Connacht’s qualification ambitions for Champions Cup up in the air

CONNACHT’S hopes of staying in the top flight of European rugby next season could be taken out of their own hands . . . and that may be no bad thing!

When the plug was pulled on rugby in early-March due to the coranavirus, the Westerners were occupying one of the two play-off positions to determine the final qualifier for the Champions Cup next season.

With eight rounds of the PRO14 still to be completed, Connacht were lying fourth in Conference B and if that remained their position at the season’s end, a play-off against the Dragons was on the cards to stay among Europe’s elite.

But with growing uncertainty about any more competitive rugby before the end of 2020, Connacht could benefit from any decisons based on league standings from early March – their points total of 35 (seven wins and six losses) is far higher than the Dragons (22).

Speculation that two rounds of regional games in the PRO14 – Connacht have still to play Ulster at home and Munster away – would be held in August before the semi-final and final the following month remains unsubstantiated.

The Irish provinces had been hoping to resume some form of group training next week, but an IRFU directive last Monday has put paid to that.