European rugby returns to the Galway Sportsground on Saturday (5.30pm ), bringing with it an added sense of occasion, helped by festive cheer.
After the usual long grind of URC competition, the chance for Connacht to test themselves against other European teams is a real treat, and this week the players "turned the dial" quickly into European rugby mode for the visit of Newcastle in their Challenge Cup opener.
Andy Friend's men go into the match in good form and with confidence building, particularly after their 38-19 win over Benetton in last weekend's URC. But they know The Falcons will provide a stern opening test as usual. Familiar European protagonists, Connacht have prevailed twice in the Sportsground - the last occasion by 25-10, while losing 29-5 away.
Scrum and contact coach Colm Tucker says Connacht will treat this year's European competition on a week-to-week basis.
"We’re looking to get a win at home and start off the tournament very well. It’s step by step. First and foremost, we want to get out of the group."
However, there is a real sense of excitement in the Sportsground, he says.
"This is Challenge Cup week, European week, and there’s a brilliant feel around it. Challenging yourself outside the domestic competition is brilliant - experiencing different players, teams and cultures and supporters.
"It’s just the word Europe you know? Europe gets everyone buzzing again I think. Playing different teams, next week you’re in France for a 9pm kick-off."
While not the Heineken Cup, Tucker says it still contains "big names and big teams".
"It’s a brilliant challenge. We know it’s not the Champions Cup, but there are some absolutely brilliant sides still in it. We’re very excited to welcome Newcastle and to go to Brive next week.
"We went on a decent run in the URC over the past six weeks. This is a change in focus for us, but it’s always exciting to play teams outside of the URC and test yourself against Premiership and Top 14 teams. We can’t wait to get out there on Saturday."
Connacht will be without three internationals, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham and Cian Prendergast, who are on holiday, and Tucker says fans can expect to see "some familiar faces mixed with some new ones".
"We’re very focused this year in terms of managing loads on players."
The season's start has been a long slog, with Connacht not yet having found their top form, particularly the fluidity in attack which we have come to expect from the backs. There were glimpses last weekend in their victory over the Italians, when they grabbed only their second bonus-point win at the Galway Sportsground this season.
It was victory fashioned by their forward's prowess and has enabled Connacht to close in on the top half of the URC table, where there is just four points between sixth-placed Edinburgh and 11th placed Connacht. Leinster are the runaway leaders with an impressive 41 points in an unbeaten run.
However, Connacht's coaching director Andy Friend will have been pleased his players found their scoring flare to set up a 17-7 half-time lead, if not their propensity to leak tries too.
“We fell into the trap of probably getting comfortable, thinking we are two or three scores up, and so we just play this loose rugby - and we can’t,” he says. “Every time we go back to being us and a good version of us - when we are doing the things we need to do - we are a hard team to stop, but when we are carrying loosely and turn a ball over, or don’t choose to work hard on the inside as a defensive unit, then they will cut you apart.
"So, there were too many lapses in defence in the second half and certain things around the attack in the second half, which were frustrating.”
A solid forward platform provided first-half tries from Niall Murray and Paul Boyle - the first within three minutes when the lock took a superb flat pass from outhalf Jack Carty and galloped in from halfway. Carty, who enjoyed a flawless night from the tee, added the extras.
However, the visitors reaped the reward for a period of territorial control in which they made three clean breaks and produced an 18th minute try from left wing Marcus Watson, with outhalf Jason Umaga converting. It seemed to arouse Connacht who added impetus to their attack, and when Bealham made his presence felt, Connacht’s reward was a penalty, and another scoring opportunity to drive to the line. Dowling’s take provided Oliver and Bundee with the opening to attack before man of the match Paul Boyle claimed the touchdown, Carty again converting, for a 14-7 lead after 23 minutes.
The home side, in the ascendancy, added a Carty penalty, and within minutes of the restart they delivered on possession, going through the phases before Finlay Bealham claimed a try under the posts. Carty's conversion put his side into a strong 24-7 lead.
Benetton, however, seized control again. Replacement prop Thomas Gallo looked certain to score, but for super work from Paul Boyle. Eventually, however, after pinning Connacht on their line, centre Marco Zanon added a second try, Umaga converting to close the gap to 24-14.
Critically Andy Friend’s side scored next, taking advantage of a red card to Italian lock Scott Scrafton. From a penalty to touch Bundee Aki came close before replacement outhalf Caolan Blade touched down. Benetton never relented, and were rewarded with a deserved 78th minute try from centre Menoncello, but Connacht did have the last say when replacement hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin added gloss to the scoreline with an 80th minute try.
Connacht: J Porch, D Kilgallen, T Farrell, B Aki, M Hansen, J Carty, K Marmion, D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, O Dowling, N Murray, C Prendergast, C Oliver, O Boyle.Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, P Dooley, J Aungier for Heffernan, Buckley and Bealham (all 51m ), G Thornbury for Murray (54 ), C Blade for Marmion and T Daly for Farrell (both 60m ), J Butler for Oliver and T O’Halloran for Kilgallon (both 63m ).
Benetton: R Smith, M Watson, T Menoncello, M Zanon, E Padovani, J Umaga, D Devenage, I Nemer, G Nicotera, F Alongi, N Cannone, S Scrafton, M Zuliani, G Pettinelli, M Lamaro. Replacements: I Mendy for Smith (19m ), N Tetaz for Alongi (33m ), T Gallo for Nemer (40m ), A Garbisi for Duvenage (63m ), J Riera for Zanon (65m ), T Gallo for Nemer (71 ), L Frangini for Nicotera, M Lazzaroni for Cannone and A Izekor for Pettinelli (all 74 )Referee: Marius Van Der Westhizen (SARU ).
