Irish Rugby hit the headlines for the all the wrong reasons this week when Connacht Women were forced to change beside a rubbish strewn area for their final interprovincial against Ulster in Energia Park.
What was supposed to be the showpiece of women’s domestic rugby - the final interprovincial games between Ulster and Leinster, and Connacht and Ulster - turned into a PR disaster when a film was widely circulated of the Connacht women’s changing gazebo close to overflowing rubbish which reportedly included rats. Due to Covid restrictions, women’s rugby interpros, having amateur status, are prohibited from using proper changing rooms.
The IRFU and Leinster Rugby have understandably apologised, but with this single action so many of the positive developments of the women’s game have been negated.
It is truly unfathomable how organisers - even if volunteers - could have sited a changing area in such an area believing it to be acceptable, or that no one in authority at the grounds would have checked that everything was in order prior to the team’s arrival. With the standard of women’s rugby continuing to improve, the sacrifices these players make, and the advances the women’s game is making throughout the world, it is not only unacceptable, but sad and depressing. Let’s hope the IRFU ensures it is an aberration.
It certainly would not have helped Connacht’s mental state going into the game, but they did carve a deserved draw with Ulster. It ensured Ross Mannion’s squad finished a creditable third on the interpro table, behind winners Munster and Leinster.
URC ws closer
Connacht Rugby have 10 days to fine-tune their preparations for the start of the 2021/22 season in the newly structured United Rugby Championship which includes four South African franchises.
Two pre-season fixtures have not produced wins, and coach Andy Friend says there is “still plenty of work to be done” ahead of the opening round against Cardiff.
However, the Connacht boss will be delighted that these pre-season games against two big English premiership sides have exposed Connacht to the type of game they can expect this season, particularly against the South Africans.
Connacht’s new mantra “fast, relentless and adaptable” is expected to counteract some of the more bullish opponents, but accuracy in execution will be necessary to implement the policy effectively.
“We created some good opportunities, but we were not good enough to finish them - something we need to get better at,” says Friend.
“Defensively I know there are some work-ons. Last week seven tries were scored against us, similar this week. There are some individual errors, but also a couple of system errors, so we have a bit of work to do.” “There were elements of our attack where we showed good cohesion, but we were not quick enough to react to things. We want to be fast, but we will have to be much faster at reacting to line breaks, balls on the ground turnovers, and we lacked the speed to react to the elements of the game against London Irish.”
The 47-14 scoreline is a sign of Connacht’s failure to convert in a challenge fixture which saw the former Ulster and Irish outhalf Paddy Jackson make a winning return to Ireland - his first time to play in Ireland since 2017.
Jackson kicked three of four first-half conversions to help them to a 26-0 half-time lead at the Sportsground, which welcomed spectators for the first time in some 18 months. Connacht were able to match their London opponents for speed, but despite some piercing breaks from No 8 Cian Prendergast and scrumhalf Kieran Marmion, accuracy let them down. Conor Oliver was denied an opening try with a knock-on, Tiernan O’Halloran’s effort was contentiously ruled, Dowling was stopped short, and O’Halloran was just beaten to the ball by the defence.
The line-out also struggled, and Friend says there is work “to be done there on the double”.
There were also many positives, particularly the form of young Cian Prendergast who was forced to move to No 8 when Paul Boyle was ruled out.
“Coming in for his first set up in pro set up and at 1.30pm I told him he had to move to eight, and he did that with real confidence. He’s a lovely footballer, works his backside off and gets just reward for the work he puts in, and there is a big future coming for him.”
Kieran Marmion was back to his breaking best, and will now have increased competition from Caolin Blade, having returned from Irish camp, but nursing a lower leg injury. Finlay Bealham, also back from the national squad, should be available, while captain Jarrad Butler and Paul Boyle will also be fit having been ruled out last week with a dose of food poisoning. Abraham Papali’i is also expected to return, while Lion Bundee Aki joined the squad this week, but is expected to take a few weeks to get back up to speed.
Women’s nightmare
Women’s rugby hit the headlines for the all the wrong reasons this week when Connacht Women were forced to change beside a rubbish strewn area for their final interprovincial against Ulster in Energia Park.
What was supposed to be the showpiece of women’s domestic rugby - the final interprovincial games between Ulster and Leinster, and Connacht and Ulster - turned into a PR disaster when a film was widely circulated of the women’s changing gazebo close to overflowing rubbish which reportedly included rats. Due to Covid restrictions, women’s rugby interpros, having amateur status, are prohibited from using proper changing rooms.
The IRFU has understandably apologised, but with this single action so many of the positive developments of the women’s game have been negated. It is truly unfathomable how any person - even a volunteer - could have sited a changing area in such an area, or that no one in authority at the grounds would have checked that everything was in order prior to the team’s arrival. With the standard of women’s rugby continuing to improve, and the sacrifices these players make, it is not only unacceptable, but sad.
It certainly would not have helped Connacht’s mental state going into the game, but they did carve a deserved draw with Ulster, ensuring Ross Mannion’s squad finished third on the interpro table, behind winners Munster and Leinster.
