Connacht find going tough but stay in hunt for Challenge Cup

Perpignan 10

THE path to the last eight of the Challenge Cup looks a little bumpy but at the midway point of the competition and despite little room for error, Connacht remain in the hunt for a place in the knockout stages.

Saturday’s hard fought victory over a plucky Perpignan in stormy weather cemented their position in second in the pool, but Andy Friend’s men are now all but out of contention for winning the pool and need three wins from three to advance to the last eight.

That is hardly cause for too much concern as the new Connacht head coach has approached this year’s incarnation of European rugby’s other competition with a mindset of development. He insist that winning the title is the aim but that doesn’t mean he’s at odds with himself. It appears that Friend and his management team are looking to maximise development and still remain in contention. Job done so far.

They failed to garner a bonus point here against the newly promoted side sitting bottom of the Top 14 in France. It was a similar story in round one at home to Bordeaux, but this was a fourth win on the bounce for the squad and it came after they made a staggering 13 changes to the starting line up, resting a host of players including captain Jared Butler, Ultan Dillane, Denis Buckley, Jack Carty, Tom Farrell and Tiernan O’Halloran.

That opportunity to recuperate after two weeks of travel to South Africa will be welcomed ahead of a triple header of Inter-provincial tussles and as has been the case in the previous rounds, the opportunity for some of the emerging talent in the squad to shine can only be good also. Matthew Burke at loosehead prop is one, Conor Fitzgerald at out half another and in the wind and rain on Saturday, Kieran Joyce at centre are just some of the names that have emerged with distinction so far.

In short, this was a game played in challenging conditions where Connacht led by as much as 17 points before being pegged back to a seven point margin and needing a strong intervention from the replacements bench, including a rising star among their summer acquisitions. More on the details in the minute, but first of all let’s flesh out what this all means for the games ahead.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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