Champions of Nearly...??


By Sea_point
November 1 2006

So yet another good performance is undone at the death, a now very familiar story for any Connacht supporter. Another winning performance lies forlornly on the rocky outcrop of narrow heartbreaking defeat. There is a litany of similar results littered through Connacht's recent history.

BATH 21  - 19 CONNACHT 
at The Recreation Ground

We're very near our rugby crossroads as a team, but which path will we choose? Memories of days and evenings where glory beckoned but was spurned at the last minute gnaw at our nerves both on and off the field. Where fear of success or lack of composure or fitness undermined sometimes brilliant play to hand our opponents undeserved victory.

By all accounts that is the case last Saturday. The once giants of English rugby were for 70 minutes shown to be mere mortals by what is a very good Connacht side (probably the strongest squad we've had in a couple of seasons). Some of the chaff was removed over the last twelve months, the younger squad members are getting a chance to shine as well (and how they are shining). Another Danny Riordan try to illuminate his still developing brilliance, and

If we can get a lucky break (I know, a contradiction....) in terms of injuries then we really have an oportunity to string some results together on a regular basis, which is something that successive Connacht sides over the seasons have failed to do fro a variety of reasons. Connacht sides of old would build themselves up for a big game (knowing full well that it was no lose game in the eyes of the greatrer Irish rugby public and the Media), nick a result and then lose terribly the following week was the pattern...

Apart from a thrashing at home to a very strong Scarlets side, we have matched all our opponents overall this season. Saying that, we have lost games by letting the opposition lead out in early stages and then we trying to haul them in, a process that does not work for a team that scores as few tries as us.

We need to learn how to manage games better, to believe in our ability to lead from the front no matter the opposition, and most crucially to retain the composure and selfbelief as the game clock winds down to shut out the opposition no matter who they think they are.

There is still a mathematical possibility for Connacht to progress, we would however need to win home and away against Montpellier (certainly achievable), a home win to Bath is probably the toughest outing remaining because they will not take us lightly a second time, and away against Harlequins who we won't underestimate again (although crushing Montpellier last weekend has hardly turned into world beaters in the space of two games). It is not yet a lost cause, but the door is shutting on this tournament rapidly.

The first step back to qualifying for the Challenge Cup is to take our frustrations out on Glasgow at home this Friday night in the Magner League and rebuild the confidence levels by getting a convincing win....

For actual reviews of the game I've enclosed some links to various match reports...

Reports:

SCORERS:

Bath:                 
Tries: Cheeseman, Bory
Con: Malone
Pens: Malone (3)

Connacht:
Try: Riordan
Con: Warwick
Pens: Warwick (3)
Drop goal: Warwick

Bath: M Perry; T Cheeseman, S Berne, E Fuimaono-Sapolu, D Bory; C Malone, N Walshe; D Barnes, R Hawkins (L Mears 55), D Flatman (L Ovens 63), P Short (D Grewcock 40), R Fidler, A Beattie, J Scaysbrook, Z Feaunati.

Connacht: D Riordan; K Matthews, J Hearty, G Williams, D Yapp (C McPhillips 40); P Warwick, T Tierney (C Keane 26, C McPhillips); R Hogan (B Wilkinson 71), J Fogarty (A Flavin 58), B Sturgess, D Gannon, A Farley, J Muldoon, R Ofisa, C Rigney (Flavin 14-24).

Bookmark or share this story with: