Reality check for Connacht on home turf

Date Published: {J}

Connacht 12

Munster 18

Rob Murphy

A HUGE sigh of relief will have swept across three quarters of Ireland at full time on Sunday evening. For Munster it was because a selection gamble had paid off, for Ulster it was the sight of a genuine threat to their status starting to dissipate and for Leinster it was a sign that the western wave of momentum had been halted ahead of their trip west this Wednesday.

Before we go on, ask yourself a simple question, how do you play Munster when you’re expected to win? No matter who they have playing for them, how do you face that red jersey when nothing is expected of them and everything is expected of you.

For the first time in living memory, Connacht were favourites for a clash with Munster because they had made 12 changes and were fielding a scratch backline. Connacht were expected to dictate the tempo and seemingly had to deliver. It seems clear that the daunting nature of the assignment had its effects.

This is not to say that Connacht simply couldn’t handle the favourites tag. Against Worcester, Montpellier, Bourgoin and the Dragons in recent months they have done so with real professionalism, so Michael Bradley was correct to dismiss that afterwards. No, this was all about Munster and the mental mind block that only they can create.

The danger now, of course, is that this drop off in performance by the majority of the side will have a knock on effect during the toughest of and most important week of the season. Leinster on Wednesday night and Llanelli Scarlets away on Sunday await.

Two wins guarantees a Heineken Cup showdown with Ulster but with a battered and bruised team and a squad low on numbers, the task has just got tougher. The opening salvos from Munster were ominous. Behind the scrum, they were carrying kids, but up front they were packed with guile and experience.

Declan Cusack was out half in name only, Paul Warwick at 12 handled all the awkward stuff, Peter Stringer steadied the ship and the Munster front eight provided the thrust.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.