Connacht, needing to get wins on the Magners League table, face a critical test tomorrow when newcomers Aironi visit the Galway Sportsground (7pm ).
Despite Connacht's improved form this season, particularly away from home, it has not been translated on the points table, with the home team just one place above the visiting Italians.
Yet the statistics also tell a different story. Connacht, with two wins and a draw, are one win away from eighth place in the league and are clear of the winless Italians by 13 points. Their improving defence, translated into points conceded, is -18, superior to the three teams currently sitting above them. What is frustrating for coach Eric Elwood is Connacht's inability to finish off scoring chances when in attacking positions, and he says it is that five per cent that has left Connacht with four losing bonus points rather than victories.
Tomorrow evening, weather permitting (a decision was due to be made last evening ), Connacht have a real opportunity to grab their third victory. They will be the favourites and it is time this maturing squad dealt with that tag. With the set piece, particularly the scrum, providing the attacking platform, and an intensity at the breakdown that was lacking against the Ospreys, Connacht should have enough firepower in the backs to cause Aironi problems. However the Italians can be tricky opponents, and Elwood is expecting them to view Connacht as a real opportunity to post their first league victory.
"We are expecting a battle all right. They were 10-0 up after 30 minutes at home to the Scarlets so we know they can score points. They have struggled to get results in this campaign and as a result they will view this game as a means to get their season back on track, but we’re confident in our own ability, confident in our own defence, and we will stick to our game plan and back ourselves," Elwood says.
Elwood can welcome back Irish hooker Sean Cronin for tomorrow's contest, and although he will have been pleased with Dermot Murphy's performances in the last two matches, Cronin will offers a dynamism in attack, alongside prop Brett Wilkinson. Captain John Muldoon has yet to find his top form due to his fractured arm, but he should be a key player in a back row where Johnny O'Connor was a star performer against Edinburgh. New signing Rodney Ah You could also see action from the bench, with Dylan Rogers having picked up an injury.
Elwood is hoping Fionn Carr will have recovered from a leg injury, but centre Eoin Griffin, who had replaced the injured Niva Ta'auso over the last three weeks, is also ruled out after breaking his finger last week. As a result Elwood will be hoping Matthews, who has a back injury, is fully fit, and he could join either Ian Keatley (also doubtful ) or Aidan Wynne in the centre. Keatley played outside Matthews as a replacement last week, offering an extra dimension in the three-quarters, if a little frail in defence.
Brian Touhy was another who could have played himself into the selection for this week. He grabbed two tries on his first return to Magners League action this season, proving the ultimate finisher.
Unfortunately those two tries were not enough to topple Edinburgh for the first time in five seasons in Murrayfield, but, having lost heavily at the venue last year, Elwood was taking the positives from the 24-19 defeat.
"The last couple of times we’ve gone to Murrayfield, we have taken a bit of a hiding, so this really shows how far we’ve come. The guys have really stepped up to the mark - Brian Tuohy, Eoin Griffin, Dermot Murphy - these guys are doing the business and putting their hand up for selection and it’s great to see,” he said.
“Obviously we are disappointed we didn’t win the game because we had a great start scoring and had opportunities to finish it, but to come back from being 21-10 down shows a lot of character from the boys. Maybe with a small bit more composure, we could have closed out the game, but we’ll take the positives out of the game and take that momentum into tomorrow's game against Aironi."
Edinburgh survived a late Connacht onslaught as they fought back in the second half and once again showed their continuing improvement in their away form, taking another bonus point - their third on the road this season.
Connacht had enjoyed the better of the opening half exchanges, with left wing Brian Tuohy posting two tries as the visitors demonstrated their willingness to recycle, and looking more comfortable and penetrative when they kept the ball in hand. A turnover in their opponents' 22 provided the platform for the opening score and, with Mike McCarthy and Johnny O'Connor initially making the hard yards, a quick recycle stretched the Edinburgh defence and Tuohy ran in from 10m to finish off in the left corner.
In the bitterly cold conditions, punctuated by continuous light snow flurries, a handful of knock-ons were inevitable, but Connacht continued with their attacking game, taking advantage of some loose Edinburgh kicks to keep control. A counterattack with some slick handling between Gavin Duffy and Ian Keatley set up the second try on 19 minutes, and from Miah Nikora's well-judged cross field kick, Tuohy did well to claim possession and score.
However they found themselves level at the break as Edinburgh wrested control in the final 10 minutes with Chris Paterson grabbing all his side's points. Crucially the home side maintained their stranglehold after the break to open up a 21- 10 lead.
However Connacht regained the initiative and started to make inroads with Johnny O'Connor and Wilkinson dynamic in driving forward. The reward was three successive penalties from leading points-scorer Ian Keatley, reducing the arrears to 24 - 19 by the 70th minute. Connacht created the opportunity to win the game, but a Connacht knock-on ended their hopes.
Connacht v Edinburgh: G Duffy, S Monaghan, E Griffin, K Matthews, B Tuohy, M Nikora, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, D Murphy, J Hagan, M Swift, M McCarthy, A Browne, J O'Connor, J Muldoon (cpt ). Replacements, I Keatley for Griffin (9m ), D Rogers for Hagan (56m ), T Nathan for Monaghan (58m ), C Willis for Murphy (63m ), B Upton for Browne (66m ).
