Rugby
Heenan making the hard yards
THIRTY minutes into the Zebre Heineken Cup game last weekend and Connacht scored a nifty try, a pre-rehearsed move straight out of forward coach Dan McFarland’s locker.
A penalty kick to the corner earns an attacking line-out five metres out. Hooker Sean Henry feigns a throw to second row Craig Clarke in the middle of the line, and instead goes short, hits George Naoupu, who stretches for the touchdown.
It set Connacht on the road to victory; and lifted pressure off coach Pat Lam and the players as they head to Dublin this Saturday to play reigning RaboDirect PRO12 champions, Leinster.
In his weekly press briefing, Lam revealed that the move for the try was supposed to be used the previous week against Saracens but the opportunity didn’t arise.
It is a microcosm of what he is trying to accomplish here in Connacht, he said. “You could see the emotions afterwards because they put a lot of work into the try,” he said.
“That’s a symbol of what we’re trying to achieve here . . . For that to happen, every single guy has to get their role right. They all did it and pulled it off. If one guy didn’t do his role just right we would have lost that chance.”
Lam uses the example to emphasise how Connacht is every day, every week, trying to improve. His whole philosophy is about individual players bettering themselves, and thus collectively bettering themselves. That’s the mantra all week in the lead up to Leinster at the RDS on Saturday (kick-off, 6pm) – continually striving to get better.
They took confidence from comprehensively beating Zebre 33-6 in Parma, but there is always scope to improve, he said. “What we did in Europe is all based on what we’ve been slowly working towards and everyone is getting more comfortable with what we’re trying to do. Every day the relationships are getting better and better, amongst players and obviously me and the coaching group.
“I think the players brought it up themselves – we have to be more clinical. When we do our review we open it up first, and ask: What did we do well and how could we do it better? One of the things the players said was that we missed an awful lot of opportunities. While we didn’t get more tries we saw opportunities where we could have taken but we didn’t so that’s an area to improve.”
He acknowledged Connacht hasn’t won in Dublin since 2002; and hasn’t ever won in the RDS. “History is with them,” he said; so too home advantage.
Connacht has two more added to the injury list – Jason Harris Wright (bicep) and James So’oialo (ankle) – and none returning, before the squad is announced noon Friday.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
Connacht centre Bundee Aki received a three match ban for misconduct this week which means he will miss Connacht’s final two league games and the European play-off game most probably against a French side.
Aki faced a Disciplinary Panel via video link after a Misconduct Complaint was made against him by the Disciplinary Officer of PRO12 Rugby.
The complaint referred to Aki’s behaviour to and remarks directed toward, referee Ian Davies, during and immediately after the Round 20 fixture between Connacht and Leinster.
Aki admitted to the charge of misconduct and the Panel gave him a sanction of a three-match suspension.
That means he will also miss Connacht’s final home fixture against Scarlets tomorrow or in the last game of the regular season against Munster in Thomond Park next week.
The player can return to play on Monday, May 22 which means he would be available to play in a final European qualifier should Connacht win the first one.
GALWEGIANS’ hugely disappointing All-Ireland League campaign came to a rather ignominious end when they were soundly beaten by their visitors Naas, who in the process secured second place with this victory and earn themselves a home semi-final in the promotion play-offs.
The Blues came into this game knowing that nothing less than a win would save them from the drop, and they were also counting on UL Bohs to do them a favour against Dolphin, so the motivational stakes could not have been higher.
Wegians started nervously and looked like a side bereft of confidence, and it was the Kildare men who dominated the opening quarter, threatening the Wegians line on several occasions. However for all their dominance, the Blues defence held sway and kept their line intact.
Wegians got a boost when an intercept by centre Rory Parata on his 10m line saw him race clear into opposition territory, and his clever kick ahead just eluded winger Alan McMahon. However Parata was impeded on his run which gave a chance for a shot on goal, and out-half Morgan Codyre made no mistake from in front of the posts to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.
With the aid of a stiff cross-breeze, the visitors kept up the pressure, and they finally managed to breech the Wegians rearguard just on the half-hour mark. It looked like Wegians would initially deal with an attacking threat, but when the ball went loose, Naas hooker Warren Larkin found himself unmarked with the line at his mercy and he dived over for the game’s opening score.
Cillian Dempsey scuffed the simple conversion to leave it at 5-3, and shortly afterwards a great hit by Parata on his opposite number Fionn Carr led to a penalty opportunity. Codyre again took full advantage to restore his side’s lead by the narrowest of margins at 6-5.
Arguably the turning point of the game came right on the stroke of half-time. With Wegians prop Martin Fox in the sin-bin, the ever-threatening Carr went on a sortee down the right flank. The ex-Connacht man easily brushed off three attempted tackles before feeding his winger Ben O’Connor who sauntered over unopposed for the simplest of scores. This time Dempsey converted to give his side a 12-6 lead at the break.
Wegians came out of the traps immediately on the restart, and when they were restored to 15 men and with the slight wind advantage at their backs, there were flickers of hope that they could regain their lead. They desperately needed the next score to keep themselves in contention, however the visitors dealt comfortably with the attacking threat and they soon took a stranglehold on the game, working their way back upfield.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
New signing Cian Kelleher will make his competitive debut lining out at fullback for Connacht against Galsgow tomorrow (5.15pm). The 22-year-old is named in a back three with Niyi Adeolokun and Irish international Matt Healy.
Eoin Griffin has been handed the number 13 shirt for his return to the Sportsground after two seasons with London Irish. The 25-year-old from Galway will partner last season’s PRO12 Players’ Player Bundee Aki in midfield.
In the pack, Denis Buckley makes a welcome return to the front row after his lengthy lay off recovering from an ankle injury. Internationals Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane are also named and Nepia Fox-Matamua returns to start in the back row with Eoin McKeon and captain John Muldoon.
From the bench, Lewis Stevenson is in line to make his full Connacht debut and Kieran Marmion comes in as the replacement scrum half.
Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:
“What an exciting game to kick off a new season at home where we have two teams who really like to express themselves. Games against Glasgow are always tough and uncompromising and with their impressive selection of international players, we expect that to be no different tomorrow.
“It’s a new season and a somewhat new-look side with just eight who started at Murrayfield in May lining out tomorrow. Today is the last time all 12 teams will be level on points. With five points on offer now our focus is on the process which will give us the best chance of winning.
“Starting the championship at home is a huge boost and we’re looking forward to experiencing the magical atmosphere here at the Sportsground once again come 5:15.”
Connacht team to face Glasgow Warriors, Saturday 3rd September, the Sportsground, 5:15pm
15 Cian Kelleher
14 Niyi Adeolokun
13 Eoin Griffin
12 Bundee Aki
11 Matt Healy
10 Jack Carty
9 Caolin Blade
1 Denis Buckley
2 Tom McCartney
3 Finlay Bealham
4 Ultan Dillane
5 Danny Qualter
6 Eoin McKeon
7 Nepia Fox-Matamua
8 John Muldoon (captain)
Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan
17 Ronan Loughney
18 JP Cooney
19 Lewis Stevenson
20 James Connolly
21 Kieran Marmion
22 Shane O’Leary
23 Peter Robb
For a full preview of the match and Connacht’s season see this week’s 24 page souvenir supplement free with the Tribune
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