Connacht’s big chance

SATURDAY’S Rabo Direct Pro12 home tie with Treviso (5pm) offers Connacht a chance to match last season’s return during the Six Nations period. Once again they are on course for three wins from four. Certainly a sign that the Westerners are making hay while other sides are disrupted. 

After the bonus point 27-19 win over an understrenght Zebre and the home win over Edinburgh a week before that, Connacht will want to complete a run of three straight wins against a Treviso side that will have some fringe Italian squad members back, but will be still short of what is required to really challenge.

For Pat Lam’s men, the wins have come at the right time and two crucial away games at the Scarlets and Dragons in Wales in late March loom large on the horizon. Win those and they could find themselves in the top half of the table after spending most of the season up to now at the very bottom.

Those are lofty aspirations, of course, but the main thing to remember is that this season could still have a dramatic twist with details of a new European rugby competition format likely to be finalised midway through March.

There is a possibility that a new format for qualification will be implemented immediately and Connacht might find themselves with something real to play for by the time they reach west Wales for that game in Llanelli.

For now at least, their scrum remains a huge weapon and was key to their win in Parma last Sunday. Even without Nathan White and Brett Wilkinson, they were able to dominate with Denis Buckley and Rodney Ah You continuing their tremendous progress this season. The glum outlook in mid January has changed into a little bit of hope in spring. 

Ulster Bank League

There are two more Ulster Bank League games to look forward to in Galway on Saturday as Corinthians and Galwegians look to maintain their impressive runs with home wins. In Division 1b, Corinthians take on struggling Dungannon and will look to build on an  impressive display in their bonus point win over Blackrock two weeks ago.

Galwegians can technically secure promotion back to Division 1b with three games to spare if they win at home to CIty of Derry and results elsewhere go their way, but they’ll probably have to wait one more weekend in that regard.

A 12 point lead with four rounds remaining makes them champions elect and their promotion chasing Ulster opponents on Saturday are likely to struggle to match the sky blues. Elsewhere, Buccaneers have a difficult test away to Shannon in Division 1b, while in Division 2b, Sligo have a must win tie away to Suttonians.

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