Connacht are, without doubt, one of the most fun teams to follow in the European club game. A pauper by comparison to the neighbours east, yet a growing club who play an entertaining brand of rugby, and now can do it in front of more eyes than ever before.
S. Hurley-Langton (10', 44'), M. Devine (73')
Tries
D. Kasende (22'), L. Morgan (55')
S. Naughton (11', 45', 74')
Conversions
D. Edwards (23', 56')
Connacht are, without doubt, one of the most fun teams to follow in the European club game. A pauper by comparison to the neighbours east, yet a growing club who play an entertaining brand of rugby, and now can do it in front of more eyes than ever before.
On the face of it, Saturday’s URC win over the Ospreys was five in a row; but it also kept their playoff chances alive for another few weeks, as the club prepares to enter its latest era under Stuart Lancaster. They can finally compete on two fronts, and you would be ignorant not to pay attention to the direction of travel.
I ventured over to Galway to try and get a sense of this rising tide , and what makes a club destined for dejection, somehow always come out with a sense of progression.
It’s fair to say that life for Galway’s own professional rugby team has not always been easy. For many years they were an afterthought in th rugby psyche, which did not change when professionalism struck in the mid 90s.
The IRFU moved to disband the province back in 2003, but fans voice moved the needle of the decision makers. Having marched all the way to Lansdowne Road, the Irish governing body witheld the extreme measure, and Connacht never looked back.
They made it to successive Challenge Cup semi-finals in 2004 and 2005, another trip to take on Wilkinson’s Toulon in 2010, before really accelerating.
They made their Heineken Cup debut in the Autumn of 2011, building year on year before rising all the way to Guinness Pro12 glory - their first domestic title in Celtic League history - under Pat Lam’s guidance in 2016.
This memorable run was the culminating of just over a decade of hard work, fighting for survival; and also the start of the new, competitive era at the province.
Then, in October of 2018, plans were announced for a multi-million euro redevelopment of the Sportsground. The scheme was to be part funded by the province, IRFU and the state; with medical devices company Dexcom coming on board later down the line.
The move was seen as a means to bring the club into the modern age, with corportate boxes, more seating and concessions available for fans. Over 6,500 would fit into the new Clan Stand, so excitement was palpable for its opening.
That opening game took place in January, however it would go the way of rivals Leinster. Leo Cullen snook past his former colleague, but since that game, green shoots of progress have been in bloom.
Recent Resurgence
It’s fair to say that Connacht’s most recent corner turn has been down a much straighter road. They are now on a five game winning run ahead of a return to European action. Speaking after the game, head coach Stuart Lancaster was quick to highlight the importance of winning ugly, after emotive grinds against Glasgow and Ulster in particular.
“I remember teams I've played in in the past when you get to the league table at the end of the season, it's those gritty wins that actually really, really matter,” he told reporters. For all the flash they are known for, to overcome a stern Ospreys test in that manner is key.
It also came with the support of a largely inexperienced bench, with Jack Carty as the only true senior head. That is as much down to talent as it is the mental toughness that comes with learning from past losses.
Lancaster continued, “I thought Matty Devine was great as an impact and I thought our bench in entirety was strong.
“Oisin McCormack was very good, Sean O'Brien was very good, Matty (Victory) was obviously very good in the front row.
“Bringing on Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Matt Victory, with average age of 21 or 22… you would take that as a Connacht fan.”
With plenty to be excited for in the back end of the season, it’s easy to forget that we can see the Lancaster vision playing out through signings for 2026/26. The former Leinster coached has acquired the servies of Will Connors and Ciarán Frawley from his old club, while Bath prop Francois van Wyk is set to add ballast to their front row with experienced Lions lock Etienne Oosthuizen also linked with a move north.
Signings like those, mixed with the emergence of young talents like Billy Bohan, Sean Naughton and Harry West will define the Lancaster era, regardless of how long he spends in Galway. The English tactician is also likely to keep in contact with young academy options coming from the Leinster Senior Cup, with the likes of Paul Neary and Joe Christle fitting the bill of high-quality, and potentially pro-ready options that they could try and lure across the M6 motorway.
If he can even close to the level of squad building success to what he had in Dublin, then he will leave the role in a better place than what he found it.
Flourishing.
