No time to slip up on banana skin!

THIS is a potential banana skin for Connacht Rugby.

Connacht has proven in the past three seasons that they can rise to the big occasion in the Heineken Cup. They’ve also shown that they can struggle in games that they are expected to win.

Whether it’s an underdog psychology thing or whether it’s easier to get pumped up when playing a superior team, Connacht can often underperform when they are expected to shine against ‘lesser’ opposition.

The westerners were immense last Friday night at the Sportsground against Saracens, earning a losing bonus point against the English Premiership leaders that are laden down with internationals and who have a Lion, Owen Farrell steering things at ten.

Over the 80 minutes, Saracens probably just about merited the win but Connacht ran them close and came within a whisker of claiming a big European scalp.

If Pat Lam’s men repeat last Friday’s levels of performance this coming Saturday (kick-off, 1.35pm Irish time) against Zebre in Italy, then there’s no question but that they’ll win.

There’s the snag, though. Consistency has consistently been a problem for Connacht.

After the highs of last week, after coming so close, Connacht’s performance levels are liable to plateau this weekend. That’s the danger.

And if their display levels do dip, then there is a real danger that they could get caught by a Zebre outfit that views this match as their best – and probably only – chance of winning a Heineken Cup match.

Connacht shouldn’t lose, after all they’ve won their last five encounters with them, but unless they match last week’s intensity levels and work-rate, and solidity in the set-pieces, then they’ll struggle.

And the law of averages suggest the Italians are going to have their day in the sun someday soon. Their first ever win, since forming the franchise last year, was against Cardiff a few weeks ago in the RaboDirect Pro 12. And they would dearly love one win in this competition; it’s effectively their Heineken Cup final.

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