Stalemate leaves men from West on brink of home ties

Connacht 24

GAME number 18 in the season brought a first draw and delivered a guaranteed quarter final spot in the Challenge Cup but, overall, it did absolutely nothing to help garner a clearer understanding of just where this group of players slot in on the European rugby pecking order.

After a performance that mixed drama with calamity on Saturday, Connacht left England in reasonably good shape and still on target, but everyone else remains none the wiser as to where the high water mark might reside for Kieran Keane’s men.

As second favourites for the competition, Connacht probably would have been expected to comfortably deal with the challenge of a Worcester side in the lower echelons of the English Premiership, and on the balance of play at least, their dominance in the final quarter should have seen them over the line but, once again, poor decision making and execution let them down at a crucial juncture.

As has been a trend this season, Connacht fought back from sizable deficits twice in this contest, having trailed 12-0 early on and 24-14 at half time. Moreoverl, they managed to minimise the damage of a double sin binning in quick succession conceding just seven points during the nine minute period of playing with 13 men.

Add to all that a solid attacking mindset that caused Worcester lots of bother and you have a good picture of a contest that had no clearly defined pattern. Connacht completely dominated the second half here and had the edged ahead at any point, might have been cruising by the full time whistle, but Worcester married a thundering four-try first half effort with a resilient rearguard action after the break to more than earn the draw.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.