Top Challenge Cup seeds and unbeaten in the pool stages, Connacht’s European quest has fast become the ideal boost.
While the club languishes in 13th place in the URC with just three wins from nine, the European stage is once again bringing out the best in the western province.
Now pool winners with 20 points – some six clear of their nearest rivals Lyon – only Montpellier in Pool Two comes close to matching them with 19 points.
For a team struggling in the bread-and-butter URC competition, it is a real boost for Connacht to have completed the pool stages at Arms Park against Cardiff with a 28-19 bonus-point win.
[ Connacht top Challenge Cup pool with hard-fought win at CardiffOpens in new window ]
“We take some pretty big satisfaction from that,” said head coach Pete Wilkins, “but my job is to keep pushing the group and hopefully keep us growing. It is a weight off the shoulders, but the next challenge will come around pretty quickly.”
Wilkins admitted continuing to deliver as top seed has been a challenge.
“Each game has given us a different challenge, whether it’s trying to win away in France, trying to make sure we bounce back against a decent Lyon team last week, and then coming away to Cardiff, which is a team and a ground historically where we’ve not been able to stretch our wings.
“Rugby-wise, it’s always been a bit of an arm wrestle, so the way we’ve responded gives us confidence. Going into those knockout rounds, we’ll see how we shape up, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position.”
Wilkins said the European competition was always a target this season.
“From the start, behind the closed walls of our team room, the Challenge Cup was something the players wanted to really make a go of this season. It’s one thing saying that, but it’s another to put in the performances that keep you in the conversation. And the lads have done that.
“Each of those four pool games has been a really different challenge, not just in terms of the rugby and the opposition, but in terms of the mindset. So to finish so strongly in a venue and against a team that we find always incredibly difficult to play against, we’re really satisfied with that.”
And the players deserve a huge amount of credit, regardless of the number of players Cardiff were without on Friday, he added.
“There were some significant players missing, we acknowledge that, but it’s an incredibly difficult place to play. They’re really well coached, their defence is incredibly tough to play against, they tackle hard, and they look to ruin your attacking breakdown, and they get a pretty vociferous crowd behind them, so it does make it difficult to respond.
“It was really important to show that we could do that in this type of environment. And that’s something we can learn from and build on going into the URC as well.”
Back from international duty, Bundee Aki played a central role in helping to deliver against Cardiff, said Wilkins.
“What we’re seeing from Bundee is not just that physical toughness and emotional drive which he brings to the group, but there’s a real change of gear about him. He looks fit and there’s an explosiveness that shows he’s obviously gearing up for a big Six Nations, but he’s prepared to put in those hard yards to make a difference to us as well.
“He’s been one of the most vocal players within the group in terms of the preparation for these Challenge Cup weeks, which is saying something, because, you know, he’s almost ticked every box, every box in terms of representative rugby.
“For him to get as excited about this competition is largely because he’s excited about this group of players. He spoke very strongly in the changing room about the focus required, acknowledging what we’ve done well but how we want to make the most of the opportunity in the knockout rounds and also take some of this form into the URC. He’s been excellent for us, and, you know, we’ll feed off that.”
However, it is not just Aki and his fellow internationals who have bought into Connacht’s ambitions this season, Wilkins added.
“The really interesting thing with this group of players is how determined they are to win something. And you know, a lot of guys – although they might be young in years – have been grafting away at the club, and every year they’ve talked about the goals they’ve set. Some years we fulfil (the goals), like the semi-final year, others we’ve fallen short.”
However, he believes there’s a “different look” to the team now.
“When they talk about the Challenge Cup and also the URC – and there is work to do – but in terms of their mindset to really go after things, it has not required a huge amount of work.
“They’ve driven the energy themselves. So yes, pressure, expectation, there will certainly be that with a seeding, but the way they have embraced it so far gives me a lot of encouragement.”
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