Another slow start but Connacht still make play-offs

Connacht  20

Ospreys 24

In the end, the result here didn’t matter one iota. Had Connacht lost by 50 points – the Ospreys were almost half way there at the interval – Pat Lam’s men still would have secured seventh spot and qualified for next Sunday’s play off with Gloucester thanks to Edinburgh’s defeat at home to Leinster. That said, it certainly does help that they found the fire for a remarkable second half comeback in this one.

And so, Connacht return to Kingsholm again. The English Premiership side are in this play off thanks to their European Challenge Cup triumph which included a 14-7 quarter final win over Connacht. They have home advantage by virtue of a coin toss that was shrouded in mystery and seemingly carried out two weeks ago although, no information on where it took place or who was present has been released.

The winner of next weekend’s fixture will host the 7th ranked side in the French Top 14 which finishes this weekend. Bordeaux-Begles seem the likely candidates to fill that spot. That play off game will be on Sunday May 31 at 5pm and Connacht would be the favourites in that fixture but for next weekend, they’re very much underdogs.

On the evidence of first half performance here, Connacht stand little or no chance of securing an away win at the famous English ground this weekend. Their slow starts are now a permanent fixture in big games and while the second half comebacks underline their ability, and suggest that they will push David Humphrey’s side close, this current squad seem incapable of an 80 minute performance in a fixture like the one that awaits them next weekend.

As highlighted last week, the improved displays against the weaker opponents in all competition have been phenomenal under Pat Lam. The enhanced skill set thanks in part to the work of Andre Botha and Dave Ellis is paying off and without ever having to summon the fire and brimstone passion of old, Connacht are consistently beat the likes of Treviso, Zebre, Newport and Bayonne.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.