The challenges for Connacht are stacking up as URC league leaders Glasgow arrive in Dexcom Stadium for round 12 on Saturday (3pm ).
The Scottish outfit, with nine wins from 11, and currently four points ahead of Leinster, will have their tails up in a bid to consolidate their number one spot.
It certainly does not make life easier for Connacht, who are still pinned below the top eight in 12th position. However, on Saturday they will be boosted by the return of their three Ireland Internationals, Cian Prendergast, Darragh Murray and Bundee Aki, who are available for selection.
It is a timely boost for Stuart Lancaster’s outfit, who still have some distance to make up if they are to achieve their season ambition of making the URC quarter-finals.
Prop Sam Illo has recovered from a hamstring injury and returns to action, but missing are a number of key players, including scrumhalf Ben Murphy with a rib injury, Dave Heffernan (calf ) and Shamus Hurley-Langton (shoulder ). Although they are expected to return to training in the coming weeks, there are no further updates on Hugh Gavin (shoulder ), Byron Ralston (knee ), Mack Hansen (foot ), Shayne Bolton (quad ), Temi Lasisi (knee ), and Oisin Dowling (knee ).
Connacht’s line-out and maul coach John Muldoon knows it will be a huge ask against the Scottish outfit that has lost only two fixtures this season.
“They have a quality squad, and I’m sure they'll get a couple of lads back as well,” he says. “They're top of the table for a reason. You don't get to top of the table without having a really good squad.
“They rotate a lot, have different combinations. Obviously some of the household names will be away, which is understandable, but the DNA is there regardless of who takes to the pitch.”
Home advantage needs to count
With the international break over, Muldoon acknowledges Connacht now need to start picking up points to lift themselves from their current 12th position on the URC table, but they are not placing huge emphasis on Glasgow’s current top spot.
“I don't think we're treating it as top versus 12th. I think we've stripped it right back to have a look at their team. We are just concentrating on how we think our strengths will play against them and vice versa, what we need to do to stop them getting their opportunities.
“So I don't think we've really focused massively on number one team in the competition. It has been mentioned, but it's not been a driving force.”
However, he accepts Connacht now need to start making home advantage count.
“It starts on Saturday. I don't think it's a must-win game, but certainly the room for error is getting lower and lower going forward. So, we've got five out of seven home games, and we need to start winning a good chunk of those.”
