Connacht captain Muldoon set sights on top six finish ahead of new season

JUST a week out from returning to competitive action, Connacht are again targeting a top six finish in the Guinness Pro12 to earn automatic qualification for club rugby’s elite tournament . . . next season’s European Cup.

Having faltered in their bid to achieve that objective in the final few weeks of last season’s Pro12 campaign, the Westerners are primed to redouble their efforts in breaking free from the relative obscurity of the Challenge Cup.

John Muldoon, who will again skipper Connacht this season, emphasised the ambition of the squad in trying to secure a passage to the European Cup for the first time under their own steam.

Speaking at the launch of this season’s Guinness Pro12 competition, the Portumna man said: “We want to be top six and it doesn’t have to be sixth either. We have to start the season well when a lot of teams are missing players.”

Though Connacht are normally left unscathed by international commitments, that changed last season when centre Robbie Henshaw established a regular place on the Irish team.

With a looming World Cup campaign, Connacht are already reconciled to very sporadic appearances by the Athlone native in the months ahead, but they could be further depleted if scrum half Kieran Marmion and prop Nathan White are also included in Ireland’s World Cup squad.

That prospect, however, appears to be receding in the case of Marmion as speculation is rife that Irish coach Joe Schmidt will include Ian Madigan in his squad, partially as cover for leading scrum halves Conor Murray and Eoin Reddan.

At least, Marmion did his prospects no harm in Connacht’s final pre-season friendly when scoring two tries in their 28-12 victory over an admittedly shadow Munster outfit at Thomond Park last Friday night.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.