Linley MacKenzie
Connacht's continuing improvement will be tested when they face Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday night (7.35pm ) in a bid to claim their first URC away win of the season.
Two home victories has been a reward for glimpses of brilliance, and certainly last week's 38-14 win over the Scarlets will provide greater confidence as the squad heads to Wales for the first time this season.
While the Ospreys will be missing players on international duty, so too will Connacht with Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Mack Hansen and Cian Prendergast involved in the Irish squad. It evens up the playing field in Swansea, which has not been the most rewarding venue for Connacht over the years, and head coach Pete Wilkins says it is a potential banana skin.
"They could have players missing, but that is a red flag. We respect the threat, and they will be stronger at home this season. Ultimately we have some catching up to do."
Peter Wilkins believes Connacht had been branded as an inconsistent side in the past, particularly due to the side's dip in intensity, but it is an area of constant growth which was exemplified by last week's win over Scarlets. And former captain Jarrad Butler believes Connacht have more to come in their bid to move up the URC table.
"Defensively we've been good, and in attack in patches, but we haven't put it all together yet. That comes down to individual error which is letting us down, but we are starting to building phases."
Having jumped Scarlets into 14th on the table, Connacht still have some way to go to break into the top half, but a win over Ospreys, currently in 10th, would go a long way before the international break.
However, there is a acceptance Connacht are on the right track, and Butler says there is a real sense of anticipation within the camp as they head to Wales.
"Having rotation and depth in the squad means you go into these games fresh and wanting to perform, and it is having a a real knock-on effect. There is a real energy around the place. The guys are starting to feel that cohesion and style of play that we want to play and this will be a hugely important week for us to get a win over the Ospreys."
Connacht produced their first try bonus point win of the season over fellow Welsh outfit Scarlets at the Sportsground on Friday night. They left it late for that fourth try, but ultimately Mack Hansen kicked ahead twice and won the race for the ball, and he try was awarded after a lengthy referee review.
It was a relief all round, but at the heart was a superb defensive effort, coupled with that individual flare.
Thanks to the alertness of Niall Murray, who successfully blocked an attempted clearance from scrumhalf Kieran Hardy, Connacht claimed the first try within a minute. But thereafter the two sides battled it out, exchanging penalities before Scarlets fullback Johnny McNicholl exploited a porous defence and Steff Evans finished with a 16th minute unconverted try.
It was level-pegging after the sides added penalties again, but Connacht eventually made hay with some heavy forward thrusts from a scrum, led by Paul Boyle. When Carty found Mack Hansen with a long looping pass, there was no stopping the winger, who put Connacht 16-11 in front.
The second half became something of a scrap between two desperate sides, with Paul Boyle was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle. However, Connacht never relented, and within minutes of Jack Aungier’s appearance, the pack delivered from was series of close-in drives, with the replacement prop claiming the touchdown in the right corner. Carty, who missed four kicks on the night, was unable to add the touchline conversion, while at the other end replacement Rhys Patchell added a penalty. Dave Hawkshaw, however, took over the kicking duties and struck a penalty to restore the 10-point lead before Connacht finished the stronger as Hansen again put a gloss on a game.
Connacht : T O’Halloran; J Porch, B Ralston, D Hawkshaw, M Hansen; J Carty (c ), K Marmion; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; N Murray, L Fifita; C Prendergast, C Oliver, P Boyle. Replacements: O Dowling for Fifita and J Aungier for Bealham ( both 52 ), D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan and C Reilly for Marmion (54 ), J Butler for Boyle (59 ), J Duggan for D Buckley and C Forde for for Ralston (65 ), A Wootton for O’Halloran (69 ).
Scarlets: J McNicholl, C Baldwill, S Evans, J Davies, R Conbeer; S Costelow, K Hardy; S Thomas, K Owens, H O’Connor; J Price, T Price; J Macleod, D Thomas, S Kalamafoni. Replacements: D Blacker for Hardy (51 ), R Patchell for Costelow (52 ), R Elias for Owens and M Jones for Price ( 53 ), K Mathias for S Thomas and W John for O’Connor (65 ).
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU ).
