High flying Connacht put the Red Army to the sword

Connacht 35

Munster 14

BEYOND all reasonable doubt, it is now safe to say that Connacht are a top four side in the Pro12. Moreover, it can be said with absolute certainty that they are also a better team than Munster. Saturday’s all encompassing 21 point hammering completed an historic season double against the men in red and copper-fastened this reality.

There is a new order on the Irish provincial landscape and Connacht are no longer province number four. Saturday’s tussle confirmed that the westerners have a stronger crop of young players, a more cohesive and inventive management team, better front row forwards and star players in key positions that can outplay the best of Munster.

Will it last? For a while anyways, but not forever of course. Munster are not going to go away, they brought the guts of a thousand people to the Sportsground on Saturday night, in the midst of an almighty crisis of form and confidence, so they are still getting the backing from the faithful. Added to that, they had eight players under the age of 25 in their squad which suggests there’s talent emerging from their academy too.

Yet for now, the provincial order is where it should be. The team playing with ambition and exuding positivity on and off the field are regularly beating a team full of negativity, be it in their game plan or their post game comments. Munster began the match with a wonderful try, full of skill and creativity, before quickly regressing into the shell of mediocrity that has underpinned a wretched 12 months.

The promising Johnny Holland made that try with a deft offload to Jack O’Donoghue who found the rampaging Simon Zebo on his shoulder. The line and speed from the full back was more akin to what you regularly see from this current Connacht side, it was brilliant. The Cork Con full back threw the ball in the air and roared at the crowd. It looked like it was going to be a day for Zebo headlines. Unfortunately for supporters in red, the was his last chance to roar.

Sure Munster had one more strong moment. Connacht were caught forcing the game in their own 22 – Bundee Aki knocked on after an O’Leary pass and the hosts were punished accordingly with Mike Sherry eventually getting over in the corner after a lineout. At that stage, the visitors led 14-6 with an hour of rugby still to play.

The scrum launched the fightback. Three time Irish international loosehead James Cronin couldn’t handle Finlay Bealham and looked some way off the standards set by the still to be capped Denis Buckley on the Connacht loosehead side of the scrum. Three first half penalties at scrum time underlined at much and brought about the game’s first key turning point with Cronin binned for losing the bind and dragging Bealham to the ground.

Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune