Connacht, with 13 points on the RaboDirect Pro 12 table from four outings, face a different and more difficult challenge this evening in Wales. They head to Liberty Stadium knowing the Ospreys are one the strongest and most expensively assembled outfits outside Ireland, at a venue where even achieving a bonus point is always difficult. Still smarting from their bonus-point loss to Edinburgh, which was a missed opportunity, Elwood says there are now bigger challenges ahead. “We have two big games with Ospreys and Leinster away - two very good outfits with big squads so we are under no illusion. We have a tough two weeks before the break.
“The Ospreys are a great side, a quality side - to me they are the best team in the league to date - the manner in which they play, their physicality, quality of personnel, the way they play the game defensively - and we are going to be well tested in the Liberty. They put it to Ulster and Leinster and they are extremely difficult to beat at home.”
Elwood is concerned with Connacht’s poor start in their two home matches, particularly last weekend’s lacklustre first half. As a result he is looking for an 80-minute effort tonight. “We know and recognise we cannot to dig ourselves out of big holes every time. When you come up against the Ospreys and you give them 10 points, then you are in for a long night. It is something we need to get to get to grips with quickly because there is no tougher team than the Ospreys.
“History would say it going to be extremely difficult but it’s important to get something out it. We will be looking for minute one to minute 80 because they will not stop. They beat Edinburgh in the 82nd minute so you know they are coming at you for the whole 80 minutes. We have to be on show our mettle because we cannot expect favours from anyone - it’s going to be tough.”
Junior league back in action on Sunday
Division 1A of the Connacht Junior League will swing back into action on Sunday. Westport will head to table toppers Monivea for what looks like a very difficult encounter for the Bulls. Monivea have won all three of their opening games and picked up three bonus points along the way. Westport picked up their first win of the season last time out with a 33-3 win over Galwegians to go with the draw they got against OLBC. Monivea have hammered bottom two sides Castlebar and Corinthians, but have are also the only side to have inflicted defeat on third place Tuam so far this season. The Bulls will find it very tough to come out of there with anything. It’s an all Mayo clash in Heffernan Park when basement boys Castlebar go to Ballina on Sunday. Castlebar have lost all three opening games and not even managed to pick up a bonus point yet, their luck doesn’t look much like changing on Sunday when they take on a Ballina side who have two wins to their belt so far and are smarting off the end of a high scoring defeat in the Sportsground to OLBC in the last round.
