Connacht kick off a new era on Saturday when the new Dexcom Stadium hosts Leinster, the URC’s most successful team, on Saturday (5.30pm ).
It is a fascinating duel, Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster up against his former charges in a fixture that has been in the calendar since the start of the season. And there is no one better informed to prepare his new players for what is ahead than Lancaster, who coached Leinster from 2016/17 to 2022/23.
“The game has been in the calendar since the start of the season and it is something we have talked about, so we can’t shy away from a game of this size, and what it means to the province,” says Lancaster. “I had different experiences with England, and you have to be in it to embrace it. So this is a normal training week, albeit the opposition. We realise they are pretty good and we realise the significance of the game.”
Last time the two sides met was in the Aviva where Leinster delivered a 52-17 hammering, so there are plenty of reminders for his Connacht squad.
“We felt good going into that game at the Aviva, and I was at pains to stress the width of the Aviva, the variety of threats in terms of passing, kicking and ball-carrying they possess, and in the second half it paid dividends for them. So that has been a big focus of our preparation this week, the quality of opposition we face, but also the lessons learned from the Aviva.”
Packed with internationals who play at the top level, Leinster are used to training fast, and playing against each other.
“Whatever team they put out, they have very good players, so the big lesson from the Aviva was the speed with which we needed to react. We conceded two tries, but we were slow to come out the blocks, the second half got away from us.”
Lancaster has had plenty of time to prepare his Connacht team since the fixture was listed at the start of the season.
“It’s something we have talked about. We can’t shy away from a game of this size, and what it means to the province. You have to be in it to embrace it.”
Yet Lancaster also is trying to maintain normality in his training this week.
“The key is ball control, winning set-piece ball, not giving cheap turnovers. If you continue to give teams cheap turnovers in your own half, it becomes very hard to defend the full width of the field on transition, so we don’t need to present those opportunities on Saturday night.”
As part of the preparation, Lancaster has discussed with his players Connacht’s game in Mayo last year.
“A lot of them they felt they probably didn’t reference it enough in the lead up to the game, and that it was the size of the occasion which surprised them when they actually got there.
“It was 20 minutes into the game when they really realised the significance of it. But we have trained on this pitch all season, it’s not like it’s new for us. Yes, the changing rooms are different and we had the opportunity to use them for the first time for the Montauban game, and we got up to the third floor for the first time for the view. So we know what it’s going to look like for the supporters, but I don’t think anyone knows what it is going to feel like until 5.30pm on Saturday.
“When it is full, I think it will be pretty special.”
Lancaster, in preparing his players for the season, has used many ways to encourage and build confidence, including one memorable event pre-season when the stadium was in its construction.
After a hard training session, Lancaster decided to have a few beers, sitting on the astroturf looking up at the new Dexcom.
“I got three senior players, Dave Heffernan, Caolin Blade and Jack Carty, to talk about their memories when they first came here, and it was amazing. They were in portacabins, and there was nothing else.
“So last week when we were able to get into the building, we took them to the third floor before the Montauban game, looked down, and I said: ‘Remember when we sat here pre-season having a few beers on the pitch? The thing about iconic stadiums, and I am lucky to be involved in many great games in many of them, they are not necessarily the biggest, they are the ones that are in the heart of the community, which this one is.
“You can walk down into Eyre Square and get a bed, walk up and be in the ground in five minutes, you can have an amazing night out before or afterwards, so it is in the heart of the community.
“The best stadiums are where you are playing for the people, the west of Ireland, and those people come to support and get behind the team, but it is the players ultimately who bring the stadium to life.
“That is the bit I wanted to impress on the players.”
Lancaster is urging his side to stay in the fight and deliver under pressure for the full 80 minutes on Saturday evening. The squad has not been announced, but Lancaster is missing a number of players, including Finlay Bealhamn, Mack Hansen and Shane Bolton. However, his recent decision to bring in youngsters such as Harry West and Billy Bohan have paid dividends, and could well be in action on Saturday night.
The difference this year, he says, is moving the Academy players from the fringes to become fully integrated with the seniors - as was done in Leinster with Caolin Doris, James Ryan, and Gary Ringrose who were then 18-20 when he was coaching.
“That is the key for Connacht’s success in the future. When building a stand, you’ve got to build strong foundations, and I am very much in the process.”
Lancaster is relying on his senior players - Jack Carty, Caolin Blade, Denis Buckley - while growing the the leadership of Cian Prendergast, Paul Boyle, Josh Ioane, and then brining the younger players in. Expect to see some of them again on Saturday.
Josh Ioane (head ) and Caolin Blade (Achilles ) are both expected to return, Dave Heffernan (calf ) is being monitored, but Mack Hansen, Hugh Gavin, Temi Lasisi, Oisin Dowling, Byron Ralston, Shamus Hurley-Langton and Shayne Bolton remain longer-term absentees.
