Confident Connacht getting right mix

If it is true that Irish rugby could theoretically be one of the main beneficiaries from the advent of professionalism and the European competitions, then it probably stands to reason that Connacht would be the biggest winners of all. Little did we know.

The coming of former All Black captain Warren Gatland as coach of a semiprofessional/professional squad prompted Ralph O'Gorman, Galway Bay FM rugby correspondent and author of Rugby In Connacht, to pen the following remark in the Connacht-Northampton match programme: "We may well be on the threshold of the most successful (Connacht) era ever in representative rugby, an era that could be `almost heaven'."

The latter was a reference to another book, by Galway writer Kevin Brophy. That day Connacht duly beat Northampton out the gate, in the province's finest hour, and having been "robbed" of another Conference win in Nice went one better by beating Begles on Saturday evening. Their newest finest hour?

Gatland himself, just about concedes it was. "We're the first (Irish) team that's actually won away from home. They were a difficult side so it showed a lot of character to win away." No Irish side has ever won a Cup or Conference tie on French soil. Indeed, of the 51 European Cup or Conference games French sides have hosted against foreign teams, Connacht are only the seventh to plunder an away win.

To put it further in perspective, two years ago Begles drew with eventual European Cup finalists Cardiff and beat an Ulster side including eight internationals 29-16 at Ravenhill. Last season they reached the quarter-finals of the Conference (beating London Irish 32-6 and Ebbw Vale 93-7 at home) and the French championship. They went into Saturday's game with three successive wins over Montpellier, Pau (runaway leaders of the Cup's Pool E) and Nice, so are probably the better of the two French sides in Connacht's group.

They boasted a weight advantage of over a stone per man up front, contained two French internationals in scrum-half Guy Accoceberry and lock Olivier Brouzet, and a couple of Kiwis in winger Robbie McDonald and prop Scott Palmer.

However, as Gatland says succinctly in describing Connacht's current well-being: "If you beat us you're going to play well at the moment."

Whatever the ingredients, this is evolving into Connacht's best ever side, with better still to come. Ask Gatland whether it's hard work, great spirit or solid defence, and he responds: "All three I would say. The guys are working hard for each other. Everyone's giving 80 minutes and the defence is working well. And we've had 11 games together now, and that's starting to make a difference."

His modesty forbids of course, but another factor is Gatland himself, the target of a couple of English clubs already. "I've huge respect for the guy," says Eric Elwood, speaking, no doubt, for all, in deference to Gatland's innovative coaching and the manner in which he's moulded such a unified team spirit. Aside from keeping the vast bulk of last season's squad, critically, Gatland has kept a settled team.

You wouldn't call this Connacht team a motley collection, but you might say they are modestly talented. Elwood is their only international and not one of their side even made last summer's A/Development tour.

But confidence is flowing through their veins. Some relative unknowns are coming of age.

"Mervyn Murphy was very, very good. He's really maturing now. Shane McEntee really came into his own; he's improving all the time. Mark McConnell played some super stuff. Nicky Barry, he's playing very well, really making some excellent decisions defensively and in attack."

And then there's Elwood, coming good after a slow start to the season. "He's really on top of his game now and his defence is so strong he gives you that option to close things down defensively."

Leinster, say, might find it instructive to note that not only had Connacht gone to Nice on the Friday (two days before the game) but last week they also restricted Irish squad members Elwood and Conor McGuinness from contact work on Tuesday, gave the squad Wednesday off and only resumed en bloc on Thursday. By contrast, Leinster had an exhausted Dennis Hickie and Kevin Nowlan training on the Wednesday evening after the "double" Irish squad session, and only arrived in Milan on Friday.

Gatland has no doubt that Connacht would not have been able to perform as well against Nice without the extra day, and intends repeating the itinerary against Northampton.

Yet the manner of the Nice defeat was anything but nice. A dubious penalty try, for merely going over the top at a ruck and without warning by English referee John Pearson, denied Connacht victory in the third minute of injury time. "It was just a terrible decision, an absolute shocker," says Gatland. "It was interesting to hear yesterday that the referee's assessor said it was a terrible decision as well."

However, after the Begles victory, initial targets of mere "respect" and two home wins have been revised. "The next two home games are test matches. Now the aim is to win the group. If it happens that's a bonus. If it doesn't, I think we've still acquitted ourselves well and relatively early in what I'm trying to achieve with the team."

He's hopeful of a 1,500-plus crowd at the Sportsground on Saturday for Nice. The goodwill on returning home has extended from Leinster players in Dublin airport to locals in Eyre Square. "I've just bumped into a few people in the street who I didn't even know and they've been saying `congratulations' and `keep it going' so it's a good start."