CONNACHT HEAD TO Scarlets today [KO 7.35pm, TG4/Premier Sports/URC TV] on the back of a frustrating, perhaps even worrying run of form. Since beating Munster at the Sportsground on New Year’s Day, they’ve lost to Leicester Tigers (home), Stade Francais (away), Glasgow Warriors (home) and Ulster (away).
Midway through February, Andy Friend’s side are still looking for a first away win of the season, having lost 11 games on the road in all competitions.
Four straight defeats makes for concerning reading, but senior coach Pete Wilkins is confident it’s not time to rip up the script just yet.
The province have pored over those two Champions Cup defeats against Leicester and Stade, back-to-back contests where Connacht hit their groove only to be outmuscled in losing healthy leads.
They then jumped straight back into URC action and dragged that European hangover with them. Now they’ve had time to sleep it off. It’s two weeks since they last played, plenty of time to refocus minds and soothe aching muscles.
Connacht have built their squad depth over recent years, but they still need a handful of key men to be fresh and able to deliver performances on a consistent basis.
“The schedule aspect is an enormous benefit to us (now), says Wilkins.
“I think to come off those two (Champions Cup) games – and this is not an excuse – but if we’d had a chance to recharge and freshen up and reflect on those two big Champions Cup games and the big efforts that they were, and then regather and go again, I think you probably set yourself up to get the benefits of the learnings from that.
“But to freshen up mentally and physically and tear back in, I think for us, going to play what was a really good Glasgow side and a really physical Glasgow side in the way that game played out, and then to back that up with an inter-pro away in Belfast, it’s a big ask.
“I think naturally having had that break and that chance to reflect, the players get a breather then we can also get some good quality training into them over this extended buildup to Scarlets.
That provides us with a really good opportunity and as I said, while those defeats obviously disappoint you at the time and take some processing, it’s been a little while since that for that players and the coaches, and I feel there is a real energy and freshness about the group, and they are ready to go again.
“It’s a very important three-game block for us.”
After Scarlets today, Connacht host the Stormers and travel to play Edinburgh before taking another breather. With the big games then arriving thick and fast, they are a team who could desperately do with a couple of wins.
Some key players could also do with a performance, too. Earlier this week, Dave Heffernan spoke of his frustration around the stop-start nature of his rugby since Christmas. Having been called into the Ireland squad ahead of last weekend’s trip to France, yesterday’s news that Rónan Kelleher will miss the remainder of the Six Nations provides a great opportunity for Heffernan to add to his six Test caps.
Likewise Jack Carty, who finally got called back into an Ireland squad only to play two minutes across the opening two fixtures. The Connacht captain knows he needs to take every opportunity he can if he is to improve those numbers over the coming week.
And what of Scarlets? Their record against the provinces has been poor this season, losing to Leinster, Munster and Ulster already, although Munster’s win in October remains the Welsh region’s only home defeat in the URC this season.
The last time Connact won in Llanelli was at the old Stradey Park, more than 17 years ago. Refreshed and refocused, it would be an opportune time wipe some unwanted records off the board.
Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Scott Williams (captain), Ryan Conbeer; Dan Jones, Dane Blacker; Steff Thomas, Daf Hughes, Samson Lee, Sam Lousi, Morgan Jones, Aaron Shingler, Shaun Evans, Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Marc Jones, Phil Price, Javan Sebastian, Jac Price, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Patchell, Joe Roberts.
Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran; Peter Sullivan, Sammy Arnold, Tom Daly, John Porch; Jack Carty (captain), Kieran Marmion; Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan, Tietie Tuimauga; Niall Murray, Leva Fifita; Cian Prendergast, Jarrad Butler, Paul Boyle.
Replacements: Shane Delahunt, Greg McGrath, Jack Aungier, Eoghan Masterson, Abraham Papali’i, Caolin Blade, Conor Fitzgerald, Tom Farrell.
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Gavan Casey is joined by Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella to discuss the prospect of South Africa replacing Italy in the Six Nations and reflect on Ireland’s performance in Paris, before looking ahead to the URC action this weekend.
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