Connacht show mercy in trouncing Russians

Connacht 47

Enisei STM 5

PERHAPS the end justifies the means. Connacht were never in much danger of missing out on the quarter finals before Saturday’s comfortable Sportsground win over the emerging European rugby outpost from Krasnoyarsk, but a home quarter final was out of the question and that appeared to be a missed opportunity. Yet when the last eight pairings were confirmed on Saturday night, the landscape looked a lot brighter.

Grenoble will be favourites in their April showdown with Connacht and they’ll expect to win, but Lam’s men will have no fear either and they’ll also feel that the fixture is eminently winnable. That would leave them with a home semi final (a scenario that wouldn’t have been possible had they secured a home quarter final) probably against Harlequins. Now that would be something.

We’re getting way ahead of ourselves here but this competition is back on the table as a genuine target and you get the feeling from the players here that they are fully aware of what is possible. One important proviso for all this will be the injury count come spring – a fully fit squad will just about be able to handle Leinster at home, Ulster away, Grenoble away and Munster at home in a four week period. Anything less and that becomes hugely challenging.

In the meantime, Lam and co will be keen to park thoughts of Europe and dreams of finding their way to a final in Lyon in May. The Pro12 returns and while they remain in the top 4, they’ve clearly lost their way of late and face second placed Scarlets at home this weekend. Connacht will feel they owe the west Wales men after the last gasp loss in Llanelli, but the visitors will see this as a huge opportunity to put the Westerners’ threat firmly in its box.

Saturday’s eight try win over the Siberian side that have done themselves so much justice in this competition with wins over Newcastle and Brive on Russian soil was certainly the most complete performance in quite some time. It also underlined the reality that these games aren’t always a ‘no win’ scenario, four tries in either half and a consistent flow of high paced attacking rugby meant this game was supremely entertaining throughout.

John Muldoon knew from the outset that a bonus point win was essential. In that scenario, the only way Connacht could be usurped by Brive was if the French side scored a bonus point victory in Newcastle. Few thought that likely. For that reason, the Portumna man went against the normal Connacht wisdom and played with the wind from the start in a bid to get the job done early. It proved a sharp call.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.