It's a bad show down South for Connacht

ONE no-show too many. Connacht reverted back to type on St Stephen's Day against a second string Munster. They failed to front up for this winnable contest in all manner of speaking and got exactly what they deserved.

A first-half gem of a try from Sean Scanlon hailing from a poor turnover and a second from Thomas O'Leary that stemmed from two horrendous mistakes by the visitors did all the damage. The added help of Ian Keatley’s boot meant Connacht were 15 down at halftime and while they improved in the final quarter, Munster's mix of academy stars and experienced operators were far too canny.

All the hope garnered from the Gloucester trip was wiped out in one hopeless performance here. There are many burning questions after this latest display that falls too far short acceptable but one supersedes all others. What exactly is the point of Connacht rugby?

There doesn't seem to be anyone capable of answering that while simultaneously justifying current policies on recruitment. This was defeat number eleven on the bounce, 16 in-a-row seems a certainty and they might even break 20 yet. Records are tumbling for all the wrong reasons and there is no sign of a different approach. Head down and plough on.

Connacht are mentally fragile, this has been said time and again. Put them on a pitch in the Heineken Cup away from home, when an unmerciful hammering is a possibility and they play with a clear freedom and no inhibitions, but crank the expectation dial up a fraction of an inch and panic sets in.

A calming presence is non-existent and even some of the key players on the big bucks exude the mental frailties that are now synonymous with this current Connacht side.

For a prime example from Monday’s contest at a well-attended and windy Thomond Park, take the 56th minute attempted restart take by one of the highest paid players in Connacht rugby history. Eyes shut, arms out, ball knocked on while apparently bracing himself for the oncoming hit.

Whether the powers that be are willing to accept this or not, rugby folk out west look at that as an example of money up in smoke. They’ll see it as the cost of a new set of dressing rooms for Dunmore RFC or a scrum machine and equipment for Creggs RFC or a year’s supply of Youth Development Officer school visits for Leitrim and think, since it’s not helping the team win once in a while, why bother?

For more of Rob Murphy’s piece see page 32 of this week’s Tribune