flanker could be another potential game-changer for Lancaster. Like Frawley, Connors is a man who knows exactly what their old Leinster boss expects, and where he’ll expect his new recruits to add value.
South African prop Francois van Wyk adds power up front while Jerry Cahir had some fine moments across his incredible journey with Leinster last season.
Connacht have lost considerable experience, with Jack Carty and Denis Buckley among the 15-strong list of departures, with Joe Joyce now at Gloucester, Jack Aungier at Munster and Matthew Devine up the road in Ulster.
Quality players to lose, but there’s a fine crop of younger talent who are starting to make this team their own.
Young props Sam Illo (25) and Billy Bohan (20) were two of last season’s feel-good stories, while Ben Murphy (25) is an increasingly consistent presence at scrum-half. Sean Naughton (21) and Harry West (23) also impressed, while on the more established side, Sean Jansen (27) – who has agreed a two-year contract extension – is entering his peak years and shone on Ireland’s summer tour.
Then there’s the Mack Hansen factor. The Ireland international only featured once for the province last season due to a troublesome foot injury which required surgery. Now he’s back, Hansen has been challenged to be consistently ‘world-class’ by Lancaster. The 28-year-old is one of the most exciting players in Irish rugby and his creative touch adds another dimension to their improved attacking game, with next year’s World Cup in Australia a massive motivator.
Connacht should avoid the bedding-in issues that plagued their start last season, but now, they also have a tricky Champions Cup return to negotiate. A January schedule that includes games against Toulouse (home) and La Rochelle (away) wedged in between a run of URC inter-pros looks particularly testing, and while a scalp or two would be nice, prioritising the league must be the primary focus.
Those European outings could threaten to stretch Connacht’s resources, especially as more of the group step into Ireland camp and therefore become less available to their province. That’s starting already, with none of the seven who toured with Ireland this summer – Bundee Aki, Bohan, Frawley, Illo, Jansen, Darragh Murray and Cian Prendergast – available for Friday’s home opener with the Stormers.
Aki (36) and Finlay Bealham (34) remain key leaders, but may need to be more carefully managed in a World Cup year, given their considerable miles on the clock. And while some areas of the squad have been strengthened, the depth at second row is a potential concern.
With a season under his belt, Lancaster will have a clear idea of what the next step for this group looks like. Harlequins’ Gerard Mullen has replaced Rod Seib to help run the attack, while Trevor Woodman replaces Cullie Tucker as scrum coach, with Tucker now fully concentrated on his role as Ireland U20s head coach.
A good season would include pushing further up the playoff places, but with their URC schedule finishing away in South Africa (v Sharks and Bulls), they’ll want to hit the home stretch with a healthy number of points on the board.
From what we’ve seen so far under Lancaster, there’s every reason to feel that’s entirely within their reach.
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