Connacht women’s rugby squad aims to upset odds

FOLLOWING the success of the Ireland women’s rugby team in reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in France over the Summer, it looks as if the upward curve of the game in this country – and, indeed, in Galway and Connacht – is set to continue.

This Saturday, the Connacht women, under the management of Ann Marie Keane, travel to take on Munster in their final inter-provincial match at Tralee RFC (kick-off 2:30pm) and victory in the fixture could possibly see them crowned champions at the final whistle.

Connacht go into this game on the back of a 39-5 win over Ulster last weekend – their first inter-pro triumph in recent years – but top of the table Munster will be buoyed by their victories over Ulster (22-0) and Leinster (7-0) in their opening ties.

However, given the margin of Connacht’s win over Ulster – and allowing for their narrow 15-8 defeat to Leinster on the opening day – that has ensured Keane’s charges, lying in second place on the table, remain in the shake-up heading into the final series of fixtures. In many respects, it’s unfamiliar territory for Connacht.

“Traditionally, over the last few years, it has been very bleak,” says Keane. “I think the Ulster game was our first win in four or five years, in general, for Connacht. Last year, I think, they drew with Ulster and that was as close as they had come to a result in quite a while. The progress, though, has been steady.”

No doubt, this year, the set-up has been boosted by the additions of Luke O’Donnell and George Naoupu to the coaching staff and Keane, who is also player/manager of the Galwegians women’s team, acknowledges they have had “a major influence over it”.

Another factor that has changed the complexion of the inter-pro series this year has been that the Ireland players who lined out at the World Cup have not been allowed to compete for their province this time round – the aim being to give more game time to players on the periphery of the Irish set-up.

While this has deprived Connacht of their two stars, Claire Molloy and Alison Miller, by the same token it has also levelled the playing field for Keane’s outfit, particularly as another two of her players, captain Ruth O’Reilly and scrum-half Mary Healy, spent time in the Irish camp but are still eligible to play.

“Now, there were a couple of players from Leinster and Munster who had been at the World Cup but they did not play as much as the others so they were allowed back [with their province],” continues Keane. “I know Leinster have three original players [from last year] and the rest are all new or have come up the ranks, which is great for the girls’ game.”

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