Connacht welcome Italian side Aironi in their final home game of the season on Saturday (5pm ) with high hopes of grabbing another valuable win to maintain their recent momentum.
Last weekend’s 26 - 21 win over Ulster - their first since 2005 - ensures Connacht go into this last Sportsground fixture in confident form. A third successive win could see them leapfrog both the Dragons and Treviso, and coach Eric Elwood says Connacht still have ambitions to exceed last year’s finish.
“With one more home game to go and a toughie against Glasgow, there is still a lot to play for,” says Elwood. “ After our win over Ulster, everybody is in a good space and, with Aironi coming here this weekend, it’s very much game on for our last home game of the season.”
Although Connacht lost to Aironi earlier in the season, Elwood views Saturday’s game as a must-win.
“If we are serious about the business we are in, then yes, we have to win this game, and that is the pressure we are putting on ourselves.
“We were disappointed with our performance in Aironi because we are far better than that. So this is an opportunity to get that back. To build on the momentum of our win away to the Dragons and last weekend against Ulster, it is imperative to finish the season at home on a high.”
Elwood, however, says Connacht are under no illusions, despite Aironi’s failure to date to win a game away from home.
“ To be fair to Aironi, they are workmanlike, you have to earn the right to win the game, and last year it was a tight ball game. They have a couple of guys coming back from injury, a lot of experience, and they are a dogged and physical team, and we have to match that. But on our day, at home we are confident.”
Connacht will be without prop Brett Wilkinson who tore a calf muscle last weekend’s, but flanker Ray Ofisa is expected to have fully recovered for what would be his last appearance at the Galway Sportsground after six years with the province.
Elwood says it is imperative Connacht continue to impose themselves and play their style of game, and a key area on Saturday will once again be the breakdown and first phase possession against a powerful forward pack.
Last weekend the line-out stuttered against Ulster, but it did not stop Connacht’s delight in breaking a seven-season losing streak to the Ulstermen.
“Very happy, a derby match against an in-form Ulster team, we are really happy. We had the perfect start that we were looking for, lost a bit of momentum at crucial times so went in losing at half time, but the score from Tiernan [O’Halloran], which was a great score, gave us the lift we needed.”
Connacht lost both Wilkinson and Ofisa within minutes of grabbing an eight-point lead through a Miah Nikora penalty and try, after Naoupu's kick landed within metres of the Ulster line to launch the first raid. And Ronan Loughney’s sinbinning allowed Ulster to kick-start their scoring when Paddy Jackson landed two penalties after two earlier misses from Humphreys.
Henry Fa'afili's direction was instrumental in the second try when fullback Gavin Duffy rounded Stefan Terblanche out wide to score, but Ulster finished the stronger. Hooker Nigel Brady was the recipient of one misfired line-out and from the ensuing ruck Marshall dived through a porous short side to score. Jackson added the conversion and a penalty for a 16 - 13 half-time lead.
However Connacht’s third try within three minutes of the restart proved the turning point. Winning a penalty from the scrum, John Muldoon set up Tiernan O'Halloran out wide who raced through from 30 metres, with Nikora adding the extras.
Jackson, restored to outhalf after Humphreys was replaced, kept Ulster in the game with a 53rd minute try and conversion, but a George Naoupu's break resulted in a kickable penalty which Nikora landed before his 74th minute effort sealed the win.
Family Day
The Sportsground’s training pitch will be turned over to families on Saturday (2.30pm ) to meet Connacht players, and enjoy a host of activities. The event, which has been a huge success in recent years, is a thank you to the families and younger fans of Connacht Rugby.
The event will run until 4.30pm with Connacht v Aironi kicking off at 5.00pm. Entry is free for u-12s, €5 for u-18s and adult tickets are €15 before 4pm, which includes admission to the game at 5pm.
After the game the official Connacht Supporters Club will hold a forum with a number of Connacht players in the Clan Bar, as well as presenting its choice of senior player and young player of the year awards.
Connacht: G Duffy, T O'Halloran, K Tonetti, H Fa'afili, F Vainikolo; M Nikora, F Murphy, B Wilkinson, E Reynecke, R Loughney, M Swift, M McCarthy, J Muldoon, R Ofisa, G Naoupu. Replacements, D Buckley for Wilkinson (10m ), J O'Connor for Ofisa (13m ), E Griffin for Fa'afili (55m ), P O'Donohoe for Murphy (70m ).
Ulster: S Terblanche, I Whitten, N Spence, P Jackson, A D'Arcy; I Humphreys, P Marshall, P McAllister, N Brady, T Court, L Stevenson, N McComb, M McComish, W Faloon, R Diack. Replacements, R Pienaar for Marshall (37m ), C Gilroy for Humphreys and A Macklin for Court (53m ), A Birch for Diack (55m ), C Black for McAllister and A Kyriacou for Brady (67m ), I Hendeson for McComb (74m ).
