Home Pro12 semi-final on the line in Connacht’s big clash with Glasgow

It lists each Pro 12 team, based on where they are positioned in the league heading into round 22. Then it catalogues the number of international players each team has, and the number of international caps each club has accumulated.

The figures are stark. They’re not necessarily new but seeing is believing.  Connacht lie second in the league table. And yet, based on the number of international capped players in their squad – nine – and the total number of international caps – 57 – they are ranked 12th out of 12 teams.

Based on this measurement, Connacht should be propping up the table. League leaders Glasgow, Saturday’s opponents at a sold-out Sportsground (3pm), are ranked first for the number of internationally capped players in their squad – 40 – and are second for the number of caps, at 735.

Leinster, who are third in the table, rank second for international players – 31 – and are first for the number of caps – 899 – those players have accumulated.

Lam doesn’t distribute the handout to hacks to earn kudos. Or to massage his own ego. And he admits this ‘international caps league table’ is borrowed from his predecessor Eric Elwood, who used it to track and emphasise Connacht’s perennial disadvantage.

Rather, Lam does it to accentuate the positives. “It’s to give you perspective,” he said. “It has been an unbelievable effort that we sit here, with an opportunity to win a game and finish top of the league when you consider the quality of players that are in other teams.

“We’re the only team in the whole competition that has stayed in the top-four. For 22-rounds we haven’t dropped out of the top-four, which highlights the consistency, despite all of the disruptions and changes we’ve made.”

This weekend Dan McFarland, Connacht’s former forwards coach, returns to Galway as assistant coach to the side attempting to plot the downfall of his old team.

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