Connacht prepare for a top-of-the-table European Challenge Cup pool clash against Lyon on Saturday (8pm ) in Dexcom Stadium.
The French visitors are currently one point behind Connacht, who have taken full points from their two fixtures against Zebre and Perpignan, and a win would continue to keep them in pole position to advance.
“It's a big challenge,” says Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins. “Lyon have flirted with the bottom end of the Top 14. They've got a good wind to move themselves a little bit further up the table. They've got an incredibly strong roster, and some of the firepower, particularly in the midfield and outside backs, is unbelievably threatening.
“They're the best in the top four teams for successful offloads. They play with width. They look to put a bit of air on the ball. So it's a big challenge in terms of shutting them down.”
However, Wilkins believes his side is confident of making it three from three to continue leading the pool.
“Anytime we play a French opponent, particularly here in Galway, we feel confident- obviously respecting the threat that's coming, but we do feel confident, and we feel like we should be winning that game, if we again fulfil our potential.
“There's enough there to keep us on edge; There's enough to give us confidence. Part of that is the first two wins, and then, of course, the other is what sort of side that Lyon send over? Sometimes they're at full strength, sometimes they're not, sometimes it's somewhere in between.
“So there's a few unknowns as well, and it's really where our Lyon preparation probably moves with our Ulster reflection, in that we have to get our stuff right. If we say we're going to do something, whether it's big picture in terms of what we want to achieve the season, or whether it's in a specific area of the game. If we say we're going to do something, we've got to do it, otherwise it just becomes words on the wall.”
Despite having fallen to 13th place in the URC, Connacht are not detracted from their ambitions in this year’s European competition.
“At the start of the year, the players were were adamant and united in terms of saying we really want to go for it in the Challenge Cup this year and see how far we can go.
“So I don't think it's changed the emphasis we put on the competition, but it probably adds a little bit of extra excitement to it, in terms of knowing, you know, the significance, or potential significance, of going all the way in the competition - not that would be easy, either, but there's certainly more excitement around the competition.”
Wilkins accepts that having lost two URC games at home has dented Connacht’s ambitions to make the top eight and Champions Cup rugby.
“At the moment, we've dropped two home games, which are really significant in terms of our progress in the competition. There's disappointment, but there's not panic, and in that sense; it's not feeding into any great pressure with a Challenge cut.
“I don't feel that we are cut off from URC top eight, but the way the boys will be approaching it in terms of the group is very much about one week at a time. Hopefully we do ourselves justice in these two weeks in the Challenge Cup, and then we can have a right good go at Glasgow, and if we get a result there, we'll put ourselves possibly back, if not in the conversation, then closer to it.”
It has been a tough week for Connacht and Wilkins with Mack Hansen’s disciplinary hearing yesterday, coach Mark Sexton’s announced departure, and, having suffered a disappointing 7-17 loss to Ulster over the Christmas, which saw the club plummet to 13th in the URC. Lyon’s arrival in the west for Saturday’s Challenge Cup third round at Dexcom Stadium should hopefully provide some New Year cheer.
