Connacht looking to build both on and off the pitch

Connacht will look to sustain their recent fine form – including a first win over Ulster in 58 years last weekend – when they host French Top 14 outfit Bordeaux-Begles in their European Challenge Cup opener at the Sportsground this Saturday (3pm).

No doubt, it has been a whirlwind week for Connacht rugby. First, Andy Friend’s charges broke a six-decade hex when ousting Ulster 22-15 in their provincial rivals’ backyard last Friday; before following this up with the announcement of a new €30 million redevelopment for the Sportsground on Monday.

This will consist of a new stand – which will include dressing rooms and corporate hospitality – and a new all-weather pitch. Planning permission for the redevelopment, taking the capacity of the Sportsground up to 12,000, is expected to be filed in the coming weeks.

Connacht out-half Jack Carty admits, on and off the field, there is a real buzz. “Yeah, it’s great. We were briefed on it [redevelopment] last week and everything has been really positive about it,” notes the Roscommon native. “Hopefully, I will still be around playing when it is there.

“We have kind of grown out of the place here and you can see that by the crowd numbers that were at the Leinster and Scarlets games. It was just a case that we needed something and we needed to get it out to the fans and get it out to people. We did that and everyone is really positive about it now.”

Indeed, between last weekend’s historic triumph and Monday’s announcement, Carty highlights it is “a great boost for everyone around the place”. It would be remiss not to allude to the victory over Ulster.

He says the most pleasing aspect of the win was the manner in which they went about their business on the night and, while he concedes it wasn’t the best attacking rugby they have played, Carty notes they were delighted to secure their victory on a strong defensive set-up.

“We went up to Ulster a couple of times [before] and played really good rugby and hadn’t even got a bonus point,” he remarks.

“So, to win in the manner we did – and the gritty performance that we gave – was probably something that was even better than going out and thrown the ball around and winning. So, we are really happy with it.”

Carty feels though that the team has been on “an upward trajectory” since the season began and, although disappointed with certain elements in their defeat to Leinster a fortnight ago aside, the squad still understood that they hadn’t played that badly against the top team in Europe.

Consequently, confidence remained relatively high in the camp ahead of the Ulster game.

“We didn’t speak about how we went up there [and lost to Ulster] in previous years. Fellows themselves would have had a knowledge that we went up there the last couple of years and that we had been there or thereabouts.

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

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