European Rugby returns to Dexcom Stadium with the visit of familiar foes Zebre on Saturday evening (8pm ). And once again Connacht’s ambition to reach a European final begins, having failed at the semi-final hurdle on three occasions.
Drawn in pool 1 one this season, Connacht will also face fellow URC team Cardiff, as well as Top 14 outfits Perpignan and Lyon.
Connacht boast a strong record against the Italian outfit in the bread and butter URC competition, but Pete Wilkins and his squad are taking their opponents and the competition “seriously”.
“It's really important in terms of the sort of team we want to be. We talked about growing our consistency within games, but also week to week, and the fact that it's Challenge Cup rather than URC is no different,” Wilkins says.
“We want to get out there and do the business. I think all teams, regardless of which European competition they're in, if you can win three of those first four games, you put yourself in a pretty good position to advance in the competition.”
Also critical for Connacht is a response to their 14-28 result against the Bulls in the URC last weekend, having gone behind by 28-0. Although not helped by an early red card to Sean Jansen, the loss resulted in Connacht tumbling down to eighth place - a sharp reminder of the cut off point for Champions Cup rugby qualification.
“Any game, and any home game in particular, is welcome so soon after that Bulls’ result,” Wilkins says. “ We can't be going 28 nil down at home, and I want to see a response from the players in terms of how we start this game, the intensity around the contact, and also the movement around the pitch.
“Any game at this stage, in front of our supporters, is important for us to show that what we did last week wasn't reflective of the sort of team we want to be this season. We can only change that by getting out there and doing the business.”
The main injury concerns are Shane Bolton and Joe Joyce, who were due to have scans on foot injuries yesterday, but Wilkins expects they will be ruled out this weekend. Also unlikely are JJ Hanrahan and Peter Dooley. On track for a return is outhalf Josh Ioane, who is rehabbing a ligament strain, while internationals Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen are not due to return to training till next week.
As a result Wilkins may use the competition to give some players, who are “banging on the door”, some game time.
“It is a good opportunity to reward a couple of the younger guys who really impressed us so far through pre-season. That said, I don't think there'll be too much change, certainly not this week. The reason I say that is for players not to participate in either of these Challenge Cup games, it becomes a long time between the Bulls game through to our Leicester game and the URC. So I don't want to leave them on breaks too long.”
Connacht’s disappointing result against the Bulls could also see some players sidelined.
“Not everyone will survive that performance, but there are a few who I want to see go out and prove they actually can put things right. So it'll be a bit of a mixture.”
Wilkins expects the biggest challenge ahead will be the short turn-around from playing Perpignan in Europe to facing Leinster pre-Christmas.
Saturday will be a special occasion for scrumhalf Caolin Blade, the Monivea man who makes his 200th appearance for the club.
Blade, who played his club rugby with Monivea, joined Galwegians after being selected to the Connacht Academy in 2013. He made his first European appearance in the Challenge Cup against Exeter Chiefs in 2015. During his time, Blade has partnered 12 scrum halves since first playing with Miah Nikora in December 2014, but his longest partnership has been with Jack Carty in some 64 games.
“A magnificent servant to Connacht Rugby,” says Wilkins. “He set the standards in terms of performance.
“What I've really enjoyed about working with Caolin is his relentlessness. He's been stuck behind some some pretty decent scrumhalves at Connacht before my time and in the early years here, and he's remained competitive.
“He's incredibly energetic, and whenever he's got an opportunity, he seized it, To progress through the ranks as a homegrown player from our academy to become a first choice, to be recognised internationally is just terrific, and he's still playing good rugby. He has competition around him for the place, but he thrives on that.”
