Connacht blow another big lead but still create history

Connacht 31

BY JOHN FALLON

SELDOM has a team achieved so much in such underwhelming circumstances. Blowing a substantial lead and falling to a late defeat for the second week in a row in the Champions Cup has taken some of the gloss off Connacht reaching the knockout stages for the first time.

Another late collapse, coupled with drawing four-time champions Leinster in that knockout double-leg round in April, has deflated some of the euphoria around a notable milestone, but it will be great to have Connacht involved in the business end of the competition at a time, for context, none of the Welsh, Scottish or Italian teams have managed to make it that far.

But captain Jack Carty said they need to learn how to manage a lead if they are to improve as a squad. The previous week they blew an 18-point advantage and got caught at the death and this time, despite playing with an extra man for almost half the match, they failed to mind an 11-point lead in another nine-try thriller and will head into the knockout stages for the first time having won just one game.

Six bonus points along the way made all the difference and while defeat at Stade Jean Bouin ultimately didn’t impact on their final place or a knockout date with Leinster in April – five other teams have also advanced on the back of a single victory – a win in Paris would have been a huge boost but instead they fell to an eighth successive away Champions Cup game.

Carty said it was a big boost to advance but there is obvious room for improvement and the pool campaign could have been so much better.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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