Bradley still thirsty for Heineken success

SUNDAY’S surprise bonus-point win by Ulster over Edinburgh, combined with Connacht’s heavy defeat by Llanelli away, has ended any slim hope the western province had of qualification for next season’s Heineken Cup through the Magners League route.

Everything was building nicely to a high-octane final-round game in Ravenhill between Ulster and Connacht, but that option has now closed. A disappointment, certainly, for Connacht manager Michael Bradley and his team, but as they ready themselves for this Friday night’s Amlin Challenge Cup against French Top-14 joint table-toppers Toulon, it has the more positive effect of furthering narrowing their focus.

A win doesn’t just get Connacht to a European final, it brings them one step closer to what has been a long-standing ambition for all those connected with rugby in Ireland’s Cinderella province — Heineken Cup rugby.