Success of province's A team is major boost to rugby in Connacht
Date Published: {J}
Rob Murphy
CONNACHT travel to the RDS on Saturday to face Leinster (4:30) as the Magners League season is very much in full swing again. There must be an extra pep in the step of all squad members this week after a fine home win over the Dragons on St. Patrick's Day and, perhaps more surprisingly, the Connacht A side's deserved victory over Ulster A side last Thursday in Kildare.
The Ulster Ravens (as they are known) play in the British and Irish Cup along with Munster, Leinster, teams from the English second tier and reserve sides from the other Celtic Nations. They have reached the semi finals and are a serious force. For various reasons, Connacht were unable to compete at this level this year and such a restraint appears to be holding back the rapid development being made out west.
There can be no greater case for the development potential of rugby in the west of Ireland than the fact that all eight of the Connacht pack that beat Ulster 19-18 on Thursday were born in the province and have come through the thriving development system based here in the west.
Too often the equality of resources argument focuses on the senior Connacht side and the funds for player contracts, when it is just as important to highlight the need for providing academy graduates with a stepping stone to top level professional rugby. A fully funded Connacht A side in the British and Irish Cup would play a huge role in helping our young talented players develop.
Connacht A team manager Bernard Finneran explains. "This is the first year we have played all three provinces in the season, we will play four games in total this year but Munster and Ulster could play as many as 12. The A games have a dual benefit, fringe players get valuable game time and our younger players get a chance to prove themselves in a game where players can have a go and league points aren't all that mattter."
The All Ireland League still has a vital role to play and can't be shoved aside by such games. In fact, the scheduling of Thursday's game within 24 hours of the Glynn Cup raises some worrying issues that must be addressed. More respect and consideration is needed in such circumstances.
If that hurdle can be cleared, than there is no reason why A rugby can't be a crucial piece in the Eric Elwood jigsaw for next season. Elwood, Dan McFarland and Michael Bradley were all in Barnhall on Thursday to watch 20 year old, former Colaiste Iognaid, Out half, Conor Murphy kick the winning penalty from the touchline under intense pressure.
The pack included two budding young prospects in the back row, Shane Conneely and Eoin McKeon while the front row allowed Conor Higgins, James Robinson and Denis Buckley (who scored the second half try) get some much needed exposure.
In the backline Finn Gormley, Colin Conroy and Mark Butler all excelled while Adam Kennedy's efforts from the bench saw him called into the Irish squad the following evening as cover.
Connnacht performed superbly well in the under 20 inter pros back in September, beating Munster and losing in Ulster by one score despite notching four tries. Their representation on the International squad could well have been better had those players got the kind of game time that their colleagues in the other province were afforded. Funding is scarce but investing in this area at the expense of maybe one professional contract might yield a better long term gain to trump the short term solution we are normally forced to accept.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.